They have the same last name, but they’re not related—unless you consider being big-time game-changers a sisterhood. Penfield senior Makaila Wilson and Bishop Kearney freshman Saniaa Wilson stand tallest among the best post players in Section V girls basketball.
That’s what an unscientific poll of 18 area coaches revealed. Each had three times as many votes as the the third playeron the list, a spot shared byMercy’s Katie Titus and Aquinas’ Kayla Jackson, a pair of seniors who were All-Greater Rochester picks last winter. In all, 11 different forwards or centers were nominated.
RELATED:Who are top playmakers in area girls hoops? It's no guarded secret
A 6-foot-2 forward headed to Canisius, Titus has played only in Mercy’s past three games this season as she works her way back from an off-season ACL tear. She’ll be key with classmates and guards Traiva Breedlove and Leah Koonmen moving forward for the Monarchs (9-2), who play at Bishop Kearney (13-2) on Tuesday in a showdown of Private-Parochial League powers. They’ve squared off in Section V title games each of the past three years, with Mercy (Class AA) winning the past two.
The 5-10 Jackson averages 20.1 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.3 blocks for Aquinas (9-4), which has lost only to Mercy, Kearney, Wayland-Cohocton (12-2) and Edison Tech (10-4). Phil Stern, head coach at Jackson’s next school — the University of Maryland-Baltimore County — says she’ll be able to play multiple positions in college.
“Her ability to post-up or face-up make her a very difficult matchup,” he said after Jackson signed her national letter of intent in November.
Back to the Wilson towers.
Makaila, who initially gave a verbalcommitment to Binghamton before signingwith Lafayette, has played a key role for Penfield since her freshman year. A two-time AGR pick who was last year’s Monroe County Division I Player of the Year, she’s actually playing guard for the Patriots (13-1) this winter. The past three seasons, though, she has played primarily in the paint and is such a strong finisher in the lane that’s likely why opposing coaches still see the 6-foot Wilson as a top post player, Penfield coach Mark Vogt says.
She’s averaging 20.9 points,11.8 rebounds ,3.5 assist and 2.7 steals. She's shooting 49.4 percent from the field, 78 percent from the line. A testament to her versatility and ferocity on the court, coaches also listed her among the area’s top guards and defenders.
"We joke that when she graduates we lose four players," Vogt says, a reference to Wilson being Penfield's top scorer, rebounder, defender and overall athlete.
She has 1,292 points, second in school history to Margot Hetzke (1,960), and 800-plus rebounds. Penfield is 85-15 in herfive seasons.
Saniaa Wilson’s game is also evolving, which probably scares opponents even more. A shot-blocking, pure “big” since seventh grade on Kearney’s varsity, the 6-footer'soffensive game is expanding to the perimeter. She can still pile up rebounds and convert on putbacks, but the girl who received a scholarship offer last year from Syracuse as an eighth-grader is now a threat shooting jumpers.
“Take the elbow shot, take the jumper from the top of the key,” coach Kevan Sheppard says, detailing what his staff has pushed her to do the past year or so. “Now she’s gotten to a point where she’s confident taking that shot the same way she is shooting in the paint.”
She can even drill 3-pointers. Saniaa has made 12 this winter and is averaging 17.4 points, 14.3 rebounds and 3.9 blocks for Kearney.
Also receiving multiple votes from coaches in the “top post players” category were:
► Mercy’s 5-8 senior Traiva Breedlove (24.3 ppg/10.3 rebounds)
► Rush-Henrietta’s 6-2 senior Jasmine Watts (12.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 3.1 blocks)
► Wilson’s 5-11 senior Zairea Hannah (21.3 ppg/6.3 rpg)
► Bloomfield’s 5-10 senior Braelin Scott (19.9 ppg/15 rpg/3.5 assists)
► Pittsford Mendon’s 5-10 junior Alana Fursman (13.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg/3 apg, 3 steals)
Scott has posted 12 double-doubles for Bloomfield (11-1), which lost its first game on Tuesday, 62-40, to South Seneca (10-3).
LAST YEAR:Mendon loses heartbreaker in state title game to J-D
It’s a testament to the balance of unbeaten Mendon (12-0), the 2017 Class A state runner-up, that Fursman is the only Vikings player who earned a vote in any category among balloting by 18 area coaches on top guards, post players and the best shooter, ball-handler and defensive player. Mendon plays at Canandaigua (11-2) on Thursday and at defending state champion Jamesville-DeWitt (10-2) at 12:45 p.m. Saturday in a rematch of the 2017 title game.
JDIVERON@Gannett.com
