Girls basketball: The 2023-2024 Suburban Life All-Area team

Here is the Suburban Life All-Area Girls Basketball Team.

First Team

Olivia Austin, Nazareth, senior, forward: Dartmouth recruit was leading rebounder and second-leading scorer for Class 4A state runner-up. Austin averaged 10 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two assists and shot 2-point field goals at a 60% clip. Three-time all-conference pick. Three-sport athlete also was middle hitter for 2021 Nazareth state volleyball champions and 2022 state runner-up.

Amalia Dray, Nazareth, senior, guard: Boston College soccer recruit and First Team All-State pick by Illinois Media was leading scorer for Class 4A state runner-up. Dray averaged 12 points, three rebounds, four steals and three assists and shot 42% from the 3-point line and 70% at the free-throw line. Four-time all-conference pick scored her 1,000th career point this season. Helped lead Nazareth to 96-7 record the past three seasons with one state title and two second-place finishes.

Amerie Flowers, Hinsdale South, senior, forward: Benedictine commit and four-year varsity player led 25-12 Hornets to most wins in school history and first sectional championship and state tournament appearance since 1977. Hinsdale South finished fourth in Class 3A. Flowers averaged 15.7 points and 13.1 rebounds. Two-time all-conference pick finished her career with more than 1,000 points and more than 900 rebounds. Hinsdale South’s all-time leading rebounder.

Victoria Matulevicius, Montini, senior, guard: Second Team All-State pick by Illinois Media led 30-8 Montini to third place in Class 3A. Matulevicius’ 1,668 career points ranks her third all-time in Montini history. Matulevicius averaged team-high 16.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.4 steals. Her 629 career rebounds, 274 assists and 207 steals rank her in the top 10 in school history.

Kaitlyn Parker, Downers Grove North, senior, guard: Trojans’ leading scorer shot 3-pointers at an elite 42% level and led Downers Grove North to school-record 30 wins, West Suburban Silver championship and regional title. Parker, West Suburban all-conference and all-academic, averaged 13 points, five rebounds and 1.5 steals and made 81 3-pointers.

Second Team

Sara Abdul, Wheaton North, junior, guard: Abdul averaged 17.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.6 steals and shot 41.8% on field goals, 77.2% on free throws and 33.3% from the 3-point line. Abdul averaged more than 20 points a game the last two months of the season. Recorded a triple-double in the regional championship game.

Julia Benjamin, Glenbard West, junior, guard/forward: Three-year varsity starter averaged 13.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and two assists for 26-win Hilltoppers team that finished second in West Suburban Silver. Benjamin eclipsed 1,000 career points, made 73 3-pointers and shot 81.7% from the free-throw line.

Catey Carney, Glenbard East, senior, guard: Upstate Eight Conference Player of the Year became Glenbard East’s all-time leading scorer. Carney, a Morton College commit, averaged 17 points, 2.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 steals, shot 46% from the field and 78.9% from the line and took 11 charges.

Nora Ezike, Lyons Township, junior, forward: Uncommitted 6-foot-2 junior has 25-plus Division I basketball scholarship offers. Ezike had eight double-doubles in 24 games for regional champion Lions. Ezike averaged 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, two assists and two steals and shot 52.4% on 2-point field goals. Two-time all-conference pick has 736 points and 433 rebounds in two varsity seasons.

Nikki Kerstein, Montini, junior, guard: Two-time All-State pick was Montini’s second-leading scorer with 15.1 points a game. Kerstein averaged a team-high 4.5 assists, three steals and 2.7 rebounds with only 1.1 turnovers a game despite being the primary ballhandler. MVP of Willowbrook tournament and Montini Christmas Tournament.

Honorable Mention

Riley Austin, St. Francis, junior, forward; Elle Bruschuk, Willowbrook, senior, guard/forward; Grace Dolan, Hinsdale Central, junior, guard; Alyssa Epps, Montini, senior, forward; Anna Filosa, York, junior, guard; Megan Ganschow, Downers Grove South, sophomore, forward; Allie Geiger, IC Catholic Prep, senior, forward; Amira Harris, Morton, senior, guard; Lindsay Harzich, Benet, junior, guard; Allison Jarvis, Downers Grove South, senior, guard; Amelia Lavorato, Hinsdale South, senior, guard; Hannah Meyers, York, senior, guard; Brooklynn Moore, Glenbard South, junior, forward; Emma O’Brien, Lyons, sophomore, guard/forward; Stella Sakalas, Nazareth, sophomore, guard; Danielle Scully, Nazareth, senior, forward; Hope Sebek, Downers Grove North, senior, guard/forward; Emilia Sularski, Benet, senior, guard; Campbell Thulin, Downers Grove North, freshman, guard; Makenna Yeager, Glenbard West, junior.