North Georgia Magic
Girls Analysis

North Georgia Magic – Atlanta Cagers BlueChip: Standouts

Friday night at the Dawson/Forsyth County Jam two of the best programs above Atlanta clashed between the North Georgia Magic and Atlanta Cagers BlueChip Storms. Here’s who impressed most.

North Georgia Magic

Anna Gliatta2022 5-8 G Anna Gliatta – North Forsyth
I first saw Anna play last July and in my second viewing on Friday, I can tell she has been working on her game and is well on her way to becoming a collegiate player. She enjoyed a breakout season netting her on the Region 6-7A All-Region Team and has parlayed her momentum into a quick start to the travel ball season. Gliatta did a little bit of everything in the Magic’s 58-44 win. She recorded a game-high 13 points to go with 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 steals and 1 block. Gliatta was aggressive with the dribble and proved that she could get to the basket when needed. She scored on four drives to the hoop in the half court and went coast-to-coast after grabbing a steal, finishing over a shot blocker. Her ability to put pressure on the defense with the bounce will help open up more looks from the three-point line where she is a dangerous shooter. Aside from her improvement getting to the basket, Gliatta’s defense was one of the biggest takeaways. She has a very good nose for the ball and always seems to be at the right place at the right time. Gliatta moves her feet well and can cut off drives without fouling. LaGrange College was the first to offer on April 1.

Keimarya Rivera2022 6-1 PF Keimarya Rivera – Cherokee
Since I saw her last summer, I’ve been very high on Keimarya Rivera. Now that Kate Johnson is off to Furman, Rivera should have a chance to shine in Cherokee’s guard-heavy offense as the Warriors’ one true post presence. Rivera is a good athlete that knows how to play with her back to the basket. She has good footwork in the paint and can finish strong through defenders with either hand. Rivera crashes the offensive glass hard and can swoop in for rebounds if no one puts a body on her. With her size and upside, she is well-worth some serious D-II looks. She came off the bench to produce 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals.

2022 5-8 G Lilly Griffith – Cherokee
Lilly Griffith provides some length and athleticism on the perimeter. She is comfortable playing either on or off the ball. She knocked down a pair of threes as she finished with 10 points, 2 rebounds and 1 block. Griffith could be a valuable option as a 3&D type at the next level.

2022 5-8 G Presli Clark – Cherokee
Known for her quickness and scrappy defense, Presli Clark wowed some coaches in the crowd with her shiftiness getting to the hoop. She had a memorable attack where she juked a defender out of the picture and finished a layup. She had another great drive when she attacked the paint and at the last second dropped off an assist to a big. Clark provided balance on both ends of the floor finishing with 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 3 steals.

2022 5-8 G Haelim Adle – North Forsyth
It is invaluable to be a positionless player in today’s game. Haelim Adle is capable of playing 1-4 at the high school level. She handles the ball well, provides great strength, rebounds and defends at a high level. I’ve seen her play high post against the zone and I’ve seen her handle point guard duties. Adle is just a ball player. On Friday she saw the ball in her hands often. When she creates, everything is downhill to the basket. She applies pressure with her hard takes and can either get to the rim or find the open man. Adle will need to make sure she doesn’t overdribble when waiting for plays to develop, but more often than not, good things happened when the ball was in her hands. Adle showcased her two-way versatility posting 4 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. Right now she may be more of a slasher/defender energy bringer at the next level, but if she can develop a consistent jump shot, she could make an impact sooner rather than later.

 

Atlanta Cagers BlueChip Storms

2022 5-7 PG Sophie Smith – Denmark
Sophie Smith is different. You can immediately tell by the way she handles herself on the floor. She has tremendous body control with sharp movements. Add in her elite ball handling and you have the complete package at point guard. She manipulates defenses and is fearless when riffling in passes. If defenders go underneath the screen, she makes them pay with her deep range. When attacking the rim, Smith can break off effortless eurosteps in stride to lose defenders. She’s one of the best playmakers the 2022 class has to offer. Smith finished with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, hitting 3 threes in the process. She’s a must-have at the D-II level but her game feels like it should take her D-I.

2022 5-9 F Tatum Ozment – Buford
Tatum Ozment does the little things so well. It’s her attention to detail that really stands out. Ozment is a textbook player. She has great footwork in the low post and when getting to the hoop. She finishes with either hand. She uses sharp ball fakes exceptionally well. Ozment simply executes at a high level as if she is getting her reps in during a drill. Everything looks how it is supposed to. Tatum finished with 10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block. She scored on two impressive spin moves, a post up and a drive. Ozment is a trustworthy player on both ends of the floor. While she may never be a number one scoring option, she is a key building block that could help set the tone at the next level with her consistency.

2023 5-11 PF JyJy Johnson – Darlington
The aggressiveness on the glass separates JyJy Johnson from other rising juniors. She has been steady every time I’ve seen her play. You can count on Johnson to rebound in traffic and convert layups. She scored on putbacks and post moves as she pitched in 8 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. Johnson is a rugged player inside with offensive skills that are getting better and better.

2022 5-9 PG Susanna Rogers – Sequoyah
Susanna Rogers didn’t fill up the box score like she usually does, but that didn’t stop her from impressing. She is such a savvy guard. She uses ball fakes, jab steps and a quick crossover to get past her defender. Once Rogers gets downhill she understands how to draw the defense and facilitate. Named Class 6A Best Passer, Rogers is adept at touch and pocket passes in traffic. Defensively, Rogers has very good length and can earn steals and deflections while also blocking a few shots when tried inside. Rogers has a lot of tools to work with. She seems like an extremely valuable lead guard that could flourish at the D-III level or be a sneaky good pickup for a D-II.

2022 6-2 PF Jessie Parish – Hebron Christian – Wofford
The size and strength of Jessie Parish jumps off the tape as the multi-sport star packs a punch inside and out. Parish is a strong rebounder that can grab 50/50 balls in a crowd. On offense she can hit the trail three or use her power to take opponents off the dribble or punish them in the low post.  Wofford is getting physical forward with a college-ready body who will only get better as her role increases her senior season.