The 2010-11 girls basketball season featured several strong area teams and was highlighted by a Southside squad that finished 22-4 and made it all the way to the NCHSAA 1-A East Regional semifinals thanks to the effort of WDN player of the year Katisha Hyman.

This year fans witnessed the rise of two young teams that refused to act their age in Riverside and Plymouth. The Knights reloaded quickly after losing star guard Katie Paschal and came within a game of winning the Four Rivers Conference, while the Vikings rode the backs of two talented sophomores to stay in contention.

It was the Year of the Young Guns, as the abundance of talented underclassmen made this year’s Washington Daily News All-Area Basketball team not only one of the youngest, but one of the most challenging to piece together.

BETH BATCHELOR

Forward, Washington

Yes, it is the Year of the Young Guns but one savvy veteran was able to fend off her youthful challengers as Washington forward Beth Batchelor earned her second straight spot on the WDN first team. Not the biggest or the fastest player on the court, Batchelor used her mix of phenomenal athleticism and overpowering will to tally 18 points, six rebounds, five steals and three assists per game. Batchelor, a senior, will be greatly missed next season by the Pam Pack.

CHANTE PAINTER

G/F Southside

Often overlooked because of the stellar play of junior Katisha Hyman, Southside’s Chante Painter played an integral role on a Seahawks team that won the Four Rivers Conference regular season and tournament championships. One of the most versatile players in the area, Painter posted 9 points, 2 steals and 1.4 assists per game. Aside from providing Southside with another trusted ballhandler, Painter also made teams pay if they focused on Hyman too much.

KRISTY GIBSON

Forward/center

Plymouth

An extremely talented young player, sophomore F/C Kristy Gibson led the Vikings with 12.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. The 5-10 Gibson is graceful in the paint and has a nice touch around the basket, but can also play defense too as she swatted a team-high 70 shots this season.

DESIRE CHESSON

Guard, Plymouth

A crafty guard that averaged a team-best 4.3 assists per game, Chesson’s perimeter play was the perfect compliment to Gibson’s inside game. Like Gibson, Chesson is also a sophomore and an extremely versatile player as she swiped a team-best four steals per contest while ranking second on the team in rebounding with 6.9 boards per night.

JALYN BROWN

Point guard, Riverside

Equipped with tremendous speed and an ever-improving handle, Riverside’s freshman point guard Jalyn Brown helped speed the Knights transition away from the Katie Paschal era as she posted 8.7 points, 3.1 steals and 2.2 assists per game. Brown improved as the season went on and became a real factor for the team during the Knights conference tourney and postseason run.

SECOND TEAM

Quaneika Thomas, guard, Southside

Rachelle Davis, G/F, Northside

Courtney Wynn, guard, Riverside

Jo’neka Brown, guard, Riverside

Shaquoya May, C, Washington

HONORABLE MENTION

Northside

Rachel Hollowell

Jordan Woolard

Caroline Slade

Brittany Alligood

Mallory Paul

Sarah Credle

Plymouth

Jaconna Thomas

Aviyana Smallwood

Shaquasia Cooper

Kadijah Biggs

Ebony Barrow

Tenisha Hines

Riverside

Charnell Jones

Queenie Little

Dasia Moore

D’asya Wilson

South Creek

Jaquandra Council

Lauren Sitterson

Jasmine Outlaw

Kim Mobley

Southside

Melvisha Dudley

Rosiland Clark

Deandria Purdue

Nikki Hodges

Atyana Starkie

Washington

Staneshia Griffin

Rachel Cantrell

Rakira Ward

Datisha Redmond