2022 5-3 PG Chesnee Freeman – DL Impact – White County
It was the tenacity that Chesnee Freeman played with on Friday night that left a lasting impression. As the saying goes, “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Often times the smallest player on the floor, Freeman plays a fearless style of game. She attacks opponents on both ends of the floor. Freeman is a scrappy on-ball defender that presses up and has lightning quick hands, poking away steals and finishing at the other end. Freeman is sneaky fast with the ball in her hands, able burst downhill and get into the paint where she’s comfortable finishing with either hand. Chesnee kept the defense off balance with her drive and kick game, a key reason how DL Impact sank 10 threes in a 65-57 win over SWFL Trinity Premier. Freeman herself scorched the net from deep, finding holes on the perimeter when she wasn’t pulling up off the dribble. Chesnee finished with 14 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.
2024 5-8 F Riley Black – DL Impact – Chestatee
I was surprised when I found out Riley Black was only a rising sophomore. By no means did she play like it. Riley provides toughness in the paint, playing bigger than her size as she used her physicality to rebound in traffic and push the ball in transition. Black has a strong build and nimble feet. When she catches in the high post or short corner, she can turn and face and use a quick first step to beat her defender baseline. Black battled her way to 7 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals.
2025 5-11 F Kylie Watkins – DL Impact – White County
A player who certainly looked her age was the young long and lanky Kylie Watkins. While the rising freshman may be youthful in appearance, she quickly stood out as a special talent. Watkins played with both the 17U and 15U and showed flashes of her tremendous upside. Good things happened when she was on the floor. Watkins has a natural feel for the game. Even when she played 17U and was giving up plenty of weight to her more mature opponents, the flow of the game never felt too fast for her. Kylie is an active defender who understands how to use her length. She was impactful blocking shots and using her reach to deflect passes and pick up steals. Kylie’s offensive game was equally impressive. She went coast-to-coast for a transition layup in her 15U game and drilled a pair of threes. I really liked her footwork in the paint as her ball fakes sent defenders flying. The more experience she gets with the older girls and the more she grows into her body, I expect Watkins’ improvement to be rapid. Kylie has the tools to become an All-Region caliber player sooner rather than later.
2023 6-0 W Kyla Cain – FBC Black Nxt Gen JG – Galloway
Known for her size and physical play, the ever-versatile Kyla Cain put together a strong game in a 66-34 win over SWFL Trinity Premier. Cain can play 1-5 at the high school level on both offense and defense. She has great switchablity on defense, quick enough to stick with smaller guards and strong enough to battle bigger posts. Cain will likely be recruited as more of a perimeter player at the next level. With that being said, I saw some improvements in her guard development. Kyla showed upside as a playmaker, able to get downhill, take bumps and still be able to distribute. Most of Cain’s offense still comes in the paint. She went coast-to-coast for a nice layup and also dropped in a floater Friday night. Cain hit a baseline jumper to boot. She finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. As her ball handling and range continue to improve, as will her stock.
2022 5-10 W Kaela Ward – FBC Black Nxt Gen JG – Villa Rica
I loved the toughness and hustle that Kaela Ward brought off the bench. She crashed the boards, dove on loose balls and provided an overall spark that really lifted FBC. Ward is a well-rounded player that is incredibly unselfish. She buys into her role as a glue guy that can do a little bit of everything. She’s a versatile piece that can play all over the floor. Ward has a powerful frame and quick feet which makes her a valuable defender. She contributed 3 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 steals on Friday.
2023 6-3 C Aaliyah Hunt – FBC Black Nxt Gen JG – Peachtree Ridge
Foul trouble hampered Aaliyah Hunt early on, but once she returned to the floor and was able to stay on the court, not many players were more productive than the rising junior. A proverbial mountain on the hardwood, Hunt has intimidating size to say the least. She’s a great rebounder that keeps the ball high and converts put-backs. When she’s able to gather herself down low, Hunt is extremely difficult to defend, especially after she gets deep post position. Smaller posts may feel like they have an advantage pulling Hunt out and spacing the floor, but Aaliyah has quick feet and can close the gap while challenging shots at the rim. Hunt produced 12 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 blocks.
2023 5-8 CG Anna Conza – FBC Black Future – Valor Christian
Anna Conza plays a smooth game on the perimeter. The southpaw handles the ball well against pressure and never gets rattled. She can play either on or off the ball. Anna can create off the dribble with hesitation moves and crossovers. When she gets into the paint, she’s proven that she can hit the short floater or go strong all the way to the rim. Conza is an accurate shooter that can score at all three levels. Her move from Walton leaves a glaring hole on the perimeter. High Academic D-I’s and D-II programs will want to track her development.