Miller earns Miss Iowa Basketball 2015 tag

DES MOINES - Her high school basketball career was over. But Nicole Miller wasn't ready to leave Wells Fargo Arena.

She wanted to linger. She wanted to keep watching.

'I watched some of the tournament every day,” she said Saturday while viewing the Class 5A final. 'I watched some of it online. I just can't get enough of it.

'I love watching the competition, the emotion. I can't believe it's already over.”

Yes, this chapter has ended for Miller. It ends with her being recognized as the top senior girls' basketball player in the state.

Miller was voted as Miss Iowa Basketball 2015 on Saturday by the state's sportswriters during Iowa Newspaper Association all-state selections.

'It's pretty cool, it's icing on the cake,” said Miller, who concluded her career at North-Linn High School with a four-year record of 93-10 and 2,207 points, the 10th-highest total for a five-on-five girl in state history. 'I guess I thought maybe I had an outside shot at it, but I figured it would go to somebody from a big school.”

A 5-foot-8 guard who has signed with Drake University, Miller was second in the state in scoring this season at 26.5 points per game. She enhanced her chances with a strong state-tournament run, scoring 83 points in three games as the Lynx (25-2) earned runner-up honors in 2A.

'Every year, Nicole continued to make herself a better basketball player,” said Lynx Coach Brian Wheatley. 'As a freshman, she had a lot of natural talent. But over the years, she grew into a complete player.

'Her basketball IQ is very high. When she's watching other teams, she's not just watching. She's studying what the best players are doing. If she would ever want to go into coaching, she'd be an excellent one.”

Miller collected 7.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 4.5 steals per game this season. But it's not the numbers she'll remember.

'I hope the impact we've had on our school is the little ones we've impacted. I hope we've been positive role models,” she said. 'I'll never forget the relationship I've had with the other girls, especially the seniors. It's been a lot of fun, and I'm really sad it's over.”

Still, she's ready for what lies next. Among the many games she watched (when she wasn't playing) last week was a Drake game Saturday afternoon at the Knapp Center.

'I can't wait,” she said. 'I got to go into the locker room. I'm already starting to feel like I fit in there.”

Miller is one of five area girls to earn first-team status. The others:

* Mikaela Morgan of Iowa City West is on the 5A team after averaging 13.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. West was 22-3 this season and reached the state semifinals. Morgan has signed with UNI.

* Rose Simon-Ressler of Western Dubuque earned a spot on the 4A first team for the second straight year. The Bobcats (25-1) were state runners-up for the second year in a row, and netted 12.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

* Kari Fitzpatrick of Edgewood-Colesburg joins Miller on the top 2A team. She posted 20.9 rebounds and 13.8 rebounds, plus more than 3 assists and 3 steals per game. Ed-Co was 11-12 this season.

* Despite standing just 5 feet tall, Sarah Matus led Springville (23-4) to the 1A championship game. She was the all-tournament captain after setting an all-class tournament record with 12 3-pointers. Matus averaged 12.1 points per game, and her 80 3-pointers ranked third in the state.

Other Metro/Iowa City players earning all-state status are Stephanie Botkin and Lela Sellers of Cedar Rapids Kennedy (second and third team, respectively, in 5A), Amanda Ollinger of Linn-Mar and Ashley Joens of Iowa City High (both on the 5A second team), Dani Craig of Iowa City West (5A third team), Chloe Rice of Marion (4A third team) and Shelby Hembera of Cedar Valley Christian (1A third team).

IOWA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION GIRLS' BASKETBALL ALL-STATE TEAMS

CLASS 5A

First Team

Front line - Audrey Faber, 6-1, sr., West Des Moines Dowling; Meredith Burkhall, 6-3, sr., Des Moines Roosevelt; Reilly Jacobson, 6-1, jr., Waukee. Back court - Grace Vander Weide, 6-0, sr., West Des Moines Valley; Makenzie Meyer, 5-10, jr., Mason City; Annabel Graettinger, 5-10, sr., Muscatine. Utility - Mikaela Morgan, 5-11, sr., Iowa City West.

Second Team

Front line - Stephanie Botkin, 6-0, sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Rachel Hinders, 5-11, jr., Johnston; Adrienne Boettger, 6-1, sr., Cedar Falls. Back court - Ashley Joens, 5-9, fr., Iowa City High; Becca Hittner, 6-0, jr., West Des Moines Dowling; Ashton Donels, 5-9, jr., Southeast Polk. Utility - Amanda Ollinger, 6-2, jr., Linn-Mar.

Third Team

Front line - Taryn Knuth, 6-4, soph., Johnston; Sammie Birkes, 5-9, sr., Sioux City West; Lela Sellers, 6-0, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Back court - Hannah Fuller, 5-9, soph., Dani Craig, 5-8, sr., Iowa City West; Whitney Fuller, 5-7, sr., West Des Moines Valley. Utility - Carlie Littlefield, 5-8, sr., Waukee.

* * * * *

CLASS 4A

First Team

Front line - Taylor Frederick, 6-1, jr., Harlan; Claire Marburger, 5-10, sr., Perry; Rose Simon-Ressler, 5-9, sr., Western Dubuque. Back court - Mariah Criswell, 5-8, sr., Winterset; Gabie Doud, 5-11, sr., Ballard; Jacionna Stowers, 5-6, soph., Davenport North. Utility - Jess Schaben, 6-3, sr., Harlan.

Second Team

Front line - Megan Maahs, 6-1, jr., Western Dubuque; Tristan Beaulieu, 5-9, sr., Sioux City Heelan; Jinaya Houston, 6-1, soph., Davenport North. Back court - Kaleigh Haus, 5-9, sr., Carlisle; Agatha Beier, 5-8, soph., Carlisle; Megan Todd, 5-7, sr., Sioux City Heelan. Utility - Emily Knittel, 5-10, sr., Ballard.

Third Team

Front line - Victoria Asplund, 5-10, sr., Waverly-Shell Rock; Grace Berg, 6-0, fr., Indianola; Kessa Kuyper, 5-11, sr., Humboldt. Back court - Chloe Rice, 5-10, fr., Marion; Maggie Lowe, 5-8, sr., Perry; Maci Griffith, 5-8, jr., Vinton-Shellsburg. Utility - Taylor Wagner, 5-10, sr., Harlan.

* * * * *

CLASS 3A

First Team

Front line - Andrea Larson, 6-0, sr., Mediapolis; Serena Parker, 6-0, sr., Shenandoah; Kati Cassabaum, 6-0, jr., Nevada. Back court - Elle Ruffridge, 5-3, soph., Pocahontas Area; Kate Walker, 6-0, sr., Red Oak; Caely Hummel, 5-8, soph., Cherokee. Utility - Madison Sickles, 5-9, sr. Crestwood.

Second Team

Front line - Arika Wooldridge, 6-0, jr., Center Point-Urbana; Heidi Hillyard, 6-0, sr., Mediapolis; Emma Dau, 6-0, sr., Spirit Lake. Back court - Rachel Freland, 5-11, sr., Monroe PCM; Ellie Friesen, 5-2, fr., Osage; Darby Massner, 5-9, sr., Mediapolis. Utility - Jessica Speake, 5-7, jr., Hampton-Dumont.

Third Team

Front line - Morgan Grimm, 5-9, sr., Osage; Karlee Grabau, 6-2, sr., Crestwood; Lexy Koudelka, 6-1, fr., Nevada. Back court - Blair Klostermann, 5-11, sr., Dyersville Beckman; Faith Meyer, 5-7, soph., Pocahontas Area. Utility - Allison Platte, 5-11, sr., Mount Vernon.

* * * * *

CLASS 2A

First Team

Front line - Kari Fitzpatrick, 5-11, sr., Edgewood-Colesburg; Anna Kiel, 6-1, jr., Unity Christian; Gracey Griglione, 6-1, soph., Interstate 35. Back court - *Nicole Miller, 5-8, sr., North-Linn; Kassidy DeJong, 5-11, sr., Unity Christian; Jamie Gesink, 5-9, sr., Western Christian. Utility - Hallie Linhart, 5-9, sr., Central Decatur.

Second Team

Front line - Haley Burks, 6-0, sr., South Central Calhoun; Steffi Cunard, 5-10, sr., Logan-Magnolia; Elsa Anderson, 6-0, sr., Des Moines Christian. Back court - Morgan Muhlbauer, 5-9, sr. IKM-Manning; Chanda Zomermaand, 5-7, jr., Unity Christian; Anna Yung, 5-7, sr., Fort Dodge St. Edmond. Utility - Carolyn Trumm, 5-9, sr., Cascade.

Third Team

Front line - Megan Peschong, 6-0, sr., Okoboji; Morgan Boer, 5-11, jr., North-Linn; Kelsey Pretz, 5-9, sr., Columbus Community. Back court - Maddie Boer, 5-7, sr., North-Linn; Katie Lindeman, 5-8, jr., Grundy Center; Kennedy Core, 5-7, sr., Pleasantville. Utility - Gabby Reyerson, 6-1, jr., West Marshall.

* * * * *

CLASS 1A

First Team

Front line - Johanna Vaske, 5-10, jr., Algona Garrigan; Dani Eben, 6-0, sr., George-Little Rock; Tori Hazard, 5-9, soph., Janesville. Back court - Taylor Hickey, 5-7, sr., Burlington Notre Dame; Sarah Matus, 5-0, sr., Springville; Macy Williams, 5-5, sr., Fremont-Mills. Utility - Brianna Wells, 5-6, sr., Newell-Fonda.

Second Team

Front line - Sarah Halse, 5-9, sr., Central Lyon; Rylee Andresen, 6-0, jr., Midland; Rylee Voss, 6-0, sr., English Valleys. Back court - Shayla Dean, 5-3, sr., Colo-Nesco; Hattie Davidson, 5-7, jr., Northwood-Kensett; Marina Keck, 5-6, Marina Keck, 5-6, jt., Kingsley-Pierson. Utility - Kaitlyn Johnson, 5-8, sr., Van Buren.

Third Team

Front line - Olivia Barrett, 5-11, sr., Garwin GMG; Rachel Smith, 5-10, sr., Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton; Shelby Hembera, 6-0, sr., Cedar Valley Christian. Back court - Rylee Menster, 5-6, fr., Springville; Carleigh Paup, 5-7, jr., Paton-Churdan; Alecia Kimball, 5-7, jr., Dunkerton. Utility - Kiana Stender, 5-6, sr., Elkader Central.

* Miss Iowa Basketball 2015

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com