VALLEY SPORTS REPORT: WAVERLY'S WESTBROOK HEADLINES GIRLS BASKETBALL SUPER 7 AS 'PLAYER OF YEAR;' SAYRE'S SUTTON, WAVERLY'S KELLY ALSO EARN TOP HONORS (2023-03-18)

Valley Sports Report
THE VALLEY — For the large majority of her games this season, Waverly senior Kennedy Westbrook was the best player on the basketball court — on both ends of the floor. She is the 2022-23 Valley Sports Report Girls Basketball “Player of the Year,” as well as the “Offensive Player of the Year,” and “Defensive Player of the Year.”

Sayre freshman Kaitlyn Sutton is the “Newcomer of the Year,” and Waverly’s Bob Kelly is the “Coach of the Year.”

On the offensive end of the floor, Westbrook can score in transition, taking the ball to the bucket, or from 3-point range. She led the team with 19.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. She also knocked down 42 3-pointers.

Defensively, Westbrook is a shutdown defender, who harasses ball-handlers into mistakes, and gets in the passing lanes. She led the Lady Wolverines with 5 steals, and 3.4 deflections per game.

She scored 416 points this season, and ended her career with 1,107 points.

Sutton made an instant impact for the Lady Redskins, and was a key contributor for a team that won four games this season after losing 29 straight.

A good ball-handler, Sutton showed a knack for scoring in all facets of the game, and was a sneaky good rebounder.

She averaged 7.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. She also knocked down 19 3-pointers.

Kelly led the Lady Wolverines to a 16-5 season, with three of those losses coming to divisional rival Newark Valley, which repeated as Sectional champ.

The Lady Wolverines won the Christmas Tournament, beating NTL Large School champ Towanda in the title game.

Honorable Mention: Sayre coach Bob Fauver returned to the sidelines after an extended absence from the girls game, and led Sayre to a four-win season. It may not sound like a big deal, but the Lady Redskins had lost 19 in a row coming into the season and were not competitive whatsoever in 2021-22.

After opening the season at 0-10, Sayre won three in a row, and four of six. They finished the season at 4-18.

The 2022-23 All-Valley Girls Basketball Super 7:
Kennedy Westbrook, senior, Waverly: See above.

Addy Wheeler, sophomore, Athens: A top-notch defender, Wheeler is an emerging presence on the offensive end of the floor, and could be a force in the NTL for the next two seasons.

She averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 4.4 steals per game. She also had 20 blocked shots, and knocked down 22 3-pointers.

Addison Westbrook, sophomore, Waverly: A very good defender, Addison Westbrook has made her bones from behind the 3-point line, but she can score in other ways as well.

She averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4 deflections, and 3.5 steals per game this season. She also knocked down 39 3-pointers.

Karlee Bartlow, senior, Athens: Bartlow is especially strong taking the ball to the bucket, but can knock down the 3-pointer as well.

She averaged 11.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. She also had 17 blocked shots, and made 35 3-pointers, and 51 free throws.

Peyton Shaw, junior, Waverly: A good defender in the low-post, Shaw can score in the paint as well, but also has the ability to step out and knock down the 3-pointer.

She averaged 8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 deflections, and 2.6 steals per game. She also made 21 3-pointers.

Reese Howey, senior, Tioga: A low-post presence, Howey proved extremely versatile, bringing the ball up the court at times, and knocking down an occasional 3-pointer.

She average 9.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 3.2 deflections, 2.9 steals, and 2.6 blocked shots per game. She also had 14 3-pointers.

Kaitlyn Sutton, freshman, Sayre: See above.

Honorable Mention: Athens senior Emma Bronson, Sayre junior Liz Shaw, and Waverly junior Peyton Robinson.

2022-23 All-Valley Newcomer Team
Kaitlyn Sutton, freshman, Sayre
Maddy Olmsted, sophomore, Waverly
Brilynn Bellis, freshman, Waverly
Elyse Haney, sophomore, Tioga
Sara Bronson, sophomore, Athens

2022-23 All-Valley Defensive Team
Kennedy Westbrook, senior, Waverly
Emma Bronson, senior, Athens
Addy Wheeler, sophomore, Athens
Reese Howey, senior, TIoga
Paige Robinson, sophomore, Waverly

All-Overlooked Team
Ashlen Croft, junior, Waverly
Natalee Watson, senior, Athens
Mya Thompson, junior, Athens
Gabby Shaw, senior, Sayre