Girls basketball: Players to watch

Only returning starter from team that went 20-0 during the regular season and fell in the regional to eventual Class C state champ Flint Hamady. Made the all-state team after averaging 16.3 points and seven rebounds per game, and has signed with Division II Urbana (Ohio).

Dena Droste

DeWitt

5-7 senior guard

Became one of mid-Michigan's most dangerous offensive players last winter averaging 16.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in making the Class B all-state team. Few if any in the area get to the basket as well, and she made 45 percent of her shots last winter.

Carole Harris

Waverly

5-11 senior forward

Came on big as a junior, especially after injuries hurt the team's frontcourt. Earned a Class A all-area honorable mention and has scholarship offers from Division II Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State.

Abbey Hengesbach

Pewamo-Westphalia

5-8 senior guard

Earned all-state recognition her first three years of high school, making the Class C first team last winter when she averaged 13.3 points, 5.8 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game. She signed with NAIA Davenport but had interest from Division I and II NCAA colleges.

Deborah Hoekstra

East Lansing

5-10 senior guard

Area's top all-around player made the Class A all-state team and cleared 1,000 points for her career last season at Eastern before transferring over the summer. She averaged 20.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.3 steals per game last winter and has signed with Bowling Green.

Hannah Hoffman

Okemos

6-3 senior center

An injury to all-state honorable mention center Whitney Turner midway through last season opened up a bigger role for Hoffman, who has signed with Ferris State. She earned a Class A all-area honorable mention as a junior.

Mandy Johnson

Holt

5-8 senior guard

Averaged 12.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a junior, but made her biggest mark as a lock-down defender in setting the school record with 83 steals. She made the Class A all-area team and has signed with Western Michigan.

Maddie Johnston

Grand Ledge

5-9 senior forward

Averaged 14.4 points and 5.9 rebounds last season as a junior, when she earned a Class A all-area honorable mention, and is also a top area volleyball setter. She signed with Division II Wisconsin-Parkside's hoops program and is expected to key a Comets revival this winter.

Sarah Trierweiler

Portland

6-4 junior center

Arguably the area's top post defender, Trierweiler set a school record with 58 blocked shots in making the Class B all-area team last season. She also averaged 8.8 points and six rebounds per game in helping the Raiders to the state semifinals.

Jasmine Wood

Waverly

6-0 junior forward

Healthy again after missing the end of last season with an injury, Wood earned a Class A all-area honorable mention as a sophomore. She's a sure Division I college player, and has received a scholarship offer from the University of Detroit.