Meet SLAM’s 2019 High School All-American girls squad.
We spent an afternoon with the top seniors—Zia Cooke, Haley Jones, Jordan Horston, Aliyah Boston, Samantha Brunelle and Ashley Owusu—for our annual photo shoot. Get to know the future of the game below.
ZIA COOKE
5-9, Point Guard, Toledo (OH) Rogers HS, attending South Carolina
Cooke gained national notoriety this past season for her slick handles—which usually led to some bruised ankles and even landing a spot on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 plays—plus smooth finishes and overall scoring prowess. D-Wade and Chance the Rapper shouted her out on social media. She averaged 21.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, which included a much-talked-about 43-point performance.
HALEY JONES
6-2, Guard/Forward, San Jose (CA) Archbishop Mitty HS, attending Stanford
Jones earned Gatorade State Player of the Year accolades for a second consecutive season after averaging 26.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.7 steals per game. The Stanford commit helped lead the Monarchs to a 25-3 record and an appearance in the Open Division state tournament quarterfinals. She was subsequently named the Naismith National Girls Player of the Year.
JORDON HORSTON
6-2, Guard, Columbus (OH) Africentric Early College HS, attending Tennessee
After coming down with a serious cold the day before the state championship game, which led to her having to wear a surgical mask on the bench the following day, Horston found a way to power through and dropped 15 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists to lead her school to a second consecutive title and a perfect 28-0 season. A week later she won MVP at the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game.
ALIYAH BOSTON
6-5, Forward, Worcester (MA) Worcester Academy, attending South Carolina
Boston was named Gatorade State POY for a third consecutive season this spring. She led the Hilltoppers to a second straight New England Prep School Athletic Council Class AA tournament championship and a 24-1 record, averaging 17.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Additionally, she hooped with USA Basketball’s U17 squad last summer, leading the team in scoring and rebounding on their way to a gold medal at the World Cup in Belarus.
SAMANTHA BRUNELLE
6-2, Forward, Stanardsville (VA) William Monroe HS, attending Notre Dame
Named the National Player of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association, Brunelle helped the Dragons reach the state semifinals for the first time since 1987. She leaves William Monroe as the school’s all-time leader in scoring and rebounding. Her 2,292 career points rank 11th in VHSL history and her 1,267 career rebounds rank sixth all-time in the state.
ASHLEY OWUSU
5-11, Guard, Fairfax (VA) Paul VI Catholic HS, attending Maryland
A four-time All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference First-Team honoree, Owusu—who opted to stay close to home for college by choosing the Terrapins—averaged 22.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game this past season. She helped lead the Panthers to a 27-7 record and a fourth straight Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I state championship.
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Portraits by Ryan Young
