Deep South Classic
Girls Analysis

Deep South Classic: 2022 Notes

Katelyn Dunning5-4 PG Katelyn Dunning – Peak Miller – Mt. Paran
A spitfire undersized guard, Katelyn Dunning provides a reliable ball handler that can also spark an offense. Dunning has a low center of gravity which makes it tough to defend her. Opponents have to really sit down on defense and move their feet to be able to contain her. She did a nice job of beating her man and getting into the teeth of the defense where she could kick out to shooters. When hunting her own shot, Dunning pulled up from three in transition for an easy bucket. Once the game got out of hand, her shot selection got a little sloppy but all-in-all she had a strong performance going for 9 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists and 2 steals. Her ball handling against pressure and ability to hit open shots will be paramount for Mt. Paran this upcoming season.

Shamaria Jennings5-9 W Shamaria Jennings – Peak Miller – Mt. Paran
Shamaria Jennings caught my eye back at the CTC Showcase in October 2019 where I named her “one of the most impressive athletes…still a little raw with her age, but has plenty of upside.” Fast forward nearly a year later and it looks like Jennings is starting to put it all together. The dynamic athlete made plays on both sides of the ball. Her greatest improvement came on her ability to create her own offense. Jennings loves to go left and pull-up for jumpers. Sometimes it looks like she may not be completely squared to the hoop as her body turns when she shoots, but Jennings was locked in hitting three mid-range jumpers on the day. Shamaria is a good rebounder and has a reliable motor that keeps her engaged on both ends of the floor. I still like her upside as a defender. She’s wiry and quick. If she can expand her range out to the three-point line she could become a 3&D player. She finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 block in a win over Lady Nation. I think Jennings still has a lot of potential and she is just now starting to scratch the surface.

5-6 PG Bridget Utberg – FBC BounceNation Jay 2021 – Woodstock
Bridget Utberg showed her moxie and will to win in the second half against the Georgia Pearls. The flashy guard came to life, scoring 8 of her 9 points in the stanza to help FBC BounceNation rally for a 45-43 win. Utberg was composed under pressure and handled the ball without turning it over. She was able to control the pace and picked her spots when to attack the defense. She used her body well when getting to the rim, shielding the ball from shot blockers and finishing tough layups in crunch time. Earlier in the day against DL Impact, she had 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. Utberg is known for her appealing style of play and her scoring ability. She is a dangerous three-point shooter once she sees one go down and is a crafty passer that gets her teammates open looks. Woodstock looks to atone for last year’s first round exit in the state playoffs. They will go as far as Utberg will take them.

5-9 W Sydney Bolden – Georgia Metros – Loganville
The mixture of size, length and activity put Sydney Bolden on my radar. She’s an athletic wing that has a good motor. She was constantly involved in the action and really provided a lift with her energy. She didn’t score a whole lot, but she found other ways to impact the game. Bolden finished with 5 points, 4 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 blocks. She may be a name to keep an eye on over her final two seasons.