Take a bow: Coppell’s LaMendola, Hebron’s Bradley named co-6-6A MVP; Flower Mound’s Bujak newcomer of the year

Bradley helped lead Hebron to the regional quarterfinals and a 30-win season. The Lady Hawks junior guard averaged 14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.2 assists. She has announced offers from SMU, Houston and Louisiana Tech.

Hebron was on the receiving end of two superlative winners. In addition to Bradley’s co-MVP honor, head coach Lisa Branch was the named coach of the year.

Branch has turned around the fortunes of the Lady Hawks ever since she was hired to her current post in 2017. Hebron was 10-51 the two previous seasons and the school had not won a playoff game or had a winning record since the 2008-09 season. But the Lady Hawks have made the playoffs in each of the last five seasons.

Coppell, meanwhile, has enjoyed quite the turnaround itself and was rewarded this season with its first-ever appearance in the state tournament. The school has gone 75-5 in the last two years. And spearheading Coppell’s long playoff run was the play of LaMendola.

LaMendola won district MVP for the second straight season. The driving force behind Coppell, LaMendola was a nightmare matchup for anyone who tried to guard her. Whether it was a jumper from behind the arc or a drive to the basket, her versatility was irreplaceable. LaMendola, who will play collegiately for Indiana, averaged 17.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals and drew 32 charges for a 38-4 team.

Flower Mound had the district’s newcomer of the year in sophomore Maya Bujak. Bujak had a huge impact away from the paint, shooting 40% on 3-pointers for the season. Her 52 3s are the seventh-most for a season in school history.

Plano senior Salese Blow garnered offensive player of the year. The Wichita State pledge authored one of the greatest offensive seasons in Dallas-area history, averaging 32.8 points and scoring more than 40 six times.

Plano East senior forward Idara Udo was the recipient of defensive player of the year. The SMU commit played a key role in the paint for the Lady Panthers and led the team to the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

Hebron junior Jordan Thomas and sophomore Sydnee Jones were named to the all-district first team. Senior Dana Gingrey and junior Micah Cooper landed on the second team. Juniors Amaya Bell and Nia Walker garnered honorable-mention selections. Bradley, Gingrey, and juniors Alona Craddock and Cennedi Adams were named to the all-academic team.

Coppell senior Waverly Hassman and junior Ella Spiller, both of whom made key plays in the Cowgirls’ run to the state tournament, were placed on the first team. Seniors Alyssa Potter and Macey Mercer earned selections on the second team. Sophomore Londyn Harper, one of the key cogs for Coppell’s defense, was an honorable-mention selection. LaMendola, Mercer, Potter, Hassman, Spiller, junior Mia Trillo, sophomore Landry Sherrer, senior Saiya Patel, junior Atia Medenica and junior Berlynn Engelhardt earned nods on the all-academic team.

Flower Mound senior Maddie Cox (North Carolina State signee) and junior Kaitlyn Edmondson landed on the all-district first team. Cox set school records for assists in a game (13) and season (201), and also averaged 16.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.2 blocks. Senior Abbie Boutiller (Texas signee) was named to the second team, while junior Natalie Milwood and senior Nidhi Gummakonda earned honorable-mention selections. Boutillier, Bujak, Cox, Gummakonda, senior Halee Jackson, senior Kaitlyn Meche, senior Rhea Sivakumar, sophomore Addison Gray, junior Alaia Erwin and senior Madison Gonzales were named to the all-academic team.

Across town, Marcus juniors Kennedi Petteway and Alina Martin were named to the second team, while freshman Lauren Smith garnered an honorable-mention selection. Martin, Petteway, Smith, junior Reagan Coddington, sophomore Jasmine Gilbert, sophomore Rylie Glennon, freshman Lizzie Hutchinson, sophomore Natalie Jordan, and juniors Allison Tackett and Emily Thomas were named to the academic all-district team.

Elsewhere in Lewisville ISD, the all-around play of Lewisville senior forward Maya Dotson helped to lead a nine-win improvement. Dotson garnered first-team all-district honors as a result. Senior Kiana Jones and junior Aaliyah Scott were named to the second team, while senior Maria Rush and sophomores Ar’Mya Amos-Horsley and Milan Norman garnered honorable-mention selections. Amos-Horsley, Dotson, Jones, Norman, sophomore Keealayna McClendon, and freshmen Torrin Johnson and Samaya Burton earned all-academic honors.