Clarion Herald’s 2019-20 Elite Basketball Teams

In the absence of his head basketball coach, D’Mari Wiltz took command of St. Augustine’s team and led the Purple Knights to a 30-1 record and the No. 2 seed in the Division I playoffs while head coach Mitchell Williams is on personal leave.
 

Just a few miles away at Brother Martin High, another senior, Torrance “T.J.” Small, led the district (9-5A) in scoring and his team to a 30-5 record and into the Division I semifinal playoff round.
 

The Clarion Herald recognizes these two exceptional athletes and young men for the co-Outstanding Player designation on this season’s Elite Boys Basketballl Team.
 

While it was difficult to separate the importance of the efforts Wiltz and Small displayed, selecting the outstanding player on the Elite girls’ team was quite easy. The honor goes to Ursuline Academy senior center Kiersten Nelson, a four-year starter and the last holdover from the Lions’ 2018 Division II championship team.
 

The six-foot center has scored more than 1,000 points and grabbed 1,000 rebounds during her four-year career.
 

Nelson is one of five players named to previous Elite teams. Other multiple year selectees are juniors  Hannah Weston of Cabrini, Tomyree Thompson of St. Mary’s Academy and Tyrielle Williams of Ursuline, and senior Chardae Dixon of St. Katharine Drexel Prep.
 

Thompson is four-year honoree, having been named to the mythical team every year since her eighth-grade season in 2016-17.
 

Small heads a list of four returning players to the Elite boys’ team, joining Archbishop Shaw sophomore Isaiah Barnes and De La Salle seniors John Kelly and Abiram Frye.
 

Coaches of the Year honors go to Paul Kelly, who has led De La Salle to a 29-5 record and into the Division II finals for the third time, and Ursuline Academy’s Kris Goff, whose Lions advanced to the semifinal round of the Division II playoffs after winning their district title.

The Elite Boys:
Isaiah Barnes (Archbishop Shaw) 5-9, sophomore; Dylan Dimitrios (St. Paul’s) 6-4, senior; Abiram Frye (De La Salle) 5-11, senior; John Kelly (De La Salle) 5-8, senior; Jeremy Lindsey (Holy Cross) 5-11, senior; Jalen Ned (De La Salle) 6-2, senior; Jaron Pierre Jr. (St. Augustine) 6-2, junior; Brock Ranlett (Brother Martin) 6-4, junior; Torrance “T.J.” Small (Brother Martin) 6-3, senior; D’Mari, Wiltz (St. Augustine) 6-2, senior.

The Elite Girls:
Emily Adams (Dominican) 5-3, junior; Baylie Carroll (Abp. Chapelle) 5-5, freshman; Chardae Dixon (St. Katharine Drexel Prep) 5-7, senior; Kiersten Nelson (Ursuline Academy) 6-0, senior; Sydney Sherman (Dominican) 5-8, sophomore; Miranda Strassel (Mount Carmel) 5-7, junior; Tomyree Thompson (St. Mary’s Academy) 5-9, junior; Taylor Wilkins (Mount Carmel) 5-10, junior; Tyrielle Williams (Ursuline Academy) 5-7, junior; Hannah Weston (Cabrini) 5-3, junior.