Galena’s Babbitt, Gaels’ Gayle take top honors

Galena boys basketball star Luke Babbitt was a dominant scorer, averaging 29.9 points per game this season and setting the state's career scoring mark with 2,941 points.

And while it might take Bishop Gorman girls center Ashley Gayle a week of games to match Babbitt's single-game scoring average, she was no less dominant, using her defensive abilities to set the tone for games.

The two players, both named McDonald's All-Americans, have been selected as the Class 4A Players of the Year by the Review-Journal.

The 6-foot-4-inch Gayle averaged nine points and nine rebounds per game, but it was on defense where the Texas recruit did most of her damage, averaging six blocks.

"She is the best defensive player in the country," Gorman coach Sheryl Krmpotich said. "She alters shots; she changes the whole perspective of the game."

Gayle wasn't just a menace around the basket. With her long arms and keen timing, she swatted 3-point attempts as well as layups and short jumpers.

"With her athletic ability and her 7-foot arm span, she can be at half court and still block a 3-point shot," Krmpotich said. "She just has an amazing reach and length."

Though polished defensively, Gayle remained raw on the offensive end. Her scoring numbers were skewed somewhat because of a strong supporting cast and the fact many of the team's games were effectively over by halftime.

"There were some games where she played maybe half or not even that, and then she became a cheerleader," Krmpotich said. "She's just a great kid. She'll play whatever role is asked of her."

Though she wasn't a big scorer throughout the season, she saved her best for the postseason. She averaged 16.2 points and 14.4 rebounds in five playoff games in leading the Gaels to their third consecutive state title. She closed her career with three straight triple-doubles, totaling 31 blocks in those games.

"When she started getting the ball more, and actually started saying, 'Hey, I need to score,' we actually started being a more successful team," Krmpotich said.

Krmpotich said she expects Gayle to continue to grow as a player at Texas.

"Her best basketball is ahead of her," Krmpotich said. "Defensively, she's going to make an immediate impact at the college level because she's got that down."

The 6-8 Babbitt has nearly all facets of the game down. He started his career as a post player but has added to his game each year of high school and now sports solid ballhandling ability and range beyond the 3-point line.

"Luke came in with a lot of tools, but his attitude was incredible about wanting to get better every day and every year," Galena coach Tom Maurer said.

Babbitt, who also was the 4A Player of the Year as a junior, averaged 12.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in leading the Grizzlies to the Northern Region semifinals.

Maurer said Babbitt's desire was what made him such a strong player.

"The kid doesn't drink, doesn't smoke," Maurer said. "I don't think he even cares about girls yet. Basketball is his love."

That love will take him to UNR, where Maurer said he thinks his star will continue to work to get better every day.

"It would be 11, 11:30 at night, and he would call and say, 'Can I get in the gym?' " Maurer said. "He made himself, and that's something I don't see nowadays."

Contact Prep Sports Editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-4587.