The 2025 Oregon high school girls basketball season is underway and athletes around the Salem-Keizer area are preparing for their respective league schedules.Teams like South Salem, which went 18-9 and fought to a second-round state playoff finish a season ago, are retooling to improve on the success of years past.State champions such as Stayton in 4A, Amity in 3A and Salem Academy in 2A graduated valuable seniors but look forward to the return of invaluable contributors and starters as the season approaches.Even programs out of Silverton, Cascade and Western Christian, which fell just short of state championship glory but still produced memorable seasons, hit the hardwood once more with motivation and talent.Here are some of the top girls basketball players from the Salem-Keizer area returning to the court this winter.Aubrey Adams, McNaryOlivia Bennett, CascadeEmma Burlison, South SalemChica Casas, South SalemBreeci Hampton, StaytonAlyssa McMullen, AmityAdie Nisly, AmityClara Persons, RegisKathryn Samek, StaytonRozalyn Schmunk, CascadeCarly Skogstad, SpragueBrooke Tate, South SalemEmma Zuniga, West SalemNow it’s your turn to decide who the area’s best girls basketball player is this preseason. Vote at statesmanjournal.com/sports. The poll closes at noon Sunday, Dec. 14.Aubrey Adams, McNaryAdams found a spot on the Central Valley Conference first-team roster last season as a junior. Adams returns to McNary with a competitive CVC slate ahead.Olivia Bennett, CascadeBennett played to second-team all-Oregon West Conference and all-state honorable mention accolades in the 2024-25 season. A senior now, Bennett returns to a senior-heavy Cascade lineup hungry for conference and state glory.Emma Burlison, South SalemSouth Salem’s senior wing earned first-team all-Central Valley Conference recognition last season. Burlison returns to a Saxons team fresh off a CVC championship and 18-9 overall campaign with several key pieces returning.Chica Casas, South SalemCasas earned first-team all-Central Valley Conference honors for West Salem last year. The senior guard transferred to South Salem and joins the reigning CVC champions and adds talent and experience to a team with high hopes this winter.Breeci Hampton, StaytonHampton is Stayton’s second-team all-state guard who helped lead the Eagles to a 27-1 state championship campaign a season ago. Hampton earned first-team all-Oregon West Conference and returns for her junior season.Alyssa McMullen, AmityMcMullen was a crucial part in Amity’s undefeated state championship season last winter. She scored 11 points in the 3A state final and earned second-team all-state for her contributions all season. McMullen is back on the wings for her senior season with the Warriors.Adie Nisly, AmityAs a junior, Nisly helped run the guard and wing slot on the undefeated, state-champion Warriors. She earned second-team all-state and is part of a senior-heavy Amity roster ready to replicate the success from last winter.Clara Persons, RegisPersons was a first-team all-state honoree at the 2A level after winning the state championship with Salem Academy last season. Persons, a senior guard, is now with the Rams.Kathryn Samek, StaytonStayton’s first-team all-state and state champion forward is back on the hardwood after a monumental campaign a season ago. Samek, who scored 18 points in the 4A state championship win and is a junior now, hits the court with an Eagles team rostering just one senior and another state championship in mind.Rozalyn Schmunk, CascadeSchmunk collected first-team all-Oregon West Conference and first-team all-state accolades at the conclusion of her junior season last year. Schmunk returns to a Cascade team that’s looking to improve upon its 4A state semifinal appearance.Carly Skogstad, SpragueSprague’s hybrid guard/wing earned first-team all-Central Valley Conference last winter. Skogstad is back for her senior season with a senior-heavy Olympians roster aiming to make noise in the CVC.Brooke Tate, South SalemTate stamped her name on the Central Valley Conference first-team roster last season following a conference-winning campaign. Tate, now a senior forward, returns as one of the top players in the CVC.Emma Zuniga, West SalemZuniga was the Central Valley Conference player of the year a season ago as a junior. She returns for her final season on the wing with the Titans along with a strong senior class that will look to improve upon last year’s second-place CVC finish. Zuniga was the CVC’s lone representative on the all-state rosters in the 2024-25 season, earning an honorable mention bid.Landon Bartlett covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at lbartlett@salem.gannett.com or on X or Instagram @bartleloThis article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Vote! Who is the top Salem-Keizer area girls basketball player?