Here is the Suburban Life All-Area girls basketball team.
First Team
Olivia Austin, , senior, forward: Dartmouth recruit was leading rebounder and second-leading scorer for Class 4A state runners-up. Austin averaged 10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists and shot 2-point field goals at a 60% clip. Three-time all-conference pick. Three-sport athlete was also middle hitter for 2021 Nazareth state volleyball champions and 2022 state runners-up.
Amalia Dray, Nazareth, senior, guard: Boston College soccer recruit and First Team All-State pick by Illinois Media was leading scorer for Class 4A state runner-ups. Dray averaged 12 points, 3 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists and shot 42% from the 3-poine line and 70% at the free-throw line. Four-time all-conference pick scored her 1,000th career point this season. Helped lead Nazareth to 96-7 record last three seasons with one state title and two second-place finishes.
Amerie Flowers, , senior, forward: Benedictine commit and four-year varsity player led 25-12 Hornets to most wins in school history and first sectional championship and state tournament appearance since 1977, fourth place in Class 3A. Flowers averaged 15.7 points and 13.1 rebounds. Two-time all-conference pick finished her career with over 1,000 points and over 900 rebounds. Hinsdale South’s all-time leading rebounder.
Victoria Matulevicius, senior, guard: Second Team All-State pick by Illinois Media led 30-8 Montini to third place in Class 3A. Matulevicius’ 1,668 career points ranks her third all-time in Montini history. Matulevicius averaged team-high 16.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.4 steals. Her 629 career rebounds, 274 assists and 207 steals rank her in the top 10 in school history.
Kaitlyn Parker, , senior, guard: Trojans’ leading scorer shot 3-pointers at an elite 42% level and led Downers Grove North to school record 30 wins, West Suburban Silver championship and regional title. Parker, West Suburban all-conference and all-academic, averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1.5 steals and made 81 3-pointers.
Second Team
Sara Abdul, Wheaton North, junior, guard: Abdul averaged 17.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.6 steals, and shot 41.8% on field goals, 77.2% on free throws and 33.3% from the 3-point line. Abdul averaged over 20 points per game the last two months of the season. Recorded a triple-double in the regional championship game.
Julia Benjamin, , junior, guard/forward: Three-year varsity starter averaged 13.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2 assists for 26-win Hilltoppers that finished second in West Suburban Silver. Benjamin eclipsed 1,000 career points, made 73 3-pointers and shot 81.7% from the free-throw line.
Catey Carney, , senior, guard: Upstate Eight Conference Player of the Year became Glenbard East’s all-time leading scorer. Carney, a Morton College commit, averaged 17 points, 2.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 steals, shot 46% from the field and 78.9% from the line and took 11 charges.
Nora Ezike,, junior, forward: Uncommitted 6-foot-2 junior has 25-plus Division I basketball scholarship offers. Ezike had eight double-doubles in 24 games played for regional champion Lions. Ezike averaged 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and shot 52.4% on 2-point field goals. Two-time all-conference pick has 736 points and 433 rebounds over two varsity seasons.
Nikki Kerstein, Montini, junior, guard: Two-time All-State pick, who transferred from Deerfield this season, was Montini’s second-leading scorer with 15.1 points per game. Kerstein averaged team-high 4.5 assists, 3 steals and 2.7 rebounds with just 1.1 turnover per game despite being the primary ballhandler. MVP of Willowbrook tournament and Montini Christmas Tournament.
Honorable Mention
Riley Austin, St. Francis, junior, forward; Elle Bruschuk, Willowbrook, senior, guard/forward; Grace Dolan, Hinsdale Central, junior, guard; Alyssa Epps, Montini, senior, forward; Anna Filosa, York, junior, guard; Megan Ganschow, Downers Grove South, sophomore, forward; Allie Geiger, IC Catholic Prep, senior, forward; Amira Harris, Morton, senior, guard; Lindsay Harzich, Benet, junior, guard; Allison Jarvis, Downers Grove South, senior, guard; Amelia Lavorato, Hinsdale South, senior, guard; Hannah Meyers, York, senior, guard; Brooklynn Moore, Glenbard South, junior, forward; Emma O’Brien, Lyons, sophomore, guard/forward; Stella Sakalas, Nazareth, sophomore, guard; Danielle Scully, Nazareth, senior, forward; Hope Sebek, Downers Grove North, senior, guard/forward; Emilia Sularski, Benet, senior, guard; Campbell Thulin, Downers Grove North, freshman, guard; Makenna Yeager, Glenbard West, junior.