2023 5-7 PG Mataya Gayle – FBC Blitz – River Ridge
A dynamo athlete with terrific bloodlines and success at the varsity level already (15.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.6 spg), Gayle made a lasting first impression on Monday. Continue reading Shutdown Showcase: Day 1 Standouts
Category Archives: Girls Analysis
ATL Summer Slam Day 2
Georgia Pistols Gold 2019
2019 6-3 Kyndall Golden (New Manchester) double-doubled in a loss with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks. Golden is a lane clogger with her size and length. She is an average athlete that doesn’t try to do anything she’s not capable of. She did a great job of crashing the offensive glass and keeping rebounds high. She showed a lefty hook in the lane.
2019 5-10 F Jada Griffin (Northwest Whitfield) is more of a center during the high school season, but on the travel circuit she fits more as a slashing small forward or a quick power forward. Griffin brought great energy as she cleaned the boards and tried to get to the rim. She had 8 points, 9 rebounds and 1 assist. Her physical frame and quickness gives her value as a combo forward. She hit one jumper on the day and will need to continue to improve her outside shot.
Porter Sports
2019 6-0 PF Taziha Fanning (Harris County) did her usual damage inside, hanging 19 points, 9 rebounds and 1 steal. Fanning, an All-State big, is a physical power post that uses her sturdy frame to move defenders out of her way. Fanning is a strong rebounder. She sticks with it even when she gets her shot blocked, on numerous occasions regathering herself and powering through for a bucket or a foul. She has decent footwork on the low block and knows what her strengths are. At the foul line her free throws are very flat. She shot 44% from the line as a junior.
2019 5-7 PG Kennedi Miller (McIntosh) didn’t score but she managed to keep the pressure on the defense with hard drives to the basket. After failing to convert at the rim on her first attempts, Miller made the smart decision to finish her rim runs with a dump off to her bigs on the block. Her ballhandling and her defense kept her on the court in a close game as she finished with 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals.
Georgia Pistols Elite East 2019
2019 6-0 SG Kai Carter (Paideia) looked good before going down with an ankle injury and having to get carried off the court. Carter is a long athletic guard that is best when slashing to the hoop. She had 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. She didn’t show it on Tuesday, but if she has a three-point shot in her arsenal, it wouldn’t be hard to see her attracting some serious D-I interest.
2019 5-10 SG Summer Dilwood (Tucker) is another good looking long perimeter player. She hit a three and finished with 7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. Her activity on defense shone through in a 50-43 loss to 16U Gauchos.
2019 6-1 C Kennedi Manning (Arabia Mountain) is a svelte agile post that has the length to block shots and clean up misses. She had 5 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks. She provided good effort in the paint but could be even more aggressive when trying to score inside.
Lady Rebels Platinum
2021 6-4 C Jill Hollingshead (Holy Innocents’) responded in a big way on Day 2. After opening the tournament by floating around the three-point line, Hollingshead got in the paint and battled with Natalija Marshall. She tallied 12 points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocks. Hollingshead’s length gave the 6-foot-5 Marshall and the rest of Exodus some issues when getting in the paint. Hollingshead is still learning her craft and identifying mismatches will make her an even tougher cover once she matures.
2019 5-7 PG Alea Spears (Brookwood) was a bowling ball of competitiveness. She had a quiet Summer Slam opener but brought it on the big stage against two of the better guards in the event. Spears was good in transition pushing the ball down the floor. She played solid defense and hit shots on offense on her way to 12 points. Here compact build let her absorb contact and finish when getting to the hole.
2019 6-0 F Kierra Adams (Brookwood) displayed her versatility. The talented forward scored inside and out, hitting a pair of threes in her 14-point outing. Adams has the size and skill to play 1-5 during the high school season.
ATL Summer Slam Day 1
Team Slink Pink 2019
2020 6-0 F Sophia Singer (Woodstock) provided a major spark off the bench, hitting two threes during a stretch in the first half that gave Team Slink the lead for good. She scored all 9 of her points in the half and grabbed 3 rebounds.
Lady Rebels Platinum
2019 5-10 W Markiema Lancaster (Northview) came out of the gates hot for the Lady Rebels, brining intensity on defense and a slashing mindset on offense. She picked up 8 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Quick and versatile, Lancaster is capable of defending multiple positions while able to help facilitate on offense.
2021 6-4 F Jillian Hollingshead (Holy Innocents’) finished with 9 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assists and 1 block. With a major size advantage, Hollingshead strayed away from the paint and instead handled guard duties. Her ball handling was impressive for her size, able to get to the bucket on occasion, but I felt like she could have been more effective down low. I would like to see her work inside-out instead of outside-in with her exceptional length. Her quickness as a face-up post presence could be a matchup nightmare but instead she started her touches catching at the three-point line. Long term, having those guard skills at that age and at that height make Hollingshead a future High Major prospect. Clemson, Minnesota, VCU, Western Kentucky, UIC, Western Carolina, Detroit-Mercy, Old Dominion and Ohio were a few of the schools in attendance for the Lady Rebels’ 50-47 loss to Michigan Storm Elite Taylor.
Lady Rebels Gold
2021 5-5 CG Mariah Baltierra (Norcross) didn’t make the biggest dent in the score book, but her feel for the game and her decision making caught my eye. Baltierra came off the bench and provided important minutes in the Rebels’ 57-44 victory. Her IQ was apparent as she was always willing to make the extra pass and was able to probe the defense until she found something her or a teammate liked. She had 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal.
UGA Girls Team Camp Standouts
2019 6-2 F Ashlee Austin (Northview) is no stranger when it comes to GHSA basketball fans, opposing coaches and national scouting agencies. Austin picked up where she left off last season, leading Northview to a 1-0-1 start to open camp. She dumped in 23 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals against GAC before wrecking Hillgrove’s frontline for 25 points, 18 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. Her size and touch were on full display, stepping out to hit three threes on the day. Austin is a physical rebounder that can score through contact. She went 9-for-9 total from the foul line. The UGA coaching staff had a hawk’s eye on her throughout camp.
2019 5-8 SG Chellia Watson (Winder-Barrow) will have to carry the Lady Doggs offense her senior season. While losing an All-American and a D-I signee obviously hurts, Winder-Barrow will still be competitive on the back of Watson. She ignited the action, drilling five threes in the first game of the day. Watson was able to create her own shot off the dribble. She has a strong build which allows her to get into the paint and finish against bigger defenders. Watson finished with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 blocks.
2020 5-8 CG Caroline Martin (North Forsyth) dropped in 22 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in a come from behind win against Winder-Barrow. Martin’s three-point shot opened up driving lanes. She nailed three three-pointers and weaved through traffic to get to the hole. She had a meaningful first step that was quick enough to put defenders in the dust. Martin is a well-polished guard that knows how to win games.
2019 5-8 CG Michelle Smith (Hillgrove) was the biggest eye-opener at UGA. Smith is an athlete with tight movements and a silky-smooth jump shot. Hillgrove was at their best when she had the ball in her hands. She was a playmaker, getting the ball in the right spots. Northview was never able to fluster her. Smith was in complete control with a strong handle. She posted 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 steals and 1 block. It would behoove Hillgrove to run the offense through Smith and let her create her own offense or find shooters Logan Van Arsdale and Breah McGrady on the perimeter. Smith was a Second Team All-Region 3-AAAAAAA selection last season. In Athens, she looked like a future D-I player.
2019 6-2 F Deasia Merrill (Villa Rica) is rolling in D-I offers with Clemson and Duke the latest to pop. More are coming for the extremely skilled big. Merrill has a wide base and knows how to use it to her advantage, whether shielding defenders away or getting in position to rebound. Her court awareness is as high as anyone’s in the state. She is a great passer and truly makes everyone on her team better. Her hands are outstanding on defense and when rebounding. While defenses will do everything in their power to slow her down, Merrill can still affect games in other ways than just scoring. She posted 10 points, 19 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks in a dominating performance against Rabun County.
2019 5-8 CG Georgia Stockton (Rabun County) provided a spark for the Lady Cats in their duel with Villa Rica. Stockton started slow, but the Presbyterian-commit got hot, drilling four three-pointers to get Rabun County back in the game. The Region 8-AA Player of the Year pumped in 19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 7 steals. Stockton is a leader on the floor and an extension of Coach DeeDee Dillard. Her attitude and play on both ends of the floor is infectious.
Spielin’ & Dealin’ Ep. 28: C.T.B.C. Elite Camp analysis
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Rameen Forghani took to the Riverside Epicenter in Austell on 9/24 to check out Torrey Bates’ Created To Be a Champion Elite Camp. Rameen shares his top performers from 4-on-4 & 5-on-5 play.