2021 5-11 PG Cheyenne Holloman – Pope
I loved her when I saw her at Georgia Metros tryouts back in March and once again, Cheyenne Holloman made a major statement, this time at the Top 250 Expo. What we have here is a D-I point guard with a criminal lack of fanfare statewide – in my opinion. The lefty has size and skill that jumps out. Holloman is a legit three-level scorer that can hit the three, pull-up from the mid-range and of course finish at the rim using nifty euro steps. Her average of 24.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 4 steals is no aberration. Holloman is an all-around standout that can do a little bit of everything. She was masterful in her first game of the day, pouring in 14 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal. Holloman has great court vision and is overall tough to defend. Every Low Major and Mid-Major in Georgia should already have offered the dual-sport star that doubles as a soccer standout. East Tennessee State, Radford, Belmont, Columbia and Tusculum have all wisely shown nterest in the high academic guard. Recently ranked the seventh-best point guard in the state, I think she could climb even higher after another historic season.
2021 5-11 F Tiara Lewis – Osborne
Consistency is key when separating good players and great players. Tiara Lewis has made consistency a hallmark of her game as she has rapidly risen on recruiting boards. Lewis provides reliable effort on both sides of the ball. She’s a combo-forward, able to attack off the dribble from the perimeter with nice footwork, or score up close in the paint on putbacks and post catches. Lewis’ versatility makes her a tough cover. She’s dangerous in pick-and-pop situations and can create mismatches. Lewis’ activity on offense and defense make her a valuable prospect. She had 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals in her first game of the day. Lewis is primed for a big senior season after averaging 11.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.6 steals and 1.1 blocks at Osborne. Emmanuel College and Shorter University have shown serious interest.
2023 5-11 W Taniya McGowan – Archer
After averaging 14.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.4 steals, good enough to earn her Class 7A Freshman of the Year, the toughness of Taniya McGowan was on display as she nearly willed her team to victory in a wild comeback. McGowan plays multiple positions, but her strength and aggressiveness in the paint is where she’s a major difference maker. McGowan is physical with her box outs and fights for second chance opportunities. When she catches the ball on the perimeter, she can put her head down and get all the way to the rim. Taniya has a good-looking three-point shot that helps open up the floor. She powered her way to 13 points and 10 rebounds battling a bigger front line.
2021 6-3 C Sussy Ngulefac – Parkview
It was a long time coming, but I finally got my first glimpse of Sussy Ngulefac in person. The bulldozing post with terrific hands didn’t disappoint. Ngulefac is a workhorse on the low block. She’s a road grader that physically dominates her opposition. She gets deep position regularly and finishes off defenders with a strong drop step which is hard to block thanks to Sussy’s strong frame which distances defenders from altering her shot at the rim. Ngulefac has good footwork on the low block and doesn’t rush when she powers up in traffic. Expanding her offensive range will help at the next level, but Ngulefac is so good up close that its rare that she ever needs to settle for outside shots at the high school level. The All-State post averaged 15.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.7 blocks per game as a junior; she tallied 16 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block in her camp debut.
2021 5-6 PG Kenley Woods – Coahulla Creek
Very, very few players see the floor and pass better than Kenley Woods. She sees plays develop before others do and can beat defenses with her variety of passes. She’s got touch passes, float-in lead passes and bullet bounce passes. Woods really makes everyone around her better and if you’re willing to run the floor in transition, best believe she will hit you. Kenley has a solid offensive game when she looks for her shot. She can pull-up off the dribble to shoot the three and can get to her sweet spots in the mid-range. Woods often plays at her own pace and can control the tempo. Defensively, she will need to continue to improve her lateral quickness to stay in front of more athletic guards. An offseason move from Northwest Whitfield to Coahulla Creek saw Woods flourish at her new home last season, averaging 13 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Her IQ and true point guard skills makes her a great option outside of D-I.
2022 6-0 F Erial Owens – Hiram
Erial Owens is starting to pick up steam. She showed great upside last October at the CTC Showcase where she graded out as one of the top posts in attendance and she has ridden that success through her sophomore season and now looks ready for a breakout junior campaign. Owens averaged 10.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a season ago and brought the same productivity to camp on Sunday, posting 11 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Owens took over down the stretch as a true inside-out threat. She can drain the straight away three and can attack off the dribble. Owens starts her own fast breaks after clearing rebounds and can push the ball and find open shooters. Owens needs to be on college radars, she’s on the verge of pushing her game to the next level.
2023 6-3 C Samiah Puckett – Griffin
Already a blue-chip prospect with High Major interest, Samiah Puckett is a burgeoning game changer at Griffin. She has a rock-solid build that’s both strong and agile. Puckett eats up the glass and can push the ball in the open floor. On the block, she works hard for position and has good footwork, using up-and-unders to free herself inside. All of her moves are precise and calculated. She has the quickness to attack on face-ups and finish through contact. Puckett will undoubtedly follow in the footsteps of her sister who is now at Ole Miss after spending two seasons at Cincinnati, as being one of the nation’s most coveted bigs.