IBCA releases 10 Illinois Ms. Basketball nominees for 2025 season
Adam DuvallThe ballot for 2025 Illinois Ms. Basketball has arrived.
The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association in collaboration with the Chicago Tribune released its 10 finalists on Friday for the annual girls high school basketball award. The state's top prep girls player has been named since 1986 with Tammy Van Oppen of Limestone (1992) being the only Peoria-area winner.
Here are the 10 girls nominees — listed alphabetically — that high school coaches and media members can vote for until 12 p.m. March 25. Boys nominees will be released in the coming days.
Nora Ezike, LaGrange Lyons
The senior put up 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.0 steals in helping lead her team to a Class 4A regional championship. Ezika is committed to Stanford, while being named an IBCA all-state first-teamer as well as a nominee for both Illinois Gatorade player of the year and McDonald's all-American.
Aubrey Galvan, Wilmette Loyola
Galvan is a four-time IBCA all-stater, picking up first team honors during her junior and senior seasons. The Vanderbilt signee averaged 19.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.3 steals in guiding the Ramblers to a Class 4A fourth-place finish. She scored 2,132 career points.
Ariella Henigan, Chicago Kenwood
The 2025 Class 4A state champion averaged 17.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.8 steals in earning IBCA all-state first team. Henigan has committed to Howard University and was an IBCA all-state first team selection during her senior season. She leaves Kenwood as the program's all-time leading scorer with 1,808 points.
Destiny Jackson, Chicago Whitney Young
The 2025 Illinois Gatorade player of the year is a three-time IBCA all-state first-teamer. She averaged 21.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.8 steals in leading the Dolphins to the Class 4A Sweet Sixteen. Jackson has committed to Illinois and is ranked as the No. 1 class of 2025 player in the state.
Nikki Kerstein, Lombard Montini
Kerstein is off to Missouri following a senior campaign where she won the Class 3A state championship. The two-time IBCA all-state first-team pick averaged 18.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.4 steals. She ends her career with over 2,000 points, over 600 assists and over 500 rebounds.
Paityn London, Freeport
London is the lone underclassman on the ballot, getting recruited by the likes of Maryland, Michigan and Arizona State. She averaged 24.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 6.1 steals in leading Freeport to a Class 3A regional semifinal. Her 48 points set a school record and was named IBCA all-state first team.
Danyella Mporokoso, Waubonsie Valley
Mporokoso, the only junior on the ballot, is a two-time IBCA all-stater including first-team honors this season. She averaged 23.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals as Waubonsie Valley made a Class 4A Elite Eight appearance. She's receiving interest from Illinois, Northwestern, Bradley and Illinois State.
Kiyoko Proctor, Alton
The Southern Illinois-Edwardsville commit helped lead Alton to a Class 4A third-place finish. Proctor is a two-time IBCA all-state first-team selection and was a McDonald's all-American nominee. She averaged 14.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals during her senior year.
Reganne Reardon, Chicago St. Ignatius
Reardon is headed off to West Point and will play for Army next season. The senior averaged 21.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals in leading her team to a Class 3A state runner-up finish. She was named IBCA all-state first team and leaves as the all-time St. Ignatius leading scorer with over 1,500 career points.
Ella Todd, Palatine Fremd
The Utah signee put a bow on her prep career by being named IBCA all-state first team in back-to-back seasons. She averaged 18.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.0 steals as Fremd took second in Class 4A. Todd heads off to college as the No. 3 all-time leading scorer in program history with 1,874 points.