Waubonsie Valley's Danyella Mporokoso drives to the hoop during last season's Class 4A state semifinal at CEFCU Arena in Normal. Alex T. Paschal/Shaw Local News Network
Last season the area was represented in the IHSA state tournament by four girls basketball teams.
No state titles came back from Normal but it clearly showed this is a time to shine. On an individual and team level, the next few months should be a bunch of fun.
This week's High Five looks at five area girls basketball players to watch this season. Next week we'll look at five boys players.
5. Anna Campanelli, Huntley
An all-Fox Valley Conference honoree last season as a junior, Campanelli is rolling up big numbers for the Red Raiders.
Campanelli, committed to Kent State, is poised to lead Huntley's senior-heavy group to another 20-win season and FVC title while using last year's crushing regional final loss as motivation.
Campanelli, who'd never scored 30 points in a game during her three previous years on varsity, tallied 32 at the D-C Thanksgiving Tournament.
4. Alli Linke, Prospect
The Division I offers started rolling in during the spring for the Knights' 6-1 junior who can thrive in the post or on the perimeter. While the mid-majors are making their bids now, expect higher majors to begin checking in.
Closing in on 1,000 points, Linke is averaging nearly 21 points and 12 rebounds this season. A testament to her defensive effort, she also averages 2.5 steals and almost 3 blocks.
Perhaps more than any other player on this list, Linke has seen her recruiting stock skyrocket in the last year. And she's helped the Knights burst to an 8-2 start.
3. Nikki Kerstein, Montini
Kerstein is the first of three players on the list vying for a return trip to Normal.
The senior, committed to Missouri, is one of the state's top point guards and entered the season with more than 1,500 points with the Broncos. She was a first-team IBCA all-state selection as a junior.
With five experienced senior teammates and a tough schedule, the Broncos are already at work on a return trip to the final four.
2. Ella Todd, Fremd
Led by Todd, committed to Utah, the Vikings are looking to improve upon last season's third-place finish in Class 4A.
The 6-foot senior guard is a matchup nightmare for opponents, especially while they also deal with senior guards Coco Urlacher and Ellie Thompson.
Todd was named Daily Herald Cook County All-Area Team Captain as a junior while averaging 16 points. She may not have massive numbers because of the team balance, but Todd can be explosive.
1. Danyella Mporokoso, Waubonsie Valley
Mporokoso is the area's most electric player. If this sounds like a broken record, that's because it's nothing new.
The 5-foot-8 junior guard, last season's Daily Herald DuPage County All-Area Team Captain, averaged 19.4 points and 6.4 rebounds as a sophomore while leading the Warriors to a fourth-place finish in 4A.
Mkoroposo scored more than 1,200 points in only two seasons. A lightning bolt with the ball, she can easily score at the rim when her outside shot isn't falling.
She vaulted past the double-digit mark for scholarship offers after they flooded in during the spring and summer.