State's top girls prospect a matter of wide opinion

Three of the state’s top four girls basketball prospects are from metro Atlanta, although at least one recruiting service argues that the state's best player is from Bainbridge. Here are the state’s highest-rated girl prospects:

Seniors

Khaalidah Miller, Douglass: Miller is the top-rated player in Georgia, according to ESPN, and the No. 2 player in the state on Blue Star Basketball's list. ESPN rates her as the No. 10 point guard and No. 36 player overall nationally, and Blue Star ranks her No. 40 overall. The 5-foot-9 Miller has led her team, which is ranked No. 7 in Class AAAAA, in scoring every year since her freshman season and is a two-time first-team all-state player. She has signed with Georgia.

Kayla Lewis, Southwest DeKalb: Lewis is a 5-11 wing who is Blue Star Basketball's top-rated Georgia player and the No. 35 player nationally. ESPN ranks her No. 3 in Georgia, No. 91 nationally and the No. 16 wing player. Lewis had 16 points and 15 rebounds in the state championship game against Fayette County last season as Southwest DeKalb defended its Class AAAA title. She has signed with Florida.

Alexis Burke, Bainbridge: Burke is rated the state's top prospect by peachstatehoops.com. ESPN rates her No. 2 in the state, No. 50 nationally and the No. 11 small forward. Blue Star Basketball lists her third in Georgia and No. 56 overall. The 5-11 Burke averaged 22.5 points and 12.3 rebounds last season, when she made first-team all-state and led her team to the Class AAAA semifinals. Burke, who has signed with Illinois, scored 36 and 31 points in her two most recent games.

Nia Evans, Redan: Evans, a 6-foot power forward, is rated the No. 4 player in Georgia, No. 19 at her position nationally and No. 97 overall by ESPN. She averaged 16 points and eight rebounds last season as Redan went 27-0 and won the Class AAAAA championship. She is among the DeKalb County leaders this season in rebounds and blocked shots and Redan is undefeated and ranked No. 1. Evans has signed with Virginia Tech.

Candice Warthen, Warren County: Warthen averages 30.3 points, helping Warren County (16-4) to be the top team in Region 4-A. She averaged 25.6 points and 8.1 rebounds and made the all-state team as a junior. Warthen, a 5-5 point guard, is rated as the No. 5 player in Georgia and the No. 26 player at her position nationally by ESPN. She has signed with Arizona.

Alisha Andrews, Redan: The 4-11 Andrews is the assist leader in DeKalb County and the scoring leader for Redan, the state's top-ranked team. ESPN ranks her as the 30th-best point guard in the nation. She has not made a decision on which college she will attend.

Briana Jordan, Norcross: Jordan, the daughter of former Atlanta Braves and Falcons player Brian Jordan, transferred to Norcross from Greater Atlanta Christian before her junior season. The 5-7 Jordan is rated as the No. 41 shooting guard nationally by ESPN. Jordan has signed with Tennessee Tech.

Juniors

Three Georgia players are listed among ESPN’s Super 60 for the Class of 2011. They are:

Brianna Banks, Northgate: The 5-9 guard is rated the No. 28 junior nationally.

Elem Ibiam, Fayette County: The 6-3 post player, a transfer from Spalding, is rated the No. 39 junior. She has verbally committed to South Carolina.