Category Archives: Girls Basketball

Girls Rankings

Week 10 GHSA Girls Basketball State Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

1. Collins Hill (14-1)
2. McEachern (7-4)
3. Cherokee (18-3)
4. North Paulding (15-3)
5. Campbell (8-1)
6. Marietta (11-5)
7. Norcross (13-6)
8. Brookwood (10-5)
9. Parkview (12-4)
10. North Forsyth (15-3)

Class AAAAAA

1. Westlake (12-0)
2. Carrollton (17-1)
3. Buford (15-0)
4. Lovejoy (14-5)
5. Langston Hughes (15-4)
6. Kell (16-3)
7. Sprayberry (14-3)
8. Statesboro (13-0)
9. River Ridge (16-3)
10. Rockdale County (13-3)

Class AAAAA

1. Woodward Academy (8-1)
2. Forest Park (13-4)
3. Maynard Jackson (11-2)
4. Cass (17-0)
5. Southwest DeKalb (11-3)
6. Loganville (17-3)
7. St. Pius X (12-1)
8. Hiram (9-3)
9. New Manchester (15-3)
10. Greenbrier (14-2)

Class AAAA

1. Luella (17-2)
2. Jefferson (14-3)
3. Troup County (7-4)
4. Carver-Columbus (6-2)
5. Arabia Mountain (7-0)
6. Baldwin (8-0)
7. Spalding (12-3)
8. Marist (13-3)
9. McDonough (10-3)
10. Pickens (14-3)

Class AAA

1. Upson-Lee (14-0)
2. Lumpkin County (15-4)
3. Sonoraville (13-4)
4. Coahulla Creek (15-2)
5. Johnson-Savannah (8-2)
6. Cross Creek (7-2)
7. GAC (5-4)
8. White County (9-7)
9. Beach (7-3)
10. Westminster (5-1)

Class AA

1. Early County (7-0)
2. Elbert County (14-2)
3. Rabun County (13-4)
4. East Laurens (10-2)
5. Lamar County (13-4)
6. Woodville-Tompkins (12-3)
7. Washington County (7-1)
8. Heard County (14-3)
9. Fannin County (12-4)
10. Butler (9-3)

Class A-Private

1. Hebron Christian (16-2)
2. Holy Innocents’ (4-4)
3. Mt. Paran (17-3)
4. St. Francis (11-3)
5. Galloway (13-1)
6. Greenforest (6-4)
7. ELCA (12-3)
8. Wesleyan (6-2)
9. Calvary Day (12-1)
10. Athens Academy (13-3)

Class A-Public

1. Lake Oconee Academy (14-0)
2. Clinch County (11-1)
3. Dublin (16-2)
4. Greenville (4-0)
5. Calhoun County (3-1)
6. Trion (13-3)
7. GMC (8-1)
8. Emanuel County Institute (5-6)
9. Turner County (11-4)
10. Wilcox County (4-1)

Instead of rolling deeper and deeper into region play with Top 10s presumably setting into place, Week 10 sees three new teams ascend to number one in their respective classifications. Teams with inactive schedules are starting to see their grasp slip in the polls. Continue reading Week 10 GHSA Girls Basketball State Rankings →

Girls Analysis

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2022 5-9 CG Ta’Niya Latson – Westlake
One of the best athletes in the entire nation, Ta’Niya Latson and Raven Johnson form possibly the best backcourt in the country. The two toyed with Forest Park in their 70-34 destruction of the Panthers. Their activity and ability to turn live ball turnovers into points is incredible. Westlake sit in a 2-3 zone but Latson and Johnson make it feel like a full court press. The duo takes turns earning deflections and scoring on fast breaks. Latson has elite speed and lives in transition. She gets a vast majority of her points on layups. Latson has enough creativity with the ball to shake her defender and then elevate over rim protectors to finish. She’s one of the best scorers at the rim there is. Her outside shot and ability to score in the half court have been potential question marks, but on Monday she was able to knock down the mid-range shot and hit the open three. As those two areas of her game get better and better the more complete of an offensive player she will become. But when you’re as good as Latson is at getting to the rim, the vast majority of the time her outside shot isn’t even needed. She poured in 29 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals in three quarters.

2021 5-10 PG Raven Johnson – Westlake
The length, IQ and activity of Raven Johnson was the key factor in shutting down Forest Park. The South Carolina-signee was everywhere on defense. Known as a lockdown on-ball defender, Johnson used her instincts and quickness to deflect passes and pick up steals to ignite fast breaks from Westlake’s 2-3 zone. The Lions are dominant in transition. Teams have to sprint four players back on defense every time a shot goes up. No one can compete with Johnson and Ta’Niya Latson when it comes to fast break offense. Johnson earns a handful of assists on her steals atop the zone, pitching ahead for Latson to streak down the court and lay up. The Queen of the GHSA got busy on offense as well. She hit tough mid-range jumpers off the dribble with hands in her face. Johnson’s ability to score equally as effective at all three levels and her court vision make her impossible to stop at the high school level.  Raven finished with 16 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals in three quarters. We are witnessing history; arguably the most impressive dynasty ever in the GHSA led by Johnson, who has never lost to a school from Georgia over the course of her career. Winners of 101-straight in the Peach State, I can’t foresee anyone challenging Westlake in their quest for a four-peat. In the state’s toughest classification in recent memory, only COVID-19 could pose a threat at slowing down the Lions.

2023 5-6 PG Crystal Henderson – Kell
Instead of pouring in her customary 20+ points, Crystal Henderson played the role of facilitator in Kell’s 58-44 win over ELCA. Henderson finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Pound-for-pound the best scorer in Georgia, Henderson’s electric play makes Kell one of the best teams in the state. She’s got limitless range and can catch fire quickly. She’s a shifty playmaker that can make the tough pass. Her size may scare off some programs, but Henderson is a no-brainer D-I guard and one of the best players in 2023.

2021 5-8 SG Sylvia Kahoro – Kell
The beneficiary of Crystal Henderson’s passing? Sylvia Kahoro. A rotational player a year ago, Kahoro’s role has increased tenfold, making her invaluable to Kell’s success. She’s a three-point specialist that spaces the floor and gives Henderson room to work. Kahoro is a solid ball handler, but she’s not known for her playmaking or slashing. Having an elite skill like shooting will put her on college radars. She netted 6 threes and finished with 20 points and 2 rebounds. Schools looking for a plug-and-play knockdown shooter will want to check in with Kahoro. She’s blossomed into one of the very best floor stretchers in Georgia.

2023 5-10 F Jada Green – Kell
Jada Green’s versatility really impressed me vs. ELCA. Standing around 5-foot-10, the energy of Green was apparent. She had a nose for the ball and found herself involved in almost every play. Not only did she score around the rim, but she got to the basket using a eurostep. She competed at a high level on the glass and flew around on defense, able to help defend multiple spots. Green finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 3 blocks.

2021 5-7 PG Cortney Gardner – Luella
Last Friday Cortney Gardner committed to Coppin State. On Monday, Gardner put on a show in Luella’s 59-39 win over Griffin. The southpaw is a shifty quick guard that makes plays off the bounce. She gets into the lane with ease and can pro-hop horizontally to avoid the defense. Gardner creates space on the perimeter with step backs and can score with either hand at the rim as a skilled finisher. She gets the Lions off and running and sets the tone with her pace of play. She’s dynamic in the backcourt.

2023 6-1 F Ariana Dyson – Luella
D-I schools don’t want to want too long on Ari Dyson. I targeted her as a breakout candidate back in July and she hasn’t let me down. At her size, her skillset is unique. She can be a bruising post when needed, able to clean the glass at a high level and score inside, but Dyson is also capable of going coast-to-coast and finishing like a guard. Dyson’s versatility helps her play a variety of positions. Her footspeed makes her a mismatch when pulling out opposing bigs to the perimeter or when facing up downlow. On Monday she impressed me with her passing. Dyson is patient and lets plays develop before delivering dimes over the defense to open cutters. If she is able to stretch her range out to the three-point line, she may be able to see more minutes on the perimeter in her future, but I like how effective she is inside the arc with her power around the rim. She finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks.

Girls Recaps, Recaps

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BOYS

Class AAAAAAA

Norcross 63, No. 5 Berkmar 57: Jaden Harris scored 15 points while DePaul-signee Kok Yat added 13 points and 5 rebounds. Jerry Deng pitched in 11 points and 4 rebounds. London Johnson had 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Malique Ewin recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds and 1 block for Berkmar. Jermahri Hill had 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Dara Olonade posted 11 points and 8 rebounds. Jameel Rideout tallied 9 points, 4 assists and 2 steals.

No. 7 South Forsyth 63, Lambert 53: Brandon Stoudamire (19) and Ethan Underwood (16) led the War Eagles. Devin McGlockton finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks. Wes Kane scored 6 points. Kohl Harris had 5 points and 6 assists. Lambert was led by Paul Lunguana’s 24 points and 12 rebounds. Mason Barnes had 8 points and 10 rebounds while Niko Wilson netted 8 points.

Roswell 56, Alpharetta 46: Jase McCullough scored 17 points followed by Quinton Partee (12) and Jackson Kemp (8). Mason Kemp scored 7 points and Andrew Hopperton pitched in 6 points.

Mountain View 87, Alcovy 72: Amauri Muslim netted 22 points and Zay Wilson had 20. AJ Robertson (14), Javon Jordan (11) and Jayden Edison (8) balanced the Bears.

East Coweta 74, Lanett (AL) 70 OT: Sammy Moss posted 22 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Gilbert Croley provided 16 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals. Austen Colton tacked on 13 points and 7 assists. Joshua Cameron scored 11 points.

Archer 68, Meadowcreek 39: Major Freeman (16), Damoni Harrison (15) and Christian Drummer (14) paced the Tigers.

Walton 51, Harrison 47: Luka Avaliani scored 16 points and Dylan Pumpian had 15.

Class AAAAAA

No. 3 Evans 65, Heritage-Conyers 53: Tyson Jones scored 21 points. Rashad King had 13 and Brasen James and Devin Story scored 9 apiece. Ole Miss-signee James White led the Patriots with 22 points. Jalen Boston scored 10 and Courtney McBride had 9.

No. 6 Lanier 66, Buford 60: Makai Vassell scored 19 points and James Madison-signee Andrew McConnell netted 13. Iajah Phillips (9) and CJ Hyland (8) balanced the offense.  Buford was powered by Jaylon Taylor’s 17 points. Caleb Blackwell scored 13 and London Williams scored 12 points.

No. 7 Shiloh 41, Winder-Barrow 37: Nazir Griffin had 14 points and 5 assists while Devon Barnes chipped in 10 points and 3 assists.

No. 8 North Atlanta 60, Lovejoy 46: Tyson Motton scored 18 points while Khamani Olivacce, Montavious Myrick and Kaleb Johnson all pitched in 12 points apiece.

Tucker 59, Westlake 58: Christian Yeates (18) and Tyler Pendergrass (15) led the Tigers.

Douglas County 79, Paulding County 60: Omari Fonteno had 22 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists while Jaylen Perry posted 22 points and 10 rebounds. Lander-commit Omarion Smith had 18 points and 12 rebounds. Jermicheal Mahorn collected 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

River Ridge 45, Johns Creek 30: Jared Russo finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks. Braden Pierce had 8 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 4 blocks. David Hansraj netted 7 points and Jackson Head scored 6.

Cambridge 59, Creekview 45: Daniel Mack and Tommy Swift scored 13 apiece while Gavin Gardells netted 10 points.

Class AAAAA

Calhoun 69, No. 7 Cass 62: Dylan Faulkner hung 28 points in the upset. Peyton Law scored 15 points while Chris Lewis (10) and Jaylan Harris (7) came up big. Cass was led by CJ Pipkin’s 22 points. Braxton Benham had 13 points and 5 steals while Zaylan Chaney posted 13 points and 8 rebounds.

McIntosh 67,  Mundy’s Mill 53: Mundy’s Mill was led by Marcos East (21) and Noricco Danner (15).

Jones County 65, Northside-Warner Robins 62: Chaydon Stone tacked on 21 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists while Daethan Harris added 13 points and 5 assists. Robert Worthy scored 10 points. Matthew Wold and Jaylen Sanford scored 9 apiece.

Walnut Grove 79, Johnson-Gainesville 41: JT Thomas had 21 points and 5 rebounds while Canaan Mull pitched in 13 points and 11 rebounds. Nick Tyre finished with 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.

Class AAAA

No. 3 Monroe 60, Dougherty 43: Domonik Henderson finished with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 7 blocks.

No. 6 Cedar Shoals 62, East Hall 54: Kashik Brown tallied 24 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals. Jah Colbert pitched in 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Eli Curry finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

No. 10 Jefferson 54, Madison County 46: Spencer Darby (13) and Josh Howell (10) led the Dragons to their 10th win in 11 games.

Central-Carrollton 50, Southeast Whitfield 31: Joseph Bell scored 24 points.

New Hampstead 70, Benedictine 61 OT: Alaris Wall scored 24 points in the win while Trent Broadnax netted 24 in the loss.

Class AAA

No. 2 Hart County 72, Stephens County 40: JC Curry scored 22 points. Emmanuel-commit Shone Webb posted 17 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists while Tahj Johnson had 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks. Sean Teasley finished with 7 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Ben Edwards tossed in 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

No. 6 LaFayette 74, Ringgold 41: Aidan Hadaway bounced back with 38 points while DeCameron Porter had 20.

GAC 57, Douglass 33: Josh Fulton posted 20 points and 9 rebounds while Saiku White scored 10 points.

Monroe Area 77, East Jackson 73: Derrick Brown finished with 25 points while Vonte Newell scored 18 points. Zay Williams (11) and Trayvon Thomas (10) balanced the Hurricanes.

Mary Persons 83, Central-Macon 54: Lamont Jones finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Jamal Brown added 18 points, 3 assists and 4 steals. Khamren Little tallied 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Jaboree Goodson posted 13 points, 5 rebounds, 13 assists and 4 steals. Johona Braswell had 8 points and 4 rebounds. Central-Macon was led by Christian Gray’s 28 points. Ty’Quavious Lewis netted 10 and Jaylen Releford had 8.

Dawson County 96, Lumpkin County 73: Jake Craft erupted with 7 threes to finish with 45 points as the Tigers drained 16 long balls. Joakeim Celestin had 22 points. Max Tierney double-doubled with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Jaden Gibson dished out 17 assists. Lumpkin County was led by Jones Harris (26), Chandler Pulley (23) and Gus Faulkner (15).

Rockmart 50, Coahulla Creek 47: Freshman Treylin Davis netted 13 points off the bench while Javin Whatley scored 11 points.

Class AA

No. 2 Swainsboro 79, No. 3 Woodville-Tompkins 67: Lukas Platauna led the Wolverines with 18 points in the loss. Larry Chapman scored 11 and Zion Powers pitched in 10 points.

No. 5 Columbia 77, Washington 47: Mason Lockhart went for 23 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Daquavious Harrison chipped in 13 points and 8 rebounds. Leonard Rapley led Washington with 22 points.

No. 9 Banks County 67, Rabun County 47: Pierce Martin scored 20 points and Garrett Presley had 13 points. Clay Gosnell tallied 10 points and 10 assists while Dakota Orr recorded 9 points and 18 rebounds.

Class A-Private

No. 6 St. Anne-Pacelli 78, Hardaway 60: Travis Harper II poured in 32 points. Voorhees-commit Keyshaun Fleetion scored 16 points and Auburn football-signee Ian Mathews pitched in 15. Pierre Summers scored 9 points.

Stratford Academy 57, Tattnall Square 53: Jack Miscall (15), Mekhi Lyder (11), Isaiah Josey (8) and Ben Baxley (8) led the Eagles. Tyron Person led Tattnall Square with 15 points while Justin Walton netted 12.

Class A-Public

 No. 1 Drew Charter 69, No. 7 Bowdon 63: Bowdon led by five at the half before Drew Charter won their second straight single digit game. Jaquez Thornton scored 25 points to lead the Eagles followed by Cedric Taylor (18), Jalen McCurty (10) and JaKobe Strozier (8). The Red Devils received 25 points from Authur Johnson. Seth Farmer had 10 points and 10 rebounds while Tray Wyatt netted 9 points. Kirequs Vaughn and Kolton Drummond added 6 apiece.

Montgomery County 68, Telfair County 56: Telfair County was led by Jaylin Hamilton’s 15 points and 8 rebounds. Charlie Allen recorded 15 points and 6 rebounds. Antonio Scott netted 13 points.

Non-GHSA

Moravian Prep (NC) 93, New Creation Christian 91 OT: Alex Reives pumped in 35 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 steals in the loss. Avante Nichols had 21 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while Phillip Gaye posted 15 points and 10 rebounds.

GIRLS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 7 North Paulding 57, No. 5 Marietta 48: Alabama-signee Taylor Cullinan scored 20 points to lead the Wolfpack to a signature win.

Woodstock 72, A-PrivateNo. 6 Galloway 51: Bridget Utberg went for 33 points and Karson Martin added 16. Georgia College-signee Savannah Casey scored 8 points. Casey Miller had 6 and Sara Grace Bertolini added 4 points.

South Forsyth 60, Lambert 31: Clara Morris (13) and Sharon Tolliver (11) paced South Forsyth. Lauren Houston led Lambert with 11 points.

West Forsyth 63, Gainesville 25: Cayla Cowart scored 19 points and Calie Thrower had 11. Molly Quincy pitched in 8 points and Riley Pepin scored 6. Lillian Seitz netted 5 points while Katherine Bottoms, Lindsey Pirkle, Kalie Thrower and Emma Anderson all scored 4 points.

Class AAAAAA

No. 7 Kell 81, Allatoona 42: Crystal Henderson poured in 39 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Jada Green tallied 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and 4 blocks. Sylvia Kahoro netted 12 points and Mackenzie Franklin scored 6.

No. 9 Sequoyah 62, Centennial 40: Elle Blatchford tallied 16 points, 2 assists and 5 steals. University of Charleston-signee Deja Rakestraw posted 10 points, 4 rebounds and 5 steals. Tafton Barber scored 8 points. Amy Singh and Sayler Davies scored 6 apiece.

No. 10 River Ridge 57, Johns Creek 35: Mataya Gayle (14), Caroline Cavallaro (11), Allie Sweet (10) and Chloe Bedora (9) blitzed Johns Creek in their rematch.

Heritage-Conyers 56, Evans 32: Jaliyah Weekes netted 23 points while Columbus State-commit Kristyn Goshay scored 17. Bethune-Cookman-signee Sade Harrell had 9 points. Morgan Snipes added 6 points.

Pope 63, Osborne 44: Cheyenne Holloman piled in 28 points. Katie Ward scored 14 points and Caroline Heintzelman added 11.

Cambridge 44, Creekview 41: In the loss, Mackenzi Salas (8), Delia Guy (7) and Abby Martin (6) led the Grizzlies.

Class AAAAA

No. 6 Cass 67, Calhoun 47: Londaisha Smith recorded 25 points and 10 rebounds while Claire Davis tallied 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 steals. Justice Bennett scored 8 points and Haley Johnson had 7 points.

No. 10 New Manchester 75, Milton 44: Kharyssa Richardson posted 21 points and 10 rebounds. Hanna Wright had 14 points and 3 assists. Taniya James chipped in 12 points and 4 rebounds. Kamryn Bates tallied 11 points and 5 assists while Azaria Robertson had 9 points and 10 rebounds.

ML King 81, Lithonia 7: Kaya Jarvis (16), Nazis Smith (12) and Victoria Nwanze (11) powered the Lions.

Class AAAA

No. 2 Jefferson 70, Madison County 35: Ellie Kinlaw (16), Allianne Clark (11), Deshona Gaither (11) and Hailey Triaga (10) led the Dragons.

No. 3 Troup County 71, Spencer 24: Samaria Weldon finished with 17 points.

No. 10 Cedar Shoals 35, East Hall 29: Autumn Jones scored 13 points while Skylar Lattimore had 8 and Ashley Lester netted 7. East Hall, who was without two starters, got 22 points from Callie Dale.

Central-Carrollton 45, Southeast Whitfield 23: Izzy Ripatti (15) and Zoey Haberland (11) led the Lions. West Virginia Tech-signee Rachel Wilson collected 6 points and 10 rebounds.

Class AAA

No. 4 Lumpkin County 68, Dawson County 33: Mary Mullinax scored 21 points while North Georgia-signee Isabel Davenport netted 20 and Averie Jones pitched in 14. Lexi Pierce added 9 points and Emmanuel-signee Makenzie Caldwell scored 4. Dawson County was led by Madison Anglin’s 15 points.

No. 5 Coahulla Creek 74, Rockmart 49: Jillian Poe (16), Kenley Woods (13), Brinkley Kate Reed (13) and Kiersten Hixson (13) led a deep attack.

White County 66, Gilmer 49: Naomi Roberts (13), Emmanuel-signee Maddie Futch (12), North Georgia-signee Dasha Cannon (11) and Madison Adams (10) led the Warriors.

Pike County 76, Jackson 73: Troy-signee Gabbi Cartagena poured in 36 points in the loss.

Central-Macon 51, Mary Persons 33: TaNiya Pryor had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals while Trazur Cooper netted 13 points. Tayelor Davis added 9 points and 9 rebounds. Taliah Grier finished with 9 points, 2 rebounds and 3 steals. McKenzie Evans tacked on 6 points and 11 rebounds.

Class AA

No. 4 Rabun County 69, No. 7 Banks County 51: Freshmen Ellie Southards (17 points, 8 rebounds) and Lucy Hood (13 points, 7 assists, 2 steals) paced the LadyCats. Gracie Deetz finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. Sophie Woodard and Carley Haban netted 10 points apiece. Banks County was led by Kamryn Grier’s 20 points. Jenna Reeves (12) and Addison Hoard (10) cracked double digits.

Class A-Private

No. 5 Mt. Paran 65, North Cobb Christian 40: Kara Dunn posted 26 points and 11 rebounds while Kaylynn Kirklen had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Katelyn Dunning tallied 8 points and 8 assists. Shamaria Jennings had 8 points and 5 rebounds.  North Cobb Christian was led by Brooke Moore’s 20 points, 4 steals and 4 blocks. Lauryn Towns had 8 points and 3 steals. Lea Brasington and Ava Garner scored 4 points apiece. Gabby LoPresti tacked on 2 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals.

Stratford Academy 34, Tattnall Square 32 OT: Harmony Nagle scored 9 points and Caroline Sutherland added 8 in the win.

Tallulah Falls 67, Athens Christian 24: Veronaye Charlton (15), Katy Corbett (12), Denika Lightbourne (12) and Kailyn Neal (10) balanced the Indians.

Heritage School 54, Starr’s Mill 45: Ianna Odulaja scored 20 points and Michaela Mikko netted 19 in the comeback. Haylah Spence chipped in 8 points.

Class A-Public

No. 4 Clinch County 71, No. 6 Turner County 42: Zyhia Johnson poured in 32 points with 4 three-pointers.

Non-GHSA

Girls Analysis

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Cayla Cowart2022 5-10 CG Cayla Cowart – West Forsyth
Cayla Cowart shined again, this time leading the Wolverines to a 49-43 victory over a shorthanded Archer team. Cowart’s blow-up season continued, pouring in 24 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 steals and 1 block. She has been one of the most consistent guards in the state and it’s her ability to impact games aside from scoring that makes her special. Cowart plays with tremendous energy and has an uncanny nose for the ball. Couple those traits with her athleticism and she’s able to crash the glass effectively and wreak havoc with her quick hands on defense.  Cowart is a premier slasher that finishes with both hands. Her outside shot still needs work. She tends to push the ball flat instead of getting under it and shooting the ball up, but it is fixable and she has been taking 500 shots a day to shore up her one perceived weakness. Off the dribble, Cowart is a playmaker. She sees the floor well and can fit in tough passes to open teammates. When she gets all the way to the basket, all defenders can do is foul her. She struggled from the line going 6-15, but her relentless attack keeps pressure on the defense and opens up clean looks for perimeter shooters. She is shaping up to be a D-I player. D-II schools should stop waiting and offer her as quickly as possible before the rest of the state takes notice of her high-level skill.

 

Chloe Sterling2022 5-7 PG Chloe Sterling – Marietta
The effortless ability of how Chloe Sterling can control games has taken Marietta to another level. Back in Georgia after living on a military base in Japan, Sterling is a dynamic playmaker with a smooth feel. The lefty is a nightmare in transition. Not only can she rush the ball down the floor and go coast-to-coast, but she can ignite fast breaks without a single dribble, using her elite outlet passing as she drills teammates in stride down the floor. Sterling snaps off accurate passes in the blink of an eye before defenders know what hit them. When the ball is in her hands, Chloe is shifty getting downhill. She can eurostep through the defense and finish in a variety of ways. Her three-point shot was locked-in against Dacula, casually draining 5 threes, hardly ever touching the rim. Her easy release off the dribble is pretty to watch. She tallied 21 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals in a 79-48 rout. Sterling should be on Mid-Major radars ASAP.

2021 6-1 F Janae Charles – Loganville
A blend of skill, size, IQ and mobility, Janae Charles is among the best post players left in the 2021 class. She doesn’t need to dominate scoring the ball to affect games. Charles is a smart passer and can handle the ball when needed. When teammates cut without the ball, Charles can see overtop the defense and deliver assists with pinpoint accuracy. Rockmart had no answer for her inside. Charles posted up hard and helped get Keyarah Berry in foul trouble. Janae converted every opportunity she had in the paint and used her length to rebound in traffic. She finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Gardner-Webb has shown interest.

2021 5-11 W Keyarah Berry – Rockmart
On the verge of being the all-time leading scorer in the state of Georgia, the Indiana-signee had her usual “wow” moments in a loss against Loganville. Keyarah Berry has overwhelmed opponents at the 2A and 3A level over the course of her career. She is unstoppable in transition, able to beat everyone down the floor and elevate for easy layups. Berry has developed her game into being more than just a freak athlete however. She has the deepest range in the state, able to pull up from 30-feet when needed. With her tremendous strength, she can fire away from well beyond the arc without losing much accuracy. Becoming a better playmaker will be an area of growth at the next level. Facing double and triple teams with a supporting cast that doesn’t have much firepower, Berry has had a heavy burden to carry her entire career. Playing with fellow D-I players will make life easier for her on the offensive side of the ball in college. She buried 4 threes and finished with 27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals and 1 block in a 62-39 loss to Loganville, Berry scoring the first 17 points of the second half for the Yellowjackets.

De'Mauri Flournoy
2021 5-8 PG De’Mauri Flournoy – Carrollton
It was a dazzling display for De’Mauri Flournoy in Carrollton’s convincing 62-41 win over Newton. The Vanderbilt-signee can do it all. She’s not the most physically imposing guard in the state but aside from Raven Johnson and Kayla McPherson, she may be the most well-rounded and maybe most skilled. Flournoy is an elite three-point shooter that uses her range to help open up driving lanes. She has the ball on a string as she manipulates defenders before getting exactly what she wants. Flournoy is a complete player on offense. She can get into the lane and finish with floaters or tough layups. Flournoy is a playmaker that breaks down defenses and sets up teammates. She moves well without the ball and teamed up with Kehinde Obasuyi for a handful of backdoor cuts. De’Mauri’s quickness to every ball stood out. She snatched every long pass that was tried against Carrollton’s defense, playing a gold glove centerfield. Flournoy tallied 18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 6 steals.

2024 5-8 PG Sanaa Tripp – Newton
The future – and even the present – is Sanaa Tripp. She’s a blue-chip guard that has a chance to be the best player in Georgia and one of the best in the nation. Tripp blends terrific athleticism with eyepopping skill. She’s great in transition, bursting out of the pack and using in-and-out dribbles and more to leave defenders in the dust. Tripp is a dangerous shooter as well. She stops and pops on a dime and has three-point range off the bounce. She knocked down 4 threes as she finished with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 4 steals. Her lateral quickness makes her an above average defender that could cement herself as a lockdown guard. Tripp has the makings of becoming a High Major point guard.

2024 5-9 PG Danielle Carnegie – Rockdale County
An Essence Xtreme teammate of Sanaa Tripp, freshman Danielle Carnegie might not have the athleticism or flash of Tripp, but Carnegie’s skill and mature approach to the game has been invaluable for the Bulldogs. Carnegie always stays under control and is a true point guard that knows how to set the table for others while still finding the time to put up points. She does a nice job attacking the basket and keeping the defense off balance. She’s got a nice pull-up jumper and can float in buckets over shot blockers. Carnegie is active. Her well-rounded floor game led to 13 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals in a 72-66 loss to Grayson. With Danielle on the floor, Rockdale will always have a chance to win any game.