Crawford steals the show in Texas 5A title game

The latest ESPN RISE National Girls Basketball Player of the Week was also named MVP of the Class 5A state tournament in Texas. But it's not the 6-f00t-8 phenom from Nimitz (Houston) that has everyone talking in women's basketball.

While there's no doubt that Brittany Griner of Nimitz was the most dominating player on the floor in the state final between her team and Mansfield Summit (Mansfield, Texas), it was Mansfield Summit that took the title with a 52-43 victory and received an impressive showing of its own from 6-foot senior forward Starr Crawford.

Crawford, this week's ESPN RISE national honoree, helped slow down Griner on the defensive end and scored 14 points and had 12 rebounds as well to lead Mansfield Summit.

During the season, Crawford averaged a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds for Mansfield Summit's 34-4 state championship squad. She will play next year at TCU.

Here are the rest of this week's ESPN RISE regional girls' basketball players of the week:

East Region Region Girls' Basketball Player of the Week

Tarik Hislop (Paint Branch, Burtonsville, Md.)
A senior headed to James Madison, Hislop hit for 27 points and keyed a late rally that pushed Paint Branch to a 58-55 win over previously unbeaten Urbana in the Class 3A West Region championship. Hislop is averaging 21 points per game and has led Paint Branch to a 23-2 record. The team is hoping to win a second straight Class 3A state title.

Southeast Region Girls' Basketball Player of the Week

Jocelyn Shaw (LeFlore, Mobile, Ala.)
While the Rattler boys, who were nationally-ranked, didn't get it done on their side of the Class 5A state playoffs, Shaw led the Rattler girls to a state title. In LeFlore's 68-60 win over Brewer last weekend in the state final, Shaw connected for 29 points and was named the Class 5A MVP. The senior post player is regarded by some as one of the top five players at her position in the state.

Midwest Region Girls' Basketball Player of the Week

Antonita Slaughter (Christian Academy, Louisville, Ky.)
The 6-foot-2 junior led the Lady Centurions (25-4) to a 59-49 victory over Sacred Heart Academy to win the Seventh Region Tournament final. The University of Louisville recruit scored 34 points on 10 of 16 field goal attempts and 14 of 16 free throws, including her last 10, while collecting 13 rebounds.

Southwest Region Girls' Basketball Player of the Week

Starr Crawford (Mansfield Summit, Mansfield, Texas)
Also named ESPN RISE National Girls Basketball Player of the Week.

West Region Girls' Basketball Player of the Week

Morgan Wohltman (Highland, Gilbert, Ariz.)
A four-year varsity player, Wohltman led Highland with 24 points and made several big plays down the stretch in a 51-48 win over St. Mary's (Phoenix) in the Class 5A-Division I state championship. It marked the second straight state title for Highland, which ended 35-1. Wohltman averaged 15.0 ppg and has signed a letter of intent with Idaho State.

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