Hodge averages 25.7 points as Knox County Player of the Year
By Steve Williams
Natalya Hodge has proven to be the best of the best in Knox County girls’ high school basketball in 2024-25.
Based on regular season play, Bearden’s junior point guard received the most votes for Player of the Year and heads up The Knoxville Focus / Coaches’ All-Knox County team.
Nya Burns of Grace Christian Academy and Christian Academy of Knoxville’s Maddie Braden each got one vote.
Greg Hernandez of top-ranked Division II-AA Webb School was tabbed the girls’ Coach of the Year for the second season in a row, while Bearden’s Justin Underwood earned runner-up honors. Gwen Jackson of Austin-East, Abby Williams of CAK and the Wrights, co-head coaches at GCA, each picked up one vote.
Hodge, a TSSAA Miss Basketball finalist for the second consecutive season, had the top scoring average (25.7 points per game) in Knox County this season and also averaged 3.3 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 2.7 assists.
Natalya has scored over 2,000 points in her career and has over 20 Division 1 offers at this time, according to Coach Underwood. She also was the District 4-4A MVP.
Two other Miss Basketball candidates – Webb junior Meeyah Green and CAK sophomore Maddie Braden – make this first team shine even more.
Green is a 5-9 G/F who averages 13.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Braden, a 5-11 shooting guard, is scoring at a 19.3 clip with a 54 percent field goal percentage.
Bearden’s Kendall Anne Murphy, a 5-8 senior shooting forward, also has a spot on the first team. The Lenoir-Rhyne University signee averages 12.9 points and 6 rebounds.
The 11-man first team also includes CAK junior teammate Colie Thompson, a 5-10 shooting forward who averages 18.3 points and 3.5 assists.
Farragut is represented by two players on the first unit – 5-10 junior guard KJ McNealy and 5-4 senior point guard Jaci Neubert. McNealy averages 12.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Neubert is good for 12.9 points and 3.1 steals.
Knoxville Catholic’s 5-11 power forward Amaya Redd can contribute inside and out. The Tennessee Tech signee’s stats include 16 points per game, eight rebounds and one block.
Hardin Valley provides talented 5-6 senior point guard Kyndra West, who has signed with UVA-Wise. Lady Hawks Coach Jennifer Galloway noted West had been the team’s statistical leader in all categories – 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5 assists and 1.3 steals plus has a 4.1 GPA.
Junior point guard Nya Burns, a 3-time first team All-District honoree, helped Grace Christian to a 20-win season, averaging 16 points, 4.2 assists and 3.1 steals. She has 10 offers from D1 schools, including Tennessee Tech.
South-Doyle’s Payton Rollins was a Miss Basketball candidate and the 5-9 standout still has two more seasons to go. Her stats included 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. She also had 15 blocks during the season. At last report, she also was less than a 100 away from 1,000 career points.
ALL-KNOX COUNTY GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM 2024-25
FIRST TEAM
Maddie Braden, CAK 5-11 SG soph.
Nya Burns, Grace Christian 5-8 PG jr.
Meeyah Green, Webb 5-9 G/F jr.
Natalya Hodge, Bearden 5-7 PG jr.
KJ McNealy, Farragut 5-10 G jr.
Kendall Anne Murphy, Bearden 5-8 SF sr.
Jaci Neubert, Farragut 5-4 PG sr.
Amaya Redd, Knox. Catholic 5-11 PF sr.
Payton Rollins, South-Doyle 5-9 G soph.
Colie Thompson , CAK 5-10 SF jr.
Kyndra West, Hardin Valley 5-6 PG sr.
SECOND TEAM
Avery Brewer, Central G jr.
Ree Ree Brown, A-E G soph.
Trinity Curry, Farragut C soph.
Maggie Frana, Catholic F sr.
Daisy Gentry, Powell SG soph.
Kyndall Mays, Webb C fr.
Jadyn Parker, Gibbs Post sr.
Aisha Patel, Bearden W sr.
Annie Priest, Farragut G sr.
Abby Roberts, GCA G soph.
Reese Roberts, Karns PG sr.
Rylie Roberts, Karns SG sr.
Emory Thomas, CCS G fr.
Cloey Wade, South-Doyle SF sr.
Tinsley Walker, Catholic SG sr.
Dee Williams, Fulton SF sr.
Marah Yeo, Carter G sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Addalee Adams, West soph.
Jaidyn Baird, BCS fr.
Brooklyn Brown, CCS fr.
Sha’Nary Cobb, Fulton fr.
Charleigh Freeman, West fr.
Kiran Keeton, CCS soph.
Emma Millington, Carter fr.
Raley Qualls, Gibbs sr.
Emma Rainey, Bearden jr.
Zahnyah Rockett, Webb fr.
Jyree Shepard, Fulton fr.
Ashlyn Stewart, West sr.
Shiloh Taylor, Fulton fr.
Lexi Tipton, Carter soph.
Maddi Whaley, Gibbs sr.
Ja’Onna Witt, A-E soph.
