Leslie’s Best in Division I

Morningside center Lisa Leslie, who led the Lady Monarchs to the state Division I basketball title, has been named the Southern Section Division I Player of the Year by the First Interstate Bank/Amateur Athletic Foundation board of sportswriters.

Leslie, a repeat All-CIF selection, was joined on the All-Division I squad by teammates JoJo Witherspoon and Janet Davis and Hawthorne’s Neisha Williams. Leslie and Witherspoon were chosen to the first team and Davis and Williams were second-team picks.

Leslie was a dominant figure throughout the year in helping Morningside to its finest season. The 6-5 junior averaged 26 points, 14.6 rebounds and nearly seven blocked shots as the Lady Monarchs stormed to a 32-1 record.