2027 5-9 G Giaunni Rogers – St. Francis
I really appreciated the maturity in Giaunni’s game against Kell, showing she could heavily influence a game in a positive light without having to rely on her scoring. Rogers didn’t force much offensively, instead showcasing her court vision as a playmaker to get others involved. The Georgia Tech-commit created off the bounce, attacking the paint to suck in defenders before whipping skip passes to the corner for open threes. Speaking of threes, Rogers hit one in transition to tip-off her scoring. Giaunni’s highlight of the night came when she went coast-to-coast using an in-and-out dribble to hesi past her defender for a floater. In total, Rogers contributed 7 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists and 1 steal in the 75-54 victory.
2028 6-0 C August Branch – St. Francis
August’s stock should continue to rise. She may not be the focal point for St. Francis but if you check under the hood and evaluate her attributes, there’s reason to believe she will become a hot commodity next season once she plays a more prominent role in the offense. At 6-foot, Branch possesses a stretch-forward skill set. She shoots the three well from the corners and is a steady rebounder. August found creases in the defense multiple times, twice diving to open spaces to catch and finish. Branch’s touch extends to the foul line as well, going 2-2. August finished with 9 points, 9 rebounds and 1 steal against Kell. College programs will want to start positioning themselves.
2028 5-10 W Daphne White – Kell
An active defender, Daphne recorded 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks in a loss against St. Francis. White’s length and motor helped her breakup numerous positions. Her wingspan gives her the ability to challenge shots effectively. She holds upside as a switchable defender capable of guarding nearly every position on the floor. On offense, her lone hoop came on a baseline drive.
2027 5-9 G Dasaya White – Langston Hughes
Slim is a fitting nickname for Dasaya, a long, slender guard. In a 54-36 win over ELCA, it was her defense that was most impactful. She was disruptive, using her reach to deflect passes and force turnovers. White also got on the glass when she wasn’t flashing her defensive versatility, guarding inside and out. Dasaya tallied 2 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 1 block.
2028 5-8 G Zoe Hill – ELCA
Zoe had a strong start to the game against Langston Hughes, hitting a mid-range jumper and a deep three in the opening quarter. Those two hoops proved to be her only field goals of the day but she did manage to shoot 6-8 from the foul line. Hill caught my eye with her stout frame, capable of playing multiple positions along perimeter. She has a fluid shooting motion from well beyond the three-point line, not needing to change her release to get the ball to the rim thanks to her strength. Her toughness in traffic and willingness to pursue the ball makes her an exceptional rebounder for her height. Hill has traits that can help her play 2-4. She recorded 11 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals in the loss.
2027 5-8 F Natasha Smith – ELCA
I really appreciated how hard Natasha played against Langston Hughes. The wiry forward doesn’t have prototypical size for a post, but her activity level in the paint kept her involved. Smith battled for rebounds and used her quickness to gather steals. She scored twice by running the floor and added a putback as well. Smith finished with 8 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals. For an undersized ELCA team, Natasha is an extremely important role player.
2029 5-8 G Faith Andrews – Columbia
Faith racked up 17 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in a 74-44 win against Villa Rica, leading all scorers. Andrews is a big guard with strength and pace. She found success lowering her shoulder and getting to the basket, scoring on a coast-to-coast take and converting an And-1 drive. Andrews shot 5-11 from the foul line but managed to cash in a pair of threes. If Faith can hit outside shots consistently and continue to grow as a playmaker, there’s no reason why she can’t grow into becoming one of DeKalb County’s top prospects.
2030 6-0 C Jessica Morton – Columbia
The freshman came off the bench to nearly double-double against Villa Rica, posting 11 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Jessica was effective in the high-low, doing a nice job delivering entry passes inside when it wasn’t her turn to score. When Morton got to post up, she finished coolly with both hands. She converted thrice with her left hand including a hook shot of a drop step on a baseline out of bounds set. Jessica moved well without the ball, diving to the rim to catch and finish on the move. Morton is a luxury to have incase Avantey Gilreath ever gets in foul trouble.
2029 6-0 C Jada Helmrichs – Villa Rica
I liked what I saw out of Jada Helmrichs in limited action off the bench against Columbia. Only a sophomore, Jada has the size and strength to make a difference in the paint. While she didn’t get a ton of touches, Jada hinted at some offensive upside scoring twice in the post with quality moves that should get better with more refinement. She tossed in a turnaround jumper for her most impressive bucket. Defensively, Jada held her own while contending with Ava Gilreath. Helmrichs tallied 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks. With steady work, don’t be surprised if Helmrichs becomes a target for small schools three years from now.
2028 5-8 F Camille Forts – Creekside
Camille was an unsung hero in Creekside’s 58-37 win over Starr’s Mill. Forts got the start and provided toughness defending the interior. Camille has a strong, wide frame and has exceptionally nimble feet which helps her defend, able to cut the ball off with her chest up and hands out. All three of her hoops came in transition, scoring twice with her left hand. Forts had 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block.
2030 5-4 G Ja’Suni Cook – KIPP Atlanta
The freshman piled in 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals off the bench. Cook buried a corner three to start her day which built her confidence as the game wore on. Ja’Suni added a pull-up jumper, an And-1 on a baseline out of bounds set, went coast-to-coast for a layup and converted with her left hand on another BLOB. Her added scoring punch gives another dimension to the well-balanced Warriors.
2028 5-6 W Tyreona Johnson – KIPP Atlanta
Tyreona came off the bench to hang 5 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Johnson was everywhere on the glass, outworking Woodward Academy as she hunted loose balls, securing them with both hands. She saved numerous possessions and helped limit to War Eagles to one shot. Johnson plays bigger than her height with her tenacity on the glass. Her glue-guy mentality paid off as she supplied her team with a putback and even hit a three.
2029 5-6 G Sky Robinson – Woodward Academy
When threes are dropping, Sky is very dangerous. She hit three long balls against KIPP Atlanta while adding in a banked in pull-up from straight away. Robinson hit a pull-up three in transition and had a pretty step-back as well. Sky’s offense is heavily predicated on her jump shot. She’s got a slick handle with a sharp crossover to free herself. I would like to see her mix in some more downhill takes to add some versatility to her scoring bag. In the loss, Robinson filled up the stat sheet with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals. Only a sophomore, she’s got plenty of talent to work with.