2028 6-0 W Lea’nah Parrish – Camden County
I finally got to sit and watch a full Camden County game. Also in attendance was Georgia State and Georgia who likely had an eye on Lea’nah Parrish. I really liked what I saw from Parrish, an athletic smooth wing with great size and shooting touch. She drilled a pair of threes and was effective when flashing into the middle of the zone for catch-and-shoot mid-range jumpers. Parrish’s mobility and overall versatility are tantalizing. She filled up the box score against GAC in a 45-33 win with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. I see no reason for Parrish to not flirt with an All-State caliber season this year for the Wildcats. I love her ceiling and hope to watch more as she adds to her game. Pensacola State offered last June. Lea’nah is trending toward solidifying herself as a D-I prospect.
2028 5-6 PG Madelyn Drucker – Jackson County
Fresh off winning Class 5A Freshman of the Year, Madelyn has a chance to further elevate her stock. She tipped off GBCA Live strong, leading the Panthers to their lone win over Cambridge by putting up 12 points, 7 rebounds and 1 steal. She bookended her weekend with 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals against Dutchtown. Drucker was at her best on Thursday, attacking downhill with her left hand. Madelyn has a sneaky strong frame and when she decides to play physical, she can get to her spots well and can absorb contact toward the basket. Drucker sank two threes in each game. Madelyn has a good-looking release and is accurate when she shoots in rhythm with her feet set and remembers to get her legs underneath her. Continuing to improve her stamina and overall agility are areas of focus. Her aggressiveness hunting her offense is becoming more consistent in Year 2. Handling the ball vs. pressure with her head up and keeping her dribble alive, not getting trapped right over half court, is something she is continuing to work on. Drucker’s instincts and nose for the ball are apparent when rebounding and digging down to help on defense. An encore performance following a strong freshman campaign will be needed to keep Jackson County in the Region 8-5A title hunt. With year-round dedication to conditioning and playing at a high level, Drucker could reach her ceiling as a D-III/NAIA prospect.
2028 5-4 G Cindy Yang – Cambridge
Yang is going to pay major dividends for Cambridge in Year 2. Cindy is much more comfortable handling the ball and looking for her shot. She has a quick first step when probing defenses. Her three-point shot has become a weapon quickly. She drained four threes against Jackson County and finished with a game-high 16 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Providing quick ball handling with the threat of hitting catch-and-shoot threes alongside Gabi Johnson will help the Bears compete in the backcourt.
2028 5-5 G Shailyn Jones – Gainesville
The ball-hawking defense of Shailyn Jones helped the Red Elephants grow a lead that they would narrowly hold onto in a 30-27 win over Jenkins. Jones was everywhere in the zone press, picking off passes and competing on the glass. Shailyn contributed 4 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 7 steals providing infectious energy.
2028 5-10 F Paisley Collins – Heritage-Catoosa
Paisley has enjoyed a breakout summer and carried her momentum into GBCA Live as Heritage’s primary post presence. In a 36-34 loss to Columbia she had a game-high 14 points, 7 rebounds and 1 assist. Against Elbert County on Saturday to wrap up the event, Collins collected 9 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks going 3-4 from the foul line. Paisley has a strong athletic frame. She is mobile and gets off the ground well. Collins has good hands to rebound in traffic and nimble feet to maneuver with her back to the basket. She utilized both hands to score, highlighted by a lefty hook. Collins plays physical and looks like a double-double producer in Year 2 as she replaces older sister Macie (Cleveland State CC).
2028 5-5 PG Blaklee Ledford – Murray County
Blaklee got Murray County off to a quick start against Brunswick, doing a bulk of her scoring damage in the first half. Ledford had pretty spin move downhill for her first bucket of the game before hitting a pair of threes including a deep pull-up as she went on to finish with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. Ledford is one of the best point guards in Georgia. Her speed with the ball and ability to burst through the defense leads to buckets for not only herself but her teammates. The Class 2A Freshman of the Year feels like a D-I playmaker.
2028 5-8 G Payton McGuire – Pope
Moving back to the Pope district after spending time at St. Francis, McGuire will be a major boon for the Greyhounds. She adds another scoring threat with dynamic potential. Payton is a smooth scorer with length and athleticism. She knocked down two threes against South Forsyth and added in a pull-up jumper and a layup in transition to record 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 steals. McGuire could have some 3&D tendencies in her future.
2028 5-4 G Serenity Scott – Dutchtown
The little lefty drilled two threes and found points in transition in a win over Jackson County. Scott totaled 12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. She leaked out in transition for easy layups and used her speed to wreak havoc.
2028 5-11 W JaMyree Simmons – Central-Macon
JaMyree looks like the next 3&D wing to come out of Central-Macon. In a 43-40 loss to Jones County, Simmons buried three three-pointers including two from the corners. She had 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block. With her length, JaMyree can be disruptive on defense. She has upside as being able to defend inside and out. Still young, with more reps and more time in the weight room Simmons could develop into an interesting prospect.
2028 5-11 W Liberty Pennamon – Jones County
Liberty caught my eye right away in Jones County’s 43-40 win over Central-Macon. Her versatility is intriguing. A big physical guard that can play 1-4, Pennamon can influence games in a variety of ways. She’s strong downhill, powering her way to the hoop but can also knock down the catch-and-shoot three. Liberty tallied 11 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. I’m interested to watch more. Pennamon has a nice future.