by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
Girls basketball is the sport where freshmen seem to make an impact on the varsity level more than any other high-school sport.
It is no different in the Central Region this year as several ninth graders are more than holding their own against females three or four years older.
It all starts in Chester with Thomas Dale’s Kalia Johnson.
“Her brother Jay played on the team about two years,” Johnson said. “Word going around was that there was going to be a freshman coming that was going to be pretty good.”
Word was right. At 5-9, Johnson is a Magic Johnson-type of player on this circuit.
She leads the Knights (5-1 Central, 10-2), ranked seventh in the DigitalSports Top 10, in rebounds and frequently pushes the caroms up, starting fastbreaks and registering assists with talented runners like Alyssa Frye, Taylor Bradley, sisters Andrea and Alexis Hobbs and Monique Key.
Run too deep into the paint in transition and any of the aforementioned Knights can nail 3-pointers, including Johnson (14.4 points per game).
She’s a rare breed already being watched by major college universities – heavily.
“It’s actually fun,” Johnson said of playing against older players. “They think, ‘Oh, she’s a freshman. She’s all talk.’ Then when we get out there and play, it’s not about the grade level.”
Johnson holds the ability to be a top-flight scorer, but her vision and Thomas Dale coach Kevin Coffey‘s desire to have Johnson fully develop her game has her at the point guard position and doing well.
“When I first got here this program wasn’t that strong,” said Coffey, a former University of Virginia wide receiver (1996-00) who played with former Henrico star Billy McMullen. He’s in his second season as the varsity head coach after five on the freshman and JV level. “Now we’ve gone through that valley. It’s been a world of difference.”
Kiera Gaines, Lee-Davis
As terrific as Johnson is, Gaines may be the northside version at Lee-Davis. At 5-8, she’s one of the team’s tallest players, athletic, a point guard and able to score.
Gaines has stepped right in and helped the Confederates (0-5, 4-8) turn from a perennial doormat to tough out along with senior Kierra Gardner.
L-D has only four wins, but lost by two points to Patrick Henry and James River, by four to Varina and eight to Henrico. In seasons past those games would have gone into the loss column by big double digits.
“I pretty much knew from day one that she would be on varsity and our starting point guard,” first-year coach Russell Williams said. “I think she’s going to be one heck of a basketball player. Definitely a Division-I talent.”
Gaines scores 14.4 points, the same as Johnson, grabs six rebounds, dishes three assists, blocks two shots and grabs four steals per game. She shoots over 50 percent from the field and is working on raising her 25 percent 3-point shot and her free-throw shooting.
“My confidence goes down,” Gaines said. “I don’t know if I’m going to make it or miss it.”
That block isn’t anywhere else on the floor and Gaines hopes to keep it that way.
“I’m not intimidated by anybody,” Gaines said. “I just play.”
Emma Newins, Deep Run
Sharpshooter. In two games DigitalSports has covered, Newins hasn’t missed a 3-point shot (5 of 5) or a free throw. Deep Run coach Shawna Duda calls Newins one of the smartest people in the school.
“I didn’t think so,” said the soft-spoken Newins when asked if she thought she would play varsity. She switches between the sixth-man role and starter. “But it’s exciting, I guess.”
She’s a big key to eighth-ranked Deep Run’s success.
Henrico Trio
Remember Henrico’s 1996 freshman class led by Natasha Starkes and Michelle Atkins? Well, Bria Harris, Ashle’ Freeman and Chelsea Tyler have a long way to go to match them, but they are on their way.
A great shooter from outside and a nice slasher, Freeman leads Henrico in scoring with 14 a game. She’ll nab about three steals for coach Jean Adkins‘ squad as well.
Harris is putting in nine points a game and dominating the boards for Henrico. She’ll be even better once Elaine Derricott returns. Tyler is a bonus. She’s been playing very well of late, according to Adkins.
Raneka Dunaway, Varina & Meadowbrook Twins
Dunaway is a key guard for the 6-9 Blue Devils. She throws in eight points per game on a veteran squad.
Meadowbrook’s unbeaten. A lot of credit needs to go to PG Crystal Smith, center Deja Middleton and guard Jessica Arnold.
Doing a lot of the dirty work are forwards Katrina and Kiara Marks. They put in eight points combined. Look for that total to double if not triple next season with improvement and more playing time once Middleton graduates.
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