Girls basketball: The 2023-2024 Kane County Chronicle All-Area team

Led by Player of the Year Brooke Carlson, here is the 2023-24 Kane County Chronicle All-Area Girls Basketball Team.

First Team

Kendra Brown, Kaneland, junior, guard: All-conference pick led Knights to regional championship and broke record for 3-pointers in a season (83) while scoring her 1,000th career point. Brown averaged 13.9 points, 6 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.1 assists. Named all-tournament at Burlington Central and Rockford Boylan.

Brooke Carlson, Batavia, senior, guard: Colorado State recruit and first-team all-stater by Illinois Media. Batavia’s all-time leader in points, assists and steals led 29-6 Bulldogs to the program’s first-ever sectional title. Carlson averaged 22.4 points, 3.9 steals, 3.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game.

Lexi DiOrio, St. Charles East, senior, guard: Four-year varsity player and all-conference pick scored 26 points, including her 1,000th career point, in double-overtime win over Wheaton North in regional final. DiOrio averaged 10.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals a game. Will play in college at Indiana Kokomo.

Leah Palmer, Geneva, senior, forward: Two-time unanimous all-conference pick in the DuKane Conference did it all for sectional finalist Vikings. Palmer averaged 21 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 steals a game. Named honorable mention all-state by Illinois Media.

Reagan Sipla, St. Charles North, senior, guard: Quinnipiac recruit and honorable mention all-state selection by Illinois Media. Sipla, the top offensive player for the 27-5 North Stars, averaged 16 points, six rebounds and three steals a game. “At times, she carried us offensively,” St. Charles North coach Mike Tomczak said. “Excellent offensive rebounder. Runs the floor incredibly well. Length and defensive presence is disruptive, generating steals and scoring opportunities.”

Second Team

Riley Austin, St. Francis, junior, forward: The 5-foot-9 Austin averaged 13 points, 3.5 rebounds, four steals and four deflections a game, made 45 3-pointers at a 32% clip and shot 52% on 2-point field goals and 78% on free throws.

Kylee Gehrt, Batavia, senior, guard: Wisconsin-Whitewater commit averaged 8.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.6 assists a game for DuKane Conference and sectional champion Batavia. Two-time all-conference player typically defended the opponent’s best wing player.

Caroline Madden, Geneva, senior, guard: Unanimous all-conference pick was an outstanding defender for sectional finalist Vikings. Madden averaged 5.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.5 assists a game.

Lexi Schueler, Kaneland, senior, guard: Heart and soul of regional champion Knights. Schueler averaged 11.1 points, three rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals a game. All-conference pick. All-tournament selection at Rockford Boylan.

Laney Stark, St. Charles North, senior, guard: Wisconsin-Green Bay soccer recruit and honorable mention all-stater by Illinois Media was top defensive player for 27-5 North Stars team that held opponents under 33 points a game. Stark averaged nine points, six assists, five steals and three rebounds a game. Stark broke the program’s single-season steals record. “Floor leader. Elite work ethic,” Tomczak said. “One of the best defensive players in the history of the program.”

Honorable Mention

Hallie Crane, Batavia, junior, forward; Sam Kerry, Kaneland, junior, guard/forward; Emma Payton, Burlington Central, senior, guard; Addie Prewitt, Batavia, junior, forward; Tea Rubino, St. Francis, junior, guard; Addie Schilb, St. Charles East, sophomore, guard; Katrina Stack, St. Charles North, senior, guard/forward.