Offense, defense noticed with basketball awards

Which is more important, offense or defense?

Ultimately, the Southwest Division's girls basketball coaches couldn't decide, as high-scoring Durango guard Lindy La Rocque and defensive-minded Bishop Gorman center Ashley Gayle shared the league's Most Valuable Player award.

La Rocque and Gayle were among six girls honored as league MVPs by the coaches.

Mojave's Chelsea Hopkins shared the Northwest Division MVP with Centennial's Johnna Brown. Things were more clear cut in the Sunrise Region, with Green Valley's Victoria Naylor earning the Southeast Division MVP and Rancho's Khalia Branch taking the Northeast honor. The coaches did not pick all-region teams.

La Rocque, who has signed with Stanford, was a dominant scorer, averaging 27 points per game and displaying shooting range well beyond the 3-point line.

"I've never seen that, especially out of a girl," Durango coach John Bartleson said of La Rocque's range. "(Her percentage) is as good maybe 10 feet behind as it is right on the 3-point line. It took me a couple years to really accept that."

While not as big an offensive threat, the 6-foot-4-inch Gayle made plenty of noise on the defensive end.

"The thing with Ashley is she's just so athletic and so long," Bartleson said of the Texas signee. "And she's just going to change the whole game."

Hopkins, who has signed with Duke, was the only area player to top La Rocque in scoring, using her quickness to average 28.5 points. She also averaged 7.2 rebounds and 7.9 assists.

"Great body control needs to be said about Chelsea, because a lot of kids that are that quick get out of control," Centennial coach Karen Weitz said. "Her change of speeds makes her very dangerous."

Brown, a 6-0 junior forward, averaged 16.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Northwest Division champs.

"She is our leader in assists, and she is in rebounding, and she just brings a great all-around game," Weitz said. "She's very smart and knows and understands the game. Finding kids like that is tough."

Naylor, who has signed with Denver, has orchestrated things from the point for Green Valley as the Gators have gone 26-3. She averaged 19.6 points and 8.8 assists.

"She's been one of the main ingredients," Green Valley coach Lorenzo Jarvis said. "She's been a great leader. She's been a coach on the court. To me, she's playing better than just about anybody in the state."

Branch was the key cog as Rancho made a surprising run to make the playoffs. The Rams were 1-9 in nonleague games but went 9-3 in the Northeast to finish second. Branch averaged 18.1 points and 5.3 assists.

"She was definitely the captain of the ship," Rancho coach Renae Whitt said. "And she just took it upon herself to help the other kids get better."

• SOCCER AWARD -- Bishop Gorman boys soccer player Steven Avena has been named the Gatorade Nevada Player of the Year.

Avena had 27 goals and 32 assists in the fall to lead the Gaels to their second straight state championship.

• SOCCER SIGNINGS -- Several area girls soccer teams have made their college choices.

Coronado goalkeeper Amber Burgess and a trio of Green Valley players -- midfielder Hailey Garrison, defender Anna Guida and midfielder/forward Liz Billington -- have signed with UNLV.

Another Green Valley defender, Jessie Cahill, has signed with Northwest Nazarene in Idaho.

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