By Harold Abend

The caravan put on almost 8,000 miles, there were two weeks of hotels and motels on the road trip, and we saw a total of eight events over a two month period.

We started and ended close to home in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first stop on our schedule was the Golden Gate Shootout in San Rafael in mid-June. The last NCAA certified event was the Summer in the City held in Novato, and our final stop was the Back to School Shootout, August 15-17 at Chabot College in Hayward.

In between, there were stops in Berkeley, San Diego, Las Vegas, and back to San Diego.

All told, approximately 5,000 girls participated at events where we were present. Of those, we evaluated over 1,000 of the top performers to come up with the following list. We have eliminated girls from outside California even though quite a few were evaluated and their names appeared in previous Girls of Summer blogs.

At our final stop in Hayward at the Back to School Shootout, St. Mary's of Berkeley won a battle of teams with Panthers as a mascot, defeating Pinewood (Los Altos Hills), 34-30, behind solid team defense and timely scoring by incoming sophomore Danielle Mauldin.

Mauldin shared game-high scoring honors with Pinewood's Lindsay Nickel (2009), each depositing 10 points.

Emily Vann (2011) helped seal the victory, leading a charged up St. Mary's defense that held Pinewood to two points in the game's final five minutes.

With the conclusion of the Back to School Shootout, we finalized our summer girls' rankings and now present the top 170 girls of the 1,000 evaluated,

For new readers and a reminder to old ones, we give a brief summary of the criteria for the ranking system used over the four years of our Girls of Summer feature.

The main factor of the criteria is that this is for only those girls that were personally seen or where, in a very limited number of cases, college coaches and recruiters input was used are included. This is not an all-inclusive list. If a player you know isn't shown, it's probably because she was simply not seen.

Among those we unfortunately didn't see were the St. Mary's of Stockton duo of Chelsea Gray and Afure Jemerigbe. 

This year, only girls we saw are on the list. We did, however, take input from several college coaches on some of top performers we only saw once to help equalize the fact we saw several of the top rated girls at two or three events and multiple games at each.

Evaluation points are based on a dot system of four grading periods per girl, regardless of how many or how few times we see them play.

A perfect score would be four dots per game or a total of 16 points. To earn a ranking, we don't have to see four grading periods but usually do at most events where there are five, six and even seven games. Anyone who can average two dots per grading period or 8 points has done a pretty good job in the areas of evaluation.

The evaluation areas consist of speed and quickness with or without the ball; passing abilities; converting makeable shots and layups consistently; ability to pull up and hit the shot including the trey; range of shooting; free-throw shooting; defensive intensity, and body positioning and footwork on defense; stamina and endurance; teamwork; left and right hand abilities to shoot and dribble; blocking out and rebounding; winning attitude plus more.

Last year Jasmine Dixon of Long Beach Poly, who is going to Rutgers this fall and was a two-time EA SPORTS All-American, was the top ranked girl with a 15.25 rating over the 2007 summer circuit.

In 2006 Ms. Basketball Jeanette Pohlen of Brea Olinda (Brea) and now at Stanford and Vickie Baugh (Sacramento) and currently at Tennessee were tied with a 14.50 rating.

The 2005 season had us evaluating nationwide talent as well as girls from California. Superstar Maya Moore from Georgia (currently starring at UConn) and Jasmine Thomas from Virginia (now at Duke) tied for the highest rating at an astonishing 15.5 out of 16.0. The top California girl that summer was Jayne Appel (Carondelet, Concord), currently starring at Stanford, with a 14.5 rating.

Heading this year's list are four girls who tied at 14.50. Three are seniors and one is a sophomore.

One is a post player, rated No. 20 in the class of 2009 by ESPNU Hoopgurlz, who has improved every aspect of her game; footwork, shooting with either hand, rebounding, shot blocking and overall defensive intensity. Plus she's not afraid to share the ball. Her prowess has earned her a scholarship to Southern California.

The second girl, ranked No. 14 by ESPNU Hoopgurlz in the 2009 class has endured more pain than anyone should ever have to suffer. Not even the tragic murder of her father during halftime of a game against her team's league rival could deter her from achieving her's and her father's dream of this young woman earning a D1 scholarship and uplifting herself in life. On the floor, she can do many things well -- like taking a rebound in the air and before coming back down, softly dropping it in the basket for a deuce.

The third girl is ranked No. 64 in the class of 2009. Her performance at the San Diego Classic, where she played all 280 minutes of her team's seven game run to the championship title, was remarkable. No wonder she is getting serious looks from Pac-10 schools such as Cal, Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA and USC, plus San Diego State.

The last girl, who is on Hoopgurlz 2011 "watch list list of 13 girls nationwide, may end up being the best of them all before its said and done this coming season.

Girls of Summer Top 170 Player Rankings

14.50 Layshia Clarendon 5-9 2009 (Cajon, San Bernardino)
14.50 Christina Marinacci 6-2 2009 (Foothill, Santa Ana)
14.50 Kaleena Masqueda-Lewis 6-0 2011 (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
14.50 Tierra Rogers 5-9 2009 (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco)
14.35 DeNesha Stallworth 6-3 2009 (Pinole Valley, Pinole)
14.35 Ki-Shawna "KiKi Moore 5-9 2009 (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco)
13.65 Gizelle Studevant 5-11 2009 (The Bishops School, San Diego)
13.25 Chloe Wells 5-8 2010 (A.B. Miller, Fontana)
13.25 Kamilah Jackson 5-11 2010 (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco)
13.25 Denesia Williamson 5-6 2009 (Mt. Miguel, Spring Valley)
13.00 Morgan Hatten 6-0 2009 (Clovis West, Fresno)
12.35 Inga Orekhova 6-3 2009 (The Bishops School, San Diego)
11.80 Jonae Ervin 5-5 2009 (Brea-Olinda, Brea)
11.75 Talia Caldwell 6-4 2009 (Marlborough, Los Angeles)
11.75 Jhazmine Lynch 5-6 2009 (Mater Dei, Chula Vista)
11.75 Niveen Rasheed 6-1 2009 (Monte Vista, Danville)
11.70 Darshae Burnside 2009 (Cajon, San Bernardino)
11.70 Jennie Harding 5-9 2009 (Santa Monica)
11.65 Madison Parrish 5-9 2011 (Hanford)
11.60 Rhema Gardner 6-2 2010 (Ayala, Chino)
11.60 Ebone Henry 5-10 2009 (Mater Dei, Chula Vista)
11.60 Thea Lemberger 2010 (Santa Monica)
11.60 Lauren Polansky 5-9 2009 (Branson, Ross)
11.60 Alexyz Vaioletama 6-1 2011 (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
11.55 Alisha Eckberg 5-11 2009 (Canyon Crest Academy, San Diego)
11.55 Stephanie Golden 6-3 2010 (Miramonte, Orinda)
11.55 Sara James 5-10 2010 (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills)
11.50 Angela Misa 6-2 2009 (JSerra, San Juan Capistrano)
11.40 Alex Sanchez 6-0 2010 (Troy, Fullerton)
11.35 Kelsey Harris 5-10 2010 (Brea-Olinda, Brea)
11.30 Aly Beebe 6-3 2012 (St. Joseph, Santa Maria)
11.30 Mikayla Lyles 5-8 2010 (Amador Valley, Pleasanton)
11.30 Kendall Rodriguez 6-0 2009 (Brea-Olinda, Brea)
11.30 Ariel Thomas 5-5 2010 (McClatchy, Sacramento)
11.30 Tynetta Turner 6-0 2009 (San Diego)
11.25 Kyra Dunn 6-3 2010 (Sacramento)
11.25 Makenzie Hirz 6-2 2009 (Foothill, Santa Ana)
11.20 Lindsay Sherbert 5-11 2010 (Great Oak, Temecula)
11.05 Brianna Orlich 5-10 2010 (Clovis West, Fresno)
11.00 Camila Rosen 6-0 2009 (Berkeley)
11.00 Cierra Windham 6-3 2009 (Norco)
10.90 Jordan Adams 5-11 2012 (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
10.90 Erica Barnes 6-3 2010 (Sacramento)
10.90 Kathryn Haugen 5-8 2009 (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
10.90 Rachael Pecota 5-11 2009 (Urban, San Francisco)
10.80 Tiffany Moorer 6-0 2009 (Narbonne, Harbor City)
10.80 Lindsay Nickel 6-0 2009 (Pinewood, Los Altos Hills)
10.75 Ellesse Brandis 5-10 2009 (Santa Monica)
10.75 Deanna Weaver 6-0 2010 (Wilcox, Santa Clara)
10.70 Noelani Viloria 5-10 2009 (Huntington Beach)
10.65 Erica Payne 6-1 2011 (Carondelet, Concord)
10.60 Alle Moreno 5-5 2010 (St. Mary's, Stockton)
10.55 Taylor Spikes 5-8 2010 (Hanford)
10.50 Ariana Elegado 5-6 2010 (La Jolla Country Day, San Diego)
10.50 Ariya Crook-Williams 5-7 2011 (Poly, Long Beach
10.50 Anissa Garcia 5-10 2010 (St. Mary's, Stockton)
10.50 Brittany Henderson 6-2 2009 (Muir, Pasadena)
10.50 Necholl Marbrough 5-9 2009 (Poly, Long Beach)
10.45 Cydnie Mixon 6-0 2010 (Deer Valley, Antioch)
10.45 Jazmine Zamora 5-4 2010 (Great Oak, Temecula)
10.40 Gillian Howard 6-4 2011 (La Jolla Country Day, San Diego)
10.40 Ashley Moore 5-10 2010 (St. Patrick-St. Vincent, Vallejo)
10.35 Kelly Peterson 6-1 2009 (Northgate, Walnut Creek)
10.35 Ricki Radonavich 5-10 2010 (Carondelet, Concord)
10.35 Brittany Shine 5-10 2010 (Sacramento)
10.35 Adrianne Thomas 5-8 2010 (Summit, Fontana)
10.30 Danielle Mauldin 5-11 2010 (St. Mary's, Berkeley)
10.30 Chemayne Shipley 5-9 2010 (La Jolla Country Day, San Diego)
10.25 Javier Brantley 5-8 2009 (Pinole Valley, Pinole)
10.25 Cheyenne Curley-Payne 2009 (Eastlake, Chula Vista)
10.25 Kayla Griffin 5-10 2009 (Moreau Catholic, Hayward)
10.25 Destini Mason 5-9 2009 (Perris)
10.25 Ane McPike 5-11 2009 (St. Joseph, Santa Maria)
10.25 A.J. Newton 5-3 2010 (Valley Christian, San Jose)
10.25 Emiko Smith 5-5 2009 (Windward, Los Angeles)
10.25 Emily Vann 6-0 2011 (St. Mary's, Berkeley)
10.20 Alyssa Afaese 5-11 2010 (Great Oak, Temecula)
10.20 Rechel Carter 5-9 2010 (St. Patrick-St. Vincent, Vallejo)
10.20 Hailey Eackles 5-10 2011 (Pinewood, Los Altos Hills)
10.20 Alexa Saturday 5-8 2011 (Cajon, San Bernardino)
10.15 Emily Gonsalves 2010 (St. Mary's, Stockton)
10.15 Ariel Marsh 5-8 2010 (Ayala, Chino)
10.10 Sarina Sayama 5-9 2010 (Hanford)
10.10 Taryn Sayama 5-7 2010 (Hanford)
10.10 Blair Shinoda 5-10 2009 (Foothill, Santa Ana)
10.05 Lacey Gibbons 5-11 2009 (Hanford)
10.05 Ali Gipson 5-8 2011 (St. Mary's, Stockton)
10.00 Courtney Hamilton 5-9 2010 (Northgate, Walnut Creek)
10.00 Hilary Rosette 5-11 2009 (Carondelet, Concord)
10.00 Keyontee White 6-1 2009 (Deer Valley)
10.00 Janelle Travis 5-6 2010 (Justin-Siena, Napa)
9.90 Erin Boettcher 6-3 2010 (Carondelet, Concord)
9.80 Jackie Sanchez 5-10 2010 (Bishop Alemany, Mission Hills)
9.80 Ariel Walker 5-10 2009 (Presentation, San Jose)
9.75 Sophie Bhasin 5-8 2012 (Cajon, San Bernardino)
9.75 Jada Blackwell 6-1 2011 (Etiwanda, Rancho Cucamonga)
9.75 Ashley Boggs 5-11 2009 (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco)
9.75 Liz Gordon 6-2 2010 (Mitty, San Jose)
9.75 Erin Grady 6-0 2009 (St. Ignatius, San Francisco)
9.75 Diamond Mitchell 5-4 2010 (Eastlake, Chula Vista)
9.75 Elexous Robinson 6-0 2010 (Dublin)
9.70 Nicole Anderson-Jew 5-6 2010 (Marin Catholic, Kentfield)
9.70 Jenay Herring 5-7 2010 (Yosemite, Oakhurst)
9.70 Patrice Saindon 5-3 2009 (Deer Valley, Antioch)
9.65 Karina Alofaituli 6-0 2011 (Thousand Oaks)
9.65 Kacy Swain 6-4 2011 (Chaparral, Temecula)
9.60 Lauren Spinazze 6-1 2009 (Esperanza, Anaheim)
9.60 Milica Toskovic 6-0 2011 (Windward, Los Angeles)
9.55 Angelica Sahagan 5-10 2010 (Bishop Alemany, Mission Hills)
9.55 Theresa Thomas-Stokes 6-3 2009 (Redwood, Visalia)
9.55 Melissa Zornig 5-8 2010 (Santa Margarita Catholic, Santa Margarita)
9.50 Dezirae Azlin 5-10 2009 (Deer Valley, Antioch)
9.50 Sonia Aguilar 5-7 2009 (St. Mary's, Berkeley)
9.50 Nikki Beckman 5-9 2010 (Dublin)
9.50 Natalie Butler 5-11 2010 (Clovis West, Fresno)
9.50 Natalie Fashag 5-7 2009 (Santa Monica)
9.50 Raven Fox 5-6 2012 (Deer Valley, Antioch)
9.50 Sydney Haydel 5-10 2010 (Harvard-Westlake, Sherman Oaks)
9.50 Maya Hood 5-10 2012 (La Jolla Country Day, San Diego)
9.50 Oorrgatt Joice 5-11 2009 (Windward, Los Angeles)
9.50 Elise Loreng 6-3 2010 (Santa Margarita Catholic, Santa Margarita)
9.50 Ericka Norman 5-7 2010 (Chino Hills)
9.50 Doris Park-Sherman 6-0 2009 (Newbury Park)
9.50 Krishawn Tennies 5-7 2010 (Ayala, Chino Hills)
9.45 Jessie Buchler 5-8 2009 (Rosary, Fullerton)
9.45 Lindsey Crawford 5-4 2011 (Chino Hills)
9.45 Brittany Jones 5-7 2009 (Montgomery, Santa Rosa)
9.45 Kaitlyn Petersen 5-8 2009 (Mission Viejo)
9.45 Chaunise Powell 5-7 2010 (Newark Memorial, Newark)
9.45 Talia Rayford 5-11 2011 (St. Mary's, Los Angeles)
9.45 Jenna Saso 5-10 2010 (Presentation, San Jose)
9.45 Shaylese Shofner 6-1 2009 (Lynwood)
9.45 Cody Sims 5-11 2011 (St. Mary's, Berkeley)
9.45 Leigh Stewart 5-9 2009 (Marin Catholic, Kentfield)
9.45 Chereese Thomas 5-9 2010 (Dublin)
9.45 Meghin Williams 6-2 2009 (Summit, Fontana)
9.40 Brandi Henton 5-7 2010 (Modesto Christian, Modesto)
9.40 Kiara Harewood 6-1 2011 (Acalanes, Lafayette)
9.40 Elizabeth Hartnett 5-9 2009 (Rosary, Fullerton)
9.40 Lauren Kimble 5-6 2010 (Miramonte, Orinda)
9.35 Alex Bassett 6-0 2009 (Marin Academy, San Rafael)
9.35 Taylor Gomez 5-9 2010 (Muir, Pasadena)
9.35 Chrystal Guarin 5-6 2009 (Troy, Fullerton
9.35 Brittany Kato 5-6 2010 (Troy, Fullerton)
9.35 Ravien Lawson 5-8 2010 (Enterprise, Redding)
9.35 Carly Meyer 6-1 2009 (Rosary, Fullerton)
9.35 Mya Olivier 6-1 2009 (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
9.35 Dani Rabago 5-10 2010 (Monte Vista, Danville)
9.35 Jazzmine Shirley 5-6 2010 (Poly, Long Beach)
9.35 Sarah Tamulski 6-0 2009 (Piedmont)
9.35 Kaitlin Wade 6-1 2009 (College Park, Pleasant Hill)
9.35 Kori Walker 5-8 2011 (Cajon, San Bernardino)
9.35 Melissa Wise 5-11 2009 (Marin Catholic, Kentfield)
9.30 Kathryn Fialey 6-0 2010 (JSerra, San Juan Capistrano)
9.30 Emily Livingston 5-11 2009 (Redwood, Larkspur)
9.30 Emily McCoy 5-6 2009 (Rosary, Fullerton)
9.30 Terilyn Moe 5-8 2012 (Terra Nova, Pacifica)
9.20 Ariel Hale 6-0 2009 (Canyon, Canyon Country)
9.15 September Offtutt 6-2 2010 ((Monrovia)
9.15 Amara Wainwright 5-9 2011 (Christian Brothers, Sacramento)
9.10 Maya Kennedy 5-8 2012 (Huntington Beach)
9.05 Kristen Chikami 5-7 2010 (Troy, Fullerton)
9.05 Kelsie Sampson 6-1 2010 (South Torrance, Torrance)
9.05 Kerrissa Taledo 5-6 2009 (Bishop Alemany, Mission Hills)
9.00 Cheyenne Cathey 5-10 2009 (Sheldon, Sacramento)
9.00 Chariah Harris 5-11 2011 (Chino Hills)
9.00 Hannah Huffman 5-9 2012 (Carondelet, Concord)
9.00 Rachel Tagabonie 5-5 2010 (Colony, Ontario)

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