Lake County All-Area girls team

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Audrey Bauer

Lake Zurich

%%%%As a Navy recruit, she will salute. As a four-year varsity basketball player, she's earned a salute. This season, the 6-footer averaged 16.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 steals. Career-wise at Lake Zurich, she ranks in the top five in each category. She scored 38 points in one game this season and grabbed 20 rebounds in another. "She had a tremendously consistent four-year career, making contributions to the team each and every year," coach Chris Bennett said. "We couldn't be more proud of her for her career accomplishments and her decision to play basketball and serve at the Naval Academy."

Tammy Ellis

Wauconda

%%%%When she sat the season's first five games due to a bad back, the Bulldogs lost twice. With her at the point, Wauconda went 18-5 and won the North Suburban Prairie. Success is nothing new to the junior, who ranks first in her class. "Tammy is an extremely talented athlete," coach Jaime Dennis said. "She is the purest jump shooter Wauconda has had in a long time." Ellis, "a fun player to watch," Dennis added, averaged 8.3 points, 2.8 steals, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists. "She is very versatile," Dennis said. "She handles the ball well, she shoots, she can drive, she can post, and she defends both guards and posts."

Brooke Evans

Mundelein

%%%%She was healthy, and so were her numbers. Achy knees sometimes sidelined the Oakland City University recruit during her four-year varsity career. She played in 30 games this season for the 16-15 Mustangs and averaged 11.1 points and 4.7 rebounds. She also sank 36 3-pointers in an even 100 attempts. "I feel that she was one of the biggest difference-makers in the area," assistant coach Jeff Harding said. "I would hate to think where we would have been this year without her." Harding added opposing coaches told him their focus was on denying Evans the ball and not losing sight of her.

Alex Haley

Libertyville

%%%%Alex Haley wrote "Roots." Libertyville roots for this Alex Haley. The sophomore certainly authored some fine performances in her first varsity season. Coach Kathie Swanson called the unflappable guard "fearless." Haley averaged 9.8 points and 2 steals while shooting 43 percent from the floor and 74 percent from the stripe. "You wouldn't know she was a sophomore on the court," Swanson said. "At times, she scared me, but she was a player who would score when we needed to score. It didn't matter who was in front of her. It could be a Division I player. She would step up and attack the basket."

Skyler Jessop

Grayslake Central

%%%%Sky's the limit for Skyler. A late-season call-up last year, the 5-8 sophomore guard enjoyed a breakout campaign for the 19-game winners. She averaged 10.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 steals. "Skyler is a high-energy player who helps us dictate the pace both offensively and defensively," coach Roger Lass said. "She many times is assigned the other team's best player defensively. Offensively, she is a threat taking the ball to the basket and hitting the 3. Only a sophomore, she is one of the hardest workers on the team and gets better each day in practice."

Alexis Leneau

Warren

Her buzzer-beating 3-pointer in overtime stunned Stevenson. It's that kind of play that the athletic sophomore guard expects from herself. "The competitive fire burns real bright in Alexis Leneau," coach John Stanczykiewicz said. In her second varsity season, Leneau grew. She averaged 8.9 points, 2 assists and 2.2 steals and continued to emerge as a go-to player. "Alexis is a very emotional player and is really developing into a leader on the team because of her abilities and natural leadership qualities," Stanczykiewicz said. "She's a take-charge type of person who demands a lot of herself and her teammates, as well."

Rebekah Llorens

Grayslake Central

The former home-schooled student enrolled at Grayslake Central before the school year. Talk about a big deal. The 6-1 junior center averaged 11.6 points and 8.8 rebounds. She had 65 steals and 42 blocks. "Rebekah gives us the low-post threat we haven't had in a while," coach Roger Lass said. "She can score with her back to the basket as well as facing up or running the floor on the fastbreak. When other teams double-team her, she's unselfish and finds the open girl. Defensively, she gives us a shot-blocking threat near the basket, which enables our guards to pressure their girl out front."

Kate Martino

Wauconda

On defense, Kate was a cat. The 5-4 guard pounced on errant passes and licked her chops when ballhandlers flinched. In her fourth varsity season, she notched 128 steals (4.7 per game), thrice recording 9 in a game. "Kate was always an energy boost for our team," coach Jaime Dennis said. "She had the ability to single-handedly change the momentum in a game. She has incredibly quick hands and great anticipation on defense." Martino also averaged team bests of 12.2 points and 4.2 assists. "Offensively, she made things happen," Dennis said, "shooting the 3, driving to the basket or dishing a no-look pass."

Anna Morrissey

Stevenson

Her dad, Jim, played linebacker for Michigan State and the Bears. Her brother, Mike, plays linebacker for Boston College. Anyone surprised her forte is defense? "She really made a name for herself, in my eyes, as our top defender," said coach Tom Dineen, whose defensive-minded Patriots won 21 games. The 5-9 junior guard was effective with the ball, too. She averaged 9.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists, while also recording 68 steals. She made a seamless transition from two guard to the point late in the season. "She's nonstop," Dineen said. "She does all the little things." And more.

Michelle O'Brien

Stevenson

"O.B." was oh-so "on" in that OT game. Better than OK. She had 26 points (four 3-pointers), 12 rebounds and 4 steals in a double-overtime loss to Lake Park. The effort was typical for the 5-11 junior. She averaged nearly a double-double (16.3 points, 9.1 rebounds) in earning captain honors for the Daily Herald's Lake County All-Area team. A post player her first two varsity seasons, she switched to guard and, at times, dominated at either end of the court. She was named MVP of the Maine West Tipoff Classic. "It was a remarkable transition," coach Tom Dineen said. "She was pretty versatile for us."

Andi Potkonjak

Antioch

She hurt last season. This season, she hurt back. After seeing her sophomore season end in the Sequoits' first game due to a torn ACL, she bounced back with vengeance this season. The 5-5 guard stung opponents, averaging 17 points, 3.4 assists and 3.5 steals. She had a high game of 33 points and sank 61 3-pointers (35 percent from beyond the arc). "Andi is a fabulous ballhandler," coach Tim Borries said, "with an uncanny ability to make the clutch shot when we needed a basket." A varsity starter since her freshman year, she's scored 793 points in her career.

Kaca Savatic

Libertyville

Her name is pronounced "Ka-cha Sava-tich." Because she averaged a modest 6.3 points per game, PA announcers didn't get much practice with her name. Make no mistake, however, the junior made a name for herself this season. A lockdown defensive player, she also possesses "great jumping ability," coach Kathie Swanson said. That helps explain Savatic's 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals per contest. "We'd always put her on the other team's best player," Swanson said. "In our full-court pressure, she did a good job of anticipating, and that's how she got a lot of steals. With her, everything is about energy."

Kinsey Siler

Grayslake North

A varsity volleyball and basketball player since her freshman year, the post posted huge numbers. "She brought just tremendous athleticism," coach Jim Sarver said. "She was able to score inside by the end of the year being double- and triple-teamed, when it really became tougher for her to score." The 5-11 sophomore averaged 15.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2 steals, while also blocking 36 shots and shooting 51 percent. "She was the whole package for us," Sarver said. "She also developed an outside shot as the year went along."

Kelsey Simon

Stevenson

A dancer and pompon performer before her sophomore year, her hand-eye coordination and athleticism on the basketball court often had Stevenson fans cheering. The 6-2 senior averaged 10.9 points and 7.9 rebounds, while also blocking 101 shots. "To me, her points weren't a big deal," coach Tom Dineen said. "It was how she changed the complexion of games defensively. She had 101 blocks, but how many shots did she also alter? How many times did a kid decide not to shoot the ball because she was there defensively?" Simon has signed with Miami (Ohio), and Dineen thinks her best days are ahead.

Savannah Trees

Libertyville

In Trees, they trusted. The Wildcats' success in 2009-10 was going to depend largely on the junior's ability to make a smooth transition to point guard and develop into a leader. The result? Libertyville won the North Suburban Conference title and 25 games. The 5-7 Trees averaged a team-best 11.4 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and even 4 rebounds. She had a high game of 25 points and shot 46 percent from the floor. "When I think of Savannah, I think 'smooth,' " coach Kathie Swanson said. "She was just totally calm under pressure. No matter what the situation was, you knew she was going to come through."

Honorable mentionAllie Anttila (Antioch Sr. G), Amanda Barger (Warren So. G), Meri Bennett-Swanson (Vernon Hills Fr. C), Jessi Bjerning (Mundelein Sr. F), Chanae Brown (Round Lake Jr. G), Gabby Chapa (Lake Zurich Sr. G), Heather Chapman (Grant Sr. C), Alana Coy (Vernon Hills Sr. G), Kat Dickson (Grayslake Central Jr. F), Olivia Dunigan (Mundelein Jr. F), Lauren Erickson (Grayslake North Sr. F), Jessica Feece (Vernon Hills Sr. G), Katelynn Jennings (Libertyville Sr. G), Nicole Kruckman (Libertyville So. C), Jessica Prince (Warren So. C), Melanie Prudhomme (Wauconda Jr. G), Kristine Ruhl (Carmel Sr. C), Alex Scarbro (Grayslake Central Jr. G), Donnie Taggart (Grant Jr. F), Asja Triplett (Lakes Sr. C), Olivia Wilcox (Libertyville Jr. F) DuPage | Lake | Fox Valley | Tri-Cities