Pali High Junior Jane Nwaba Named City Division I Girls Basketball Player of the Year
What a season it was for Palisades High basketball player Jane Nwaba, who has been chosen City Division I player of the Year after leading the Dolphins to their sixth section crown.
The junior forward did it all for Palisades—scoring, rebounding, blocking shots, stealing passes and setting teammates up to score. Her brother David starred at University High and plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA and Jane may be destined for the WNBA. After helping Palisades reach the Open Division final her freshman year she missed the last nine games last winter due to injury and without her the Dolphins failed to win a game.
Joining Nwaba on the Division I first team are sophomore guards Sammie Arnold and Alexis Pettis. Arnold’s clutch three-point shooting helped Palisades beat Carson in the City final while Pettis’ dribble penetration caused opponents problems in the regionals.
Nwaba, Arnold and Pettis also made the All-Western League first team while sophomore forward Rose Morris, who sank a 3-pointer with under 10 seconds left to force overtime against Carson, was the Dolphins’ lone second team pick.
In just his first season, Adam Levine was selected Division I Coach of the Year after piloting the Dolphins to their sixth section crown and first regional finals berth since 1999. Palisades posted 26 wins, third most in program history, and went from last to third in the Western League standings.
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