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Update, April 3: Congratulations to Keira Roehm of Saline for being voted the Detroit Free Press girls basketball player of the year.
The 2025-26 MHSAA girls basketball season was one for the books. Two schools earned their first state championships; another school made history by winning 29 consecutive games.
But who was the best player this season? It's time for you, the fans, to decide.
Here are the nine finalists for 2025-26 Detroit Free Press Girls Basketball Player of the year, listed in alphabetical order:
You can vote in our poll below. Voting ends at noon Friday, April 3.
Beal averaged 22.5 points per game knocking down 46% of her shots from the field. She will continue her basketball career at Oakland in the fall.
Carter's shooting and improvement on defense led her to be named one of four finalists for the 2026 Miss Basketball award. The Marquette commit averaged 19 points, three rebounds and two assists in her final year with Belleville.
Hairston led Goodrich to an undefeated season and a Divsion 2 state championship. She averaged 14.4 points, 2.5 steals and and 2.5 assists per game.
The senior guard led Parma Western to a regional final appearance during the MHSAA girls basketball tournament. Hitt averaged 22 points a game, shooting 55% from mid-range and 43% from the 3-point line.
Hunt led Lumen Christi to the program's first-ever state championship. She averaged 20 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists per game this season.
The sharpshooter for Saline etched her name into the MHSAA record books as the state's all-time 3-point shooter finishing her career with 329-made 3s. The Wayne State commit averaged 16 points, six assists and four rebounds during the season and finished with a career 39% mark from behind the arc.
Sain was playing for her team and the Muskegon community this season as she and the Big Reds captured the program's first-ever Division 1 state championship. She averaged 20 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists and two steals a game. Sain, who is committed to Charlotte, was the runner-up for the 2026 Miss Basketball award.
Powers Catholic reached the state semifinals behind its senior guard's scoring. Smith averaged 20 points, five rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.3 steals a game. She also finished with over 1,500 career points.
Williams made an impact both on the Howell girls basketball team and across the sport. In her first and only season with the Highlanders, the Michigan State commit was named the winner of the 2026 Miss Basketball award. She averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds, six blocks and two assists en route to earning a McDonald's All-American nod.
Editor's Note: We reserve the right to disqualify a candidate or declare a vote "no contest" if tampering such as bots or offering to pay for voting is evident. Please respect the integrity of the vote the way these athletes respect the integrity of the game.
TO YOUR INBOX: Sign up for our weekly Michigan Preps newsletter to get high school sports and news sent directly to you!
Free Press high school sports reporter Jared Ramsey contributed.
Eric Guzmán covers youth sports culture at the Free Press as a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support this work.
Contact Eric Guzmán: [email protected]; 313-222-1850. Follow him on X and Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Here's who Freep readers voted the MHSAA girls basketball player of the year
Continue reading...
The 2025-26 MHSAA girls basketball season was one for the books. Two schools earned their first state championships; another school made history by winning 29 consecutive games.
But who was the best player this season? It's time for you, the fans, to decide.
Here are the nine finalists for 2025-26 Detroit Free Press Girls Basketball Player of the year, listed in alphabetical order:
You can vote in our poll below. Voting ends at noon Friday, April 3.
G Sheridan Beal, West Bloomfield senior
Beal averaged 22.5 points per game knocking down 46% of her shots from the field. She will continue her basketball career at Oakland in the fall.
G Se'Crette Carter, Belleville senior
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Carter's shooting and improvement on defense led her to be named one of four finalists for the 2026 Miss Basketball award. The Marquette commit averaged 19 points, three rebounds and two assists in her final year with Belleville.
G Kayla Hairston, Goodrich senior
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Hairston led Goodrich to an undefeated season and a Divsion 2 state championship. She averaged 14.4 points, 2.5 steals and and 2.5 assists per game.
G Rayah Hitt, Parma Western senior
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The senior guard led Parma Western to a regional final appearance during the MHSAA girls basketball tournament. Hitt averaged 22 points a game, shooting 55% from mid-range and 43% from the 3-point line.
G Kenna Hunt, Jackson Lumen Christi sophomore
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Hunt led Lumen Christi to the program's first-ever state championship. She averaged 20 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists per game this season.
G Keira Roehm, Saline senior
The sharpshooter for Saline etched her name into the MHSAA record books as the state's all-time 3-point shooter finishing her career with 329-made 3s. The Wayne State commit averaged 16 points, six assists and four rebounds during the season and finished with a career 39% mark from behind the arc.
G Mariah Sain, Muskegon senior
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Sain was playing for her team and the Muskegon community this season as she and the Big Reds captured the program's first-ever Division 1 state championship. She averaged 20 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists and two steals a game. Sain, who is committed to Charlotte, was the runner-up for the 2026 Miss Basketball award.
G Kendyl Smith, Flint Powers Catholic senior
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Powers Catholic reached the state semifinals behind its senior guard's scoring. Smith averaged 20 points, five rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.3 steals a game. She also finished with over 1,500 career points.
C Lilly Williams, Howell senior
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Williams made an impact both on the Howell girls basketball team and across the sport. In her first and only season with the Highlanders, the Michigan State commit was named the winner of the 2026 Miss Basketball award. She averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds, six blocks and two assists en route to earning a McDonald's All-American nod.
Detroit Free Press girls basketball player of the year: Vote
Editor's Note: We reserve the right to disqualify a candidate or declare a vote "no contest" if tampering such as bots or offering to pay for voting is evident. Please respect the integrity of the vote the way these athletes respect the integrity of the game.
TO YOUR INBOX: Sign up for our weekly Michigan Preps newsletter to get high school sports and news sent directly to you!
Free Press high school sports reporter Jared Ramsey contributed.
Eric Guzmán covers youth sports culture at the Free Press as a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support this work.
Contact Eric Guzmán: [email protected]; 313-222-1850. Follow him on X and Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Here's who Freep readers voted the MHSAA girls basketball player of the year
Continue reading...
