Roblow, Blankenship named to LSWA All-Louisiana Women's Basketball Team
By Matt Vines
Written for the LSWA
There wasn't any dissent on who the Women's Basketball Player of the Year was going to be on the Louisiana Sportswriters Association All-Louisiana Team.
LSU forward Angel Reese garnered every possible vote to highlight another banner year for a Lady Tigers team that won 31 games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
LSU forward Aneesah Morrow captured the Newcomer of the Year honor while guard Mikaylah Williams took home the Freshman of the Year award.
Reese, Morrow, Williams and Flau'Jae Johnson made up 80 percent of the five-player first team with ULM's Daisha "Nunu" Bradford filling the other first-team spot as the third-highest vote getter overall.
Before being picked No. 7 by the Chicago Sky in the first round of the WNBA Draft, Reese posted 27 double doubles and tied the NCAA Tournament record with 10 straight double doubles. The First-Team All-American and SEC Player of the Year averaged 18.6 points and 13.4 rebounds per game to pair with 2.3 assists, 1.9 steals and one block per game.
Morrow wasn't far behind Reese with 21 double doubles this season as the First-Team All-SEC forward averaged 16.4 points and 10 rebounds per game in her first season after transferring from DePaul. She added 93 steals (2.5 per game).
Williams, a former No. 1 recruit, lived up to the hype as the SEC Freshman of the Year averaged 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. The Bossier City native's 493 points and 98 assists rank sixth all-time by LSU freshman with a freshman program record of 42 points against Kent State.
LSU Shreveport's Kyle Blankenship picked up Coach of the Year honors after pulling double duty for the Pilots this season. The long-time men's coach took over the women's team two weeks before the regular season, leading the Lady Pilots to a 30-3 record, conference and tournament titles in the Red River Athletic Conference with a 22-0 mark, and the program's first-ever NAIA Tournament win. He won a men's NAIA Tournament game on the same day, leading the Pilots to the Sweet 16 and 24 wins.
ULM's Bradford narrowly missed the Newcomer of the Year award to Morrow in a tight race. The Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year averaged 19.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game as she led ULM to the third round of the WNIT after transferring from Clemson.
Second-team members included Louisiana Christian's Princis Goff (18.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.5 steals), Loyola New Orleans' Sandra Cannady (16.7 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.5 assists), Louisiana Tech's Anna Larr Roberson (12.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, .501 FG), Southeastern Louisiana's Hailey Giaratano (12.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3 assists), and New Orleans' Dearica Pryor (14.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2 assists).
Six members qualified for the third team with a tie for the final all-state spot.
Third-team members include Tulane's Kyren Whittington (17.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.5 steals), ULM's Jakayla Johnson (15.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.8 assists), LSUS's Destanee Roblow (12.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1 steal), Xavier's Taylor Dewitt (12.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.3 steals), Southeastern Louisiana's Jalencia Pierre (8.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.9 assists), and Grambling State's Kahia Warmsley (10.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.6 assists).
The 2023-24 LSWA All-Louisiana Women's Basketball teams were selected by a statewide vote of school sports information directors and media members.
2023-24 LSWA All-Louisiana Women's Basketball Teams
Player of the Year: Angel Reese, F, LSU
Newcomer of the Year: Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Freshman of the Year: Mikaylah Williams, LSU
Coach of the Year: Kyle Blankenship, LSU Shreveport
FIRST TEAM
Angel Reese, F, Sr., LSU, Baltimore, Maryland
18.6 ppg, 13.4 rpg, SEC Player of the Year, First-Team All-American
Aneesah Morrow, F, Jr., LSU, Chicago, Illinois
16.4 ppg, 10 rpg, First-Team All-SEC, All-America Honorable Mention
Daisha "Nunu" Bradford, G, Sr., ULM, Mobile, Alabama
19.3 pgg, 7.6 rpg, Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year, Sun Belt Second Team
Flau'Jae Johnson, G, So., LSU, Savannah, Georgia
14.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, First-Team All-SEC, All-America Honorable Mention
Mikaylah Williams, Fr., G, LSU, Bossier City, Louisiana
14.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, SEC Freshman of the Year, SEC All-Freshman Team
SECOND TEAM
Princis Goff, G/F, So., Louisiana Christian, Atlanta, Louisiana
18.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, All-Red River First Team
Sandra Cannady, F, Gr., Loyola New Orleans, The Woodlands, Texas
16.7 ppg, 9.3 rpg, NAIA Third-Team All-America, Southern States Conference Player of the Year
Anna Larr Roberson, F, Gr., Louisiana Tech, Ruston, Louisiana
12.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, First-Team All-CUSA
Hailey Giarantano, G, Gr., Southeastern Louisiana, Ponchatoula, Louisiana
12.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, First-Team All-Southland
Dearica Pryor, G, Sr., New Orleans, Urbandale, Iowa
14.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, Second-Team All-Southland
THIRD TEAM
Kyren Whittington, G, R-Jr., Tulane, Folsom, Louisiana
17.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, LSWA Player of Week
Jakayla Johnson, G, Jr., ULM, Clinton, Mississippi
15.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, Third-Team All-Sun Belt
Destanee Roblow, F/C, Sr., LSU Shreveport, Teague, Texas
12.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, First-Team All-Red River
Taylor Dewitt, G/F, Gr., Xavier, Mansfield, Louisiana
12.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, First-Team All-Red River
Jalencia Pierre, G, So., Southeastern Louisiana, Springfield, Louisiana
8.4 ppg, 2.9 assists, Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year
Kahia Warmsley, G, Jr., Grambling State, Shreveport, Louisiana
10.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg
HONORABLE MENTION (Appeared on at least 25 percent of ballots)
Taylor Thomas, G, Gr. Loyola New Orleans, Missouri City, Texas
Jianna Morris, G, Fr., Louisiana Tech, Sherwood, Arkansas
Sharna Ayres, G, Sr., Northwestern State, Melbourne, Australia
Tamera Johnson, F, Jr., UL Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana
Allison Owens, G, Southern Shreveport, Conroe, Texas