For the second consecutive season, LaFayette star Jocelyn Thompson has been named as the Sharon Vantrease North Georgia Girls’ basketball Player of the Year.

It was hard to imagine Thompson having a better season than last year when she averaged just shy of 19 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks per game.

However, the future Georgetown (Ky.) College standout did just that, averaging over 21 points a game to go with 12 rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocks a contest while drawing double and sometimes triple-teams from opposing defenses.

Thompson recorded three triple-doubles on the season including an unforgettable performance in a January win over Ringgold that saw her come up one assist shy of a rare quadruple-double (29 points, 13 rebounds, 11 steals and nine assists).

She also broke the LaFayette girls’ scoring record with 1,571 career points.

“I think she’s the best all-around player in the league,” said Thompson’s former head coach and current Ridgeland head coach Craig Parrott. “She might just be the best athlete in the league as well. Her numbers aren’t padded.

They speak for themselves.”

Although she put up big numbers of a nightly basis, it was her unselfishness and ability to get her teammates involved that made the Lady Ramblers one of the biggest surprise stories of the year.

After a two seasons which saw LaFayette win just two games, Thompson put the Lady Ramblers on her back and help carry them to a double-digit win season and brought them one game away from a berth in the state playoffs.

Joining Thompson on this year’s team is Lady Rambler teammate Ashley Chapman. Chapman came into her own in her senior season, averaging a double-double and giving LaFayette a tough one-two punch. Chapman also earned a basketball scholarship to Reinhardt College.

Ridgeland saw all five starters make the team after the Lady Panthers’ 26-6 campaign that finally ended in Atlanta at the Class AAAA Final Four. Seniors Deidra Bruning, Lauren Grant and Shenay Foster were joined by powerful junior India Turner and sophomore sensation Princess Carson.

Region 6-A champions Gordon Lee placed three players on the team after advancing to the Class A Sweet Sixteen. Junior Ashlan Clarkson was second to only Thompson in the Chattanooga area in scoring while junior Raven Brock was a force on both ends of the floor. Sophomore guard Lauren Lowrance rounded out the Lady Trojans selections.

Also named to the all-star team were Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe junior sharpshooter Katie Speiser and Ringgold’s best all-around player junior Brittany Modrall