2030 6-2 C Leah Hill – Sandy Creek
Leah was dominant at camp, a powerfully explosive rim running big. Hill has not only impressive size, but strength and agility as well. Leah is light on her feet, quick to beat opponents down the floor for deep seals leading to easy layups. Hill can score over either shoulder with her back to the basket. She’s quick to pursue rebounds with a springy second leap, attacking the ball in the air with two hands. Hill anchors the defense as a shot altering presence. When she gobbles down rebounds, she’s got enough ball skill and speed to go coast-to-coast. Part of a star-studded lineup at Sandy Creek, don’t overlook Leah. She’s got the look of a future D-I prospect herself.
2030 5-4 PG Nevaeh Anderson – Creekside
Next up at Creekside, Nevaeh’s dazzling play gives the Seminoles another lethal guard with shifty playmaking ability to pair next to a recovering CeCe Dennis. Anderson has the ball on a string as she creatively attacks defenses. She is able to gain separation on the perimeter for off the dribble threes and slithery drives. Nevaeh has a beautiful shot, a marksman off the catch from beyond the arc. What is really impressive is that although she’s only 5-foot-4 and still filling into her frame, Anderson isn’t afraid to attack downhill to score through contact with skillful finishes with both hands. Nevaeh is well on her way to establishing herself as a D-I recruit.
2030 5-11 F Abrielle Allen – Union Grove
Abrielle is a mismatch with her versatile combo-forward skill set. Allen loves to rebound the ball and push coast-to-coast without hesitation. With her size, she’s strong enough to get all the way to the rim where she finishes in traffic. Allen showcased her value in ball screens. Abrielle pick-and-popped for threes and was effective rolling to the rim to score. Allen shoots the three in rhythm when she catches on the perimeter with her feet set. When she catches in the high post, Abrielle’s quick first step and attacking mindset often get her easy hoops or sent to the foul line.
2030 5-7 G Laila Winfrey – Mt. Paran
Throughout camp, Laila showed a good feel for the game. She utilized subtle head fakes and changes of speed to get to the rim. Winfrey is strong for her age, physical downhill as she used her shoulders to bully defenders out of her way. When Laila got arc on her jumper, she was able to cash in with threes. Her takes to the basket were consistent throughout. She was comfortable taking her time to finish off two feet, flashing up-and-under footwork to score.
2030 5-9 F Brooklyn Boone – Whitewater
One of the most eye-catching freshmen at camp, Brooklyn Boone looks like she has the skill to be the centerpiece for a rebuilding Whitewater program which improved from 1 win to 8 wins last season. The impact freshman is wiry with a motor. Her length stands out as she explodes off the floor to pluck rebounds with two hands. Boone pushes the ball in transition making sharp passes off the dribble. Brooklyn’s athleticism and instincts impress, but her versatile guard skills are noteworthy as well, not only a quality handler but a steady catch-and-shoot threat from behind the three-point line.
2030 6-1 W Zara Mopa – Campbell
Among the top of her class when it comes to tools, Zara looks like she could have a Brooke Moore-like (North Cobb Christian/Liberty/St. John’s) trajectory if everything falls into place. Mopa has a tremendous frame, rangy lengthy with fluid athleticism. She’s a graceful attacker when she gets to her right hand, using long strides to get to the rim. Zara should become a game wrecker on both ends of the floor with her Swiss Army Knife upside. With how well she moves and her overwhelming length, Mopa can be elite in the press, a trapper who can also rotate to pick off passes. Her 1-5 defensive promise should have her rack up blocks in the backline as well. When she clears rebounds, Zara is smooth initiating transition offense. I really like Mopa’s ceiling.
2030 5-7 G Lili Shelton – Cherokee
Lili took over down the stretch at camp, closing with a flurry. She’s a microwave scorer with her three-point shot, scoring in bunches. Shelton can play either guard position. She showed a killer mentality once she got hot, wanting the ball in her hands to make things happen. Lili looked good as a playmaker off the dribble, displaying elusiveness as she snuck around defenders, turning corners and splitting help-side to finish with scooping layups. Shelton didn’t force her shot either. She read the defense and made slick one-handed passes to get her shooters clean looks.
2030 5-3 PG Anniston Donley – Cherokee
I liked how Donley competed on both sides of the ball. The slender red head was always down in stance picking up ball handlers. She moved her feet and would reach in at the last second to poke the ball away to breakup layup attempts. On offense, Anniston ran point guard. When she looked for her offense, she managed to create space off the dribble for pull-up threes.
2030 5-4 G Alesia Norris – Memorial Day
Alesia has great athleticism and coordination, especially for a freshman. She moves differently than most players, speedy with the ball as she looks to get to the hoop. She has upside as a drive and kick facilitator. I think she can become a dogged on-ball defender.
2030 6-2 F Jaleeah Miller – Carrollton
Standing 6-foot-2, Miller made her impact outside of the paint as she chose to shoot threes. Jaleeah canned a handful of long balls off the catch. The stretch forward is still young and growing into her body. Four years of weight room work will likely unlock her immense ceiling and allow her to more comfortably play around the rim. Miller’s diverse game will put her on college radars soon.
2030 5-7 G E’lycia Manuel – Whitefield Academy
Strong, athletic and decisive, E’lycia should see steady minutes her freshman year upon leaving Chapel Hill for Whitefield Academy. Manuel is tight with the ball. She manipulates defenses and gets to her spots where she rises up for quick release pull-ups. I liked what I saw out of her when she decided to drive and dump to her bigs on the blocks.
2030 6-0 C Kamiyah Williams – Troup County
Kamiyah is effective in the paint. Williams plays her height. She rebounds, blocks shots and can score around the rim. Her back to the basket game is developing, showing quality footwork with drop steps and step throughs. Williams should be a double-double threat at Troup County and at the very least, make a major difference defensively.
2031 5-2 G Alayna Lemon – Milton
Only a rising eighth grader, Alayna played up and was one of the most dynamic players in camp. The lefty has a high IQ. She knows how to play out of high ball screens. Alayna uses a release dribble for separation to pull defenders closer to her, allowing more space for her roller to dive to the rim where she expertly drops in touch passes for layups. Lemon’s polish extends to her craftiness on-ball as a scorer. She showed the patience to shield her defender with a brief backdown before faking to spin middle, countering her way back to the right for a layup. Lemon drained threes throughout camp and was pesky when picking up full court forcing turnovers. Alayna will be a Day 1 difference maker by the time she is a freshman. Her upside is scary, especially if she sprouts up a few more inches.