2021 SUN Preps All-Area Athletes & Teams
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Page 32 www.yoursun.com First team G - Bella Desjardins (Charlotte senior) A four-year sharpshooter and 3-point scorer for the Tarpons, Desjardins turned in another strong campaign as a senior. She made a team-high 56 3-pointers, shooting 39% from behind the arc. But she wasn't just a shooter, often driving to the rim and playing tough defense, too. The senior guard finished with 13.1 points and 2.2 steals per game. G - D'Yanis Jimenez (Charlotte sophomore) A star player for Mariner as a freshman, Jimenez transferred to Charlotte in the offseason. It didn't take her long to fit in with her new team, scoring the second-most points (13.7 ppg) on the team. The 5-foot-9 guard led the team in rebounding (6 per game). She showed up when it mattered most, too, leading the team with 18 points in a regional quarterfinal win and 20 points in a regional semifinal win over Braden River. "D'Yanis brought a lot of excitement to our basketball team," Stephenson said. "Her athleticism added another scoring punch for us. "She came in and accepted a role that complements our team and has built great relationships with our players." F - Bryanna Griffiths (Port Charlotte sophomore) Griffiths broke out as a freshman and continued her ascendance as a sopho- more, becoming the Pirates' go-to player. She was versatile, able to score down low, at the free-throw line, or behind the arc -- leading the team in scoring (11.4 per game) and rebounding (7.6 per game). One of her best performances came in the regional quarterfinals, when she made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to beat Golden Gate. "Bryanna continues to put in the work to elevate her game every year and is only going to get better," Port Charlotte coach Mike Progl said. "She's a very versatile player with an inside and outside game." F - Taylor Orris (Lemon Bay freshman) The arrival of Orris turned the Mantas into an area contender -- giving the team a second weapon to pair with Katelyn Ziarnicki. Orris averaged a double-double, scoring 10.6 points per game and grabbing 10.7 rebounds per game. F - Zeri Tyler (DeSoto County sophomore) A standout player as a freshman, Tyler became the Bulldogs' go-to player this year as a sophomore. She led the team in scoring (14 points per game), rebounding (10.2 per game), steals (2.8 per game) and blocks (1.3 per game). C - Alysa Taylor (Port Charlotte senior) Standing at 6-foot-1, Taylor was the best shot-blocker in the area -- swatting away 2.2 shots per game. She was a weapon on offense and defense in the post for Port Charlotte, and made for a formidable duo down low with Griffiths. She averaged 7.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Coach of the Year - Matt Stephenson (Charlotte) Charlotte has been the area's best team for several years under Stephenson, but the head coach took his team to another level in 2021 -- winning the first regional title in program history. The Tarpons finished 22-3 and ranked No. 15 in FL, playing a difficult schedule in both the regular season and postseason. Second Team G - Aryianna Lockey-Progl (Port Charlotte freshman) Lockey-Progl was one of the Pirates' best players in her debut season, aver- aging 10.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.5 steals per game as the team's primary ball-handler. G - Katelyn Ziarnicki (Lemon Bay senior) The Mantas' leading scorer (12.6 points per game), Ziarnicki was also a threat on defense -- averaging 3.1 steals per game. She was also the team's top free-throw shooter, making 62-of-88 attempts. G - Yani Hall (North Port senior) One of the Bobcats' top scoring options, Hall scored 20+ points against area teams like DeSoto County and Port Charlotte as she helped lead North Port to a 10-win season. F - Kristen Lowers (Charlotte junior) There were limited opportunities for Lowers to score on a team with First Teamers Hicks, Desjardins and Jimenez, but she still made a big impact as the team's best defender. She averaged 7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game and led the team with 14 points in the district final win over Braden River. F - Delaini Morris (Port Charlotte sophomore) Another exciting young player to watch with the Pirates, Morris stepped up when needed this year -- scoring 8 points and grabbing 5.2 rebounds per game. SUN PREPS ALL-AREA GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM Player of the year Aryana Hicks (Charlotte junior) Hicks, a point guard, was the undeniable leader of the first Lady Tarpons team to capture a regional title. She led the team in scoring (14.3 points per game), assists (4 per game), steals (3.8 per game), and despite being 5-foot-5, was second on the team in rebounding (5.3 per game). She made the most of her opportunities, shooting 57% from the field and making 39% of her 3-pointers. "Ary is a coach's dream player," Stephenson said. "She's always been unselfish, with the ability to score. I believe this year she showed that she can score. "She's small in stature, but with a humungous heart and love for the game." HICKS By VINNIE PORTELL SPORTS WRITER T he Charlotte girls basketball team made this a year to remember -- winning the district title and its first regional final -- as several players starred. But it wasn't just the Lady Tarpons who made this season special. Port Charlotte also won a district championship as it made it to the regional semifi- nals. Venice had a turnaround season thanks to an influx of talented freshmen. The Lady Indians went 17-8 and won a playoff game a year after going 9-14. There were several indi- vidual performances that stood out, too. Aryana Hicks and D'Yanis Jimenez, two guards for Charlotte, are both finalists for Girls Basketball Player of the Year as they each came up big in a historic postseason run. Bryanna Griffiths, the Pirates' multi-faceted leader, is also a finalist as she helped spark her team on a deep run. Tarpons coach Matt Stephenson led his team on a 20-game winning streak that included five postseason victories over some of the toughest teams in the state. He is the Girls Basketball Coach of the Year. Here's how the area looked this year: Charlotte trio leads the way SEE GIRLS BASKETBALL, 33