Amari Vickery, a junior from Gillespie, Illinois, has been crowned the 2026 Telegraph Small‑Schools Girls Basketball Player of the Year, a testament to her rapid rise since transferring from Litchfield as a freshman.
A Record‑Breaking Journey
During the last season she averaged 17.6 points per game, breaking the school’s single‑season scoring record with 529 points and joining the exclusive 1,000‑point club, currently ranking sixth on Gillespie’s all‑time list with 1,257 career points.
Her next goal is to surpass the all‑time record of 1,711 points set by Kristine Polo in 1998, a milestone she plans to chase with relentless summer work on her outside shot.
Vickery’s athletic pedigree extends beyond the hardwood; she captured a state track title in the 800 meters for Litchfield Middle School and earned varsity letters in track, basketball, volleyball and softball for the Miners.
Though she once imagined soccer as her primary sport, Vickery discovered her passion for basketball in middle school and now embraces the recruiting process, eyeing college basketball opportunities as she prepares for her senior season.