2009 Junior Orange Bowl Girls’ Basketball Classic:
Championship Day Results:
7th Place Game: Gulliver (FL) 40 - Hialeah (FL) 31
5th Place Game: Norland (FL) 53 - Ramsay (AL) 40
3rd Place Game: Christian Academy (KY) 60 - Douglass (GA) 47
Championship Game: Our Lady of Lourdes (FL) 46 - West Springfield (VA) 38
All Tournament Team:
Allison Karst (Christian Academy, Louisville, KY)
Cheryl Wade (Douglass High School, Atlanta, GA)
Alyssa Baron (Gulliver Preparatory School, Pinecrest, FL)
Cleondra Roberts (Norland High School, Miami, FL)
Destiny Samuels (Ramsay High School, Birmingham, AL)
April Robinson (West Springfield High School, Springfield, VA)
Tiffany Suarez (Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami, FL)
Most Valuable Player:
Takia Brooks (Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami, FL)
2009 Girls Brackets
2009 Girls Score Updates
With the last minute change in the lineup, the 2009 Junior Orange Bowl Girls’ Basketball Classic now boasts 3 players ranked in the top 45 in ESPNU Class of 100 for 2010 Class. # 5 - Kaneisha Horn, 6’1” Wing, Ramsay High School, Birmingham, AL, has signed with the University of Alabama; # 36 – Khaalidah Miller, 5’9” Guard, Douglass High School, Atlanta, GA, has signed with the University of Georgia; and # 45 – Antonita Slaughter, 6’1” Wing, Christian Academy of Louisville, KY, has signed with the University of Louisville.
Additional D-1 signees include: Alyssa Baron, Gulliver Preparatory School, Pinecrest, FL, University of Pennsylvania; Cleondra Roberts, Norland High School, Miami, FL, Long Island University; Chandler Merkerson, Hialeah High School, Hialeah, FL, University of North Florida; Takia Brooks, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami, FL, Florida Atlantic University.
The revised field is:
West Springfield High School (Springfield, VA)
Frederick Douglass High School (Atlanta, GA)
Ramsay High School (Birmingham, AL)
Christian Academy of Louisville (Louisville, KY)
Gulliver Preparatory School (Pinecrest, FL)
Hialeah High School (Hialeah, FL)
Norland High School (Miami, FL)
Our Lady of Lourdes Academy (Miami, FL)
Signing Day News Release:
Kaneisha Horn, a 6-foot-1 wing from Birmingham, Ala., told ESPN HoopGurlz via text message Tuesday evening that she has verbally committed to Alabama. She chose the Tide over finalists Auburn, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Maryland, Rutgers, South Carolina, and UCLA.
Horn is the No. 5 ranked player in the ESPN HoopGurlz Hundred. She missed the summer circuit this year recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and damaged meniscus.
The field has been finalized for the 2009 Girls' Classic. Teams participating will be:
National Teams:West Springfield (Springfield, VA) – 2003 Junior Orange Bowl Classic champion, an always competitive squad, completed 2008-09 with a record 22-4, where their leading scorers were freshman April Robinson & Logan Battle. West Springfield girls’ basketball coach Bill Gibson, who started at West Springfield in 1986-87 and has amassed over 500 wins and two state titles in the 23 years since. He has had only one losing season at West Springfield, his first one. His 1998-99 team finished 30-0, ranked # 5 in the country, and featured Kara Lawson who was named Naismith Player of the Year.
John Marshall (Chicago, IL) – 2008-09 record 24-7; finished 3rd in Illinois 3-A state tournament; coach Dorothy Gaters was honored at the McDonald’s All American Banquet with a lifetime achievement award. Gaters created the program at Marshall in 1974 and since that beginning has won 907 games—more than any other coach, boys or girls, in Illinois history. Gaters captured her eighth state title in 2008 when her Lady Commandos won the Class 3-A title. At Marshall, Gaters has produced 17 high school All-Americans and three Ms. Illinois Basketball Players of the Year.
Christian Academy of Louisville (Louisville, Kentucky) - They will have 2 senior-to-be D-1 players who have committed to D-1 schools, plus other players who will play D2 or better. Nita Slaughter has committed to the University of Louisville as a freshman. Allison Karst has not committed yet, but will make a decision soon. Anna Hart is recruited by Western Kentucky and Murray State University. They finished the 2008-09 season 25-5 and were ranked as high as #2 in state during this past season, beating 6 of the top 10 teams in Kentucky.
Ramsay (Birmingham, AL) – They have the # 1 ranked player in the 2010 class, Kaneisha Horn, 6’1” Power Wing Player, who has been offered scholarships from over 20 different schools, including Rutgers, Duke, Louisville and Florida State. Coach Robert Mosley has guided the Lady Rams to 4 consecutive 5A Alabama State Championships (2004-2007). Kaneisha Horn is coming off successful ACL surgery in January 2009 and will probably miss much of the summer season but should be back in top form for the regular high school season.
Florida Teams:
Miami Norland (Miami, FL) – They capped off the 2008-09 season with a perfect 32-0 season and a Florida 6A championship. They return 5' 11" wing guard/forward Cleondra Roberts and 5'4" point guard Stephanie Coney.
Hialeah (Hialeah, FL) – Finished 13-11 in 2008-09 season. They return 5’10” Forward Jasmine Wilkins, 2nd team All County and Chandler Merkerson, 6' wing guard/forward.
Our Lady of Lourdes (Miami, FL) – Returns 1st team All County 5’7” Guard Takia Brooks and 3rd team All County 5’6” Guard Jackie Perez. Finished the 2008-09 season 30-2, losing to eventual state champion Norland in the Regional Semi-Finals. They return to the Junior Orange Bowl Classic where they won three consecutive championships (1996 - 1998).
Gulliver Preparatory (Pinecrest, FL) – Finished the 2008-09 season with a 25-3 record, losing to eventual 3A state champion Parkway Academy in the Regional Semi-Finals. Returns 1st team All County Guard Alyssa Baron and 1st team All County Center Danielle Amaya.
Teams interested in the 2010 Classic can email us for more information at
basketball@jrorangebowl.com. The basketball committee is looking for more volunteers to help with the Junior Orange Bowl Basketball Classic. If you are interested, please email us at
basketball@jrorangebowl.com or call Chuck Little at (786) 546-3386
2008 Girls Basketball Classic Recap
Championship Day Results:
7th Place: Langley (VA) 43 - Philadelphia Central (PA) 36
5th Place: Coral Reef (FL) 47 - Miami Senior (FL) 38
3rd Place: Lake Mary (FL) 46 - North Miami Beach (FL) 45
Championship: Nova (FL) 64 - South Broward (FL) 33
All Tournament Team:
Naomi Fequiere - North Miami Beach
Morgan Jones - Lake Mary
Alicia DeVaughn - South Broward
Krystal Saunders - South Broward
Tonya Aaron - Nova
Most Valuable Player:
Jassany Williams - Nova
2008 Girls Score Updates2008 Girls Brackets2008 Girls Schedule2008 Girls Classic Preview
2007 Girls Classic Recap
2007 Girls Score Updates
2006 Tournament Recap
2005 Tournament Recap
2004 Tournament Recap 
