The Iowa high school senior who’s the nation’s top girl’s basketball playerwas honored at the statehouse earlier this afternoon. Nina Smith, a soon-to-be-graduate of Waterloo West, is the first Iowan to bedesignated national girls basketball player of the year by Parade Magazine,U-S-A Today and the women’s basketball coaches association. Smith willplay college ball in the Big Ten.Senator Don Redfern of Cedar Falls says Smith is clearly at the top of the1999 class.Smith, this year’s Miss Iowa Basketball, is the first African-American toreceive that honor. During this past season, Smith averaged 26-points,over 11 rebounds and four blocked shots per game. She made nearly 80percent of her shots from within the three-point arch. Waterloo Westfinished the season with a 23 and four record and a second place finish inthe girls basketball tournament.