2A GIRLS: West Wendover guard sharpens resume with all-league vote

Danika Sharp faced plenty of attention from opposing defenses as a junior.

The West Wendover guard was in the middle of even more as a senior, seeing double teams and box-and-one schemes in every game. And it still didn’t stop her from repeating as Player of the Year in Class 2A Southern League girls basketball.

The 5-foot-9-inch Sharp recently was voted the top player by the league’s coaches. The UNR signee averaged 35.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 6.1 steals, 3.1 blocks and 3.0 assists, and carried the Wolverines (15-11) to the 2A Southern League playoffs.

“It was a lot tougher from the past year,” Sharp said. “I just had to work on a lot of different things (like) slashing to the basket to score.”

Sharp’s coach and father, John Sharp, said Danika improved her ability to get to the basket as a senior.

“This year, she became more of a slasher,” he said. “She knew how to get an easy bucket instead of standing out at the 3-point line.”

Danika Sharp saved the best for last and scored a career-high 54 points in her final game, a 74-63 loss to Needles in the semifinals of the league tournament.

She finished her career with 2,803 points, which is believed to be a state record when compared with figures in the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association record book.

Sharp’s 35.5 points per game as a senior rank second in the nation, according to MaxPreps.com.

“I think she’s earned it,” John Sharp said of the Player of the Year award. “She’s got the respect of coaches. When they’re gearing up to play West Wendover, they’re gearing up to play Danika.”

Danika Sharp isn’t expected to step into a prominent role at UNR until her sophomore season, after the Wolf Pack loses six players to graduation.

“I think it’ll be a good learning experience for me, learning new things to get better at the next level,” she said of next season. “It’s not going to be as easy as it was; they’ll be a lot quicker.”

Needles forward Miranda Brackett, wing Gena Chavira and guard Alex Chandler, Lincoln County posts Marissa Smerek and Melanie Florence, and White Pine post Alex Hall received first-team honors.

The all-league second-team consisted of Needles post Kristin Arthur, White Pine guards Teal Collins and Jordan Ashby, Lincoln County guard Mary Culverwell, Mountain View guard Briana Marruffo and Calvary Chapel post Anna Duerden.

Needles’ Manuel Calderon and The Meadows’ Stephanie Heller shared Coach of the Year.