Tag Archives: Gracie Byford

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Nayel Camper2024 5-8 G Nayel Camper – Cartersville
Cartersville has broken out of the doldrums, improving from 4-14 to 17-11 a season ago, earning Class 5A Most Improved Team honors. Expect the Lady Canes to improve on that mark with nearly their entire roster back including a much improved Nayel Camper, a breakout candidate. Camper has had a strong offseason after averaging 5.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2 assists and 2.3 steals per game as a junior. At camp on Saturday, Nayel showcased her improved offensive game and aggressive mindset. She is very good at getting downhill and finishing through contact. Camper is a skillful finisher that puts just the right amount of English on her reverse layups. Nayel can also step outside to shoot the three. Defensively, she can help guard all three spots on the perimeter. Wesleyan College offered at the conclusion of camp. I expect her name to start appearing on more NAIA and D-III radars.

Gracie Byford2025 5-5 PG Gracie Byford – Villa Rica
Gracie always has the neon green light at PRO camps. Confidence is never an issue for the offensive sparkplug. Byford piles in points in bunches and is a must-watch for mixtape producers like Bonafyde. Gracie pulls threes from way beyond the arc, getting her full body into her launches. Once she sees one shot drop, plenty more are to follow. Aside from her endless jump shooting range, for me it was the glimpses of Byford’s upside as a playmaker that stood out. Gracie is a shifty attacker that draws the entire defense’s attention when driving. She can use that to her advantage by either dumping off to teammates on the block or kick out to open shooters on the perimeter.

Jayla Walton2027 5-3 G Jayla Walton – Southwest DeKalb
Even though she was one of the youngest players in camp, there was no avoiding that fact that Jayla Walton was one of the best players in camp. Walton, who played with Southwest DeKalb in GBCA Live, looked more than comfortable playing with older competition. Walton is a knockdown shooter. Though she can fill it up from deep, Jayla isn’t a one-trick pony. She is a skilled ball handler that can beat pressure by getting to her spots. Walton could play a key role as a floor spacer this upcoming season.

Devin Bockman2026 5-4 PG Devin Bockman – Midtown
It’s hard not to like the activity of Devin Bockman. She provides great effort on both sides of the ball, easily apparent by what she did as a freshman last season averaging 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.6 steals. Devin flies around the floor defensively and is a heady decision maker in transition. She likes to get to her pull-up jumper but also has a burst of speed to get all the way to the hoop. With their entire team intact from last year’s 22-9 Elite Eight group, Midtown is a sneaky sleeper to make a run at the Class 5A title.

Hailey Wortmann2026 6-1 C Hailey Wortmann – Midtown
Wortmann shows flashes of her long-term potential. Blessed with great size and an athletic frame, Hailey immediately passes the eye test. She was able to be effective in the paint earning second chance opportunities and displayed a soft touch when finishing five feet away from the basket. Continuing to play her size – exploding up when finishing around the rim – will help her reach her ceiling.

Maya Crawford2024 6-1 C Maya Crawford – Central-Macon
Maya turned heads at camp. Standing 6-foot-1, Crawford was not bashful about competing in the paint. Her physical brand of basketball could be seen on both ends of the floor. Crawford carved out space with her power drop steps and was able to change shots inside defensively. The more reps she gets, the better Crawford can be. There is a spot on a college roster somewhere for the hard playing post. Wesleyan College has already offered.

Kacie Reeves
2027 5-6 G Kacie Reeves – Central-Macon
It wasn’t long ago that Kacie started taking basketball seriously, following in the footsteps of older brother Kowacie Reeves Jr. (Georgia Tech). Much like her sibling, it looks like Kacie is ascending on an impressive trajectory. Reeves has a good build for a freshman but more importantly, she has a pretty form on her outside shot. Kacie knocked down three after three, especially in stations. Don’t be surprised to see her play off the ball as a freshman as a catch-and-shoot three-point specialist alongside All-State guards Alaya Grane and Taliah Grier. Reeves adds another integral scoring threat to a team rooted in physical defense.

Dailey Jefferson2024 5-10 F Dailey Jefferson – Sprayberry
Dailey gets a crack at public school ball her final season after starring at Walker. Jefferson is a springy forward that is quick off her feet to secure rebounds and finish inside. She isn’t afraid to throw her muscle around when carving out opportunities to score and has shown the ability to attack from the perimeter. D-III programs are wisely tracking her.

Jaden Young
2025 5-8 G Jaden Young – Morgan County
Fresh off the soccer pitch, Jaden Young didn’t look rusty at all on Saturday. Young looked confident as a scorer. She was able to get to her shot in rhythm, not hesitating to catch and let it fly. Young moves well with nimble footwork but also can serve as a big guard, able to provide some power when attacking the hoop. An elite academic student, with basketball becoming her primary focus over the next two seasons, expect D-III programs to start honing in.

Cameron Terry
2027 5-5 G Cameron Terry – Chapel Hill
Terry should provide a lift for Chapel Hill in Year 1. She is a strong athlete that can handle the ball and absorb contact when getting downhill. When the ball isn’t in her hands, she runs the floor hard to find openings. Cameron’s physical tools are impressive.

Janiya McCoy
2025 5-0 PG Janiya McCoy – Southwest DeKalb
Not many players in the state can say defense is their calling card. ClampGod Janiya McCoy takes great pride in her on-ball defense. The wiry undersized guard is a bundle of athleticism and energy. She is an absolute pest that can pick up and defend the entire length of the floor.

Ella Rainwater2027 5-5 G Ella Rainwater – Buford
Ella Rainwater is the perfect fit at Buford. She plays incredibly hard and is the first to get on every loose ball. The hustler wasn’t afraid to mix it up with bigger opponents. Offensively, Ella profiles as a heady decision maker that can knockdown threes consistently.

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2025 6-1 PF Jessica Fields – Mt. Paran
Georgia’s top-ranked sophomore and elite shot blocker, Jessica Fields came to camp soon after winning her second-straight state title and dominated like she did in the big game, blocking every shot around her area and finishing consistently through contact inside while managing to step out to hit the mid-range when needed. Fields is a blue-chipper with High Major offers. Her wing span and instincts blocking shots can’t be taught. As long as she stays out of foul trouble, Fields is often the most influential player on the floor. She can almost win games by herself with how well she can lock down 10-feet from the rim and in defensively.

Hannah Harris2024 5-6 PG Hannah Harris – Cherokee
I absolutely loved what I saw out of Hannah Harris on Sunday. The junior was a bundle of energy, talking non-stop on the floor and even on the bench. Her emotional play was infectious as she hyped up teammates. Harris played with great pace, pushing the ball with speed and delivering pocket passes on the money to streaking teammates. When left open on the perimeter, Hannah sank the three but never settled, doing a good job getting her feet in the paint on drives. What impressed me most was deep into camp in her final game of the day, Harris revved up her play to another level, defending on-ball with great vigor as she eliminated any airspace for her opposing ball handler. It was a great day of action for Harris. I’m looking forward to seeing more of her. She is a tone setter.

Ava Andrews2025 6-1 W Ava Andrews – North Paulding
Andrews stands out with her height, length and athleticism, but she is really turning into a full-time wing as her jump shot was as good as I’ve ever seen it on Sunday. Andrews nailed jumper after jumper, stroking it from the mid-range and extending her range in spurts to the three-point line. Ava has one of the highest ceilings in her class. She has such great tools to work with. Andrews can be a nightmare to keep off the glass with her quick second leaps and can wreck games defensively with her ability to shoot into passing lanes, block shots and in general guard almost every position on the floor. D-I offers aren’t far away.

Graycen Ehlen
2025 6-0 W Graycen Ehlen – Walton
I think more and more people are starting to take notice of Graycen Ehlen, a player whose praises I’ve been singing since I first saw her about a year ago. Ehlen immediately passes the eye-test with her size and athleticism. She’s strong enough to play inside, score on the block and rebound in a crowd, but she’s also skilled enough to push the ball in transition and handle full-time on the perimeter. Graycen’s versatility can lead to mismatches for opponents. She shoots the three well and can get downhill with power. I really like what she can do defensively, guard a post player one possession then move her feet to stay in front of smaller guards on the perimeter the next trip down. Ehlen gives me some Kayla Cleaveland type vibes at times. If Graycen continues to develop, I would be shocked if she doesn’t end up with a handful of D-I offers, I think she is that good.

Riley Simmons2024 6-0 F Riley Simmons – Cherokee
Riley warmed up as camp went on, finding her stroke from the mid-range. Simmons had a strong junior season, stepping up as a second-option behind Toni Warren. She played a great game against Lovejoy at the Sandy’s Spiel Showdown after Warren went down with an injury. Riley’s an interesting prospect with her size, strength and shooting touch. She’s effective on the offensive glass and is a real threat in pick-and-pop situations with her three-point range. Continuing to make plays off the dribble will be big for her; she shined in that area against Lovejoy. Simmons is one of the best stretch-fours in Georgia’s 2024 class.

Courtney Davis2024 5-5 G Courtney Davis – Fannin County
If you go under the screen against Courtney Davis, you know what’s coming. The high-octane scorer won her second-straight Region Player of the Year award after netting 20 points per game. I love Davis’ toughness and willingness to step up in big moments. She battled an MCL sprain this season and didn’t miss a beat. She has deep three-point range off the dribble and can blow by defenders downhill once she gets an angle. Davis does a good job drawing fouls and is solid finisher in traffic.

Gracie Byford
2025 5-5 G Gracie Byford – Villa Rica
Coaches and media in attendance quickly took notice of Gracie Byford’s game. The sharpshooter is a playmaker off the dribble. She’s got wiggle to her game, able to get defenders off balance before pulling up for threes. When Byford is really cooking, she can get to her floater and mix in mid-range pull-ups. Gracie can score in bunches and does so with a stoic demeanor.

Kylie Watkins2025 6-0 F Kylie Watkins – White County
Kylie Watkins’ length made an impact on the defensive end of the floor, blocking shot after shot. Kylie does a good job of walling up and not swatting down for any cheap fouls. She’s capable of defending on the move and recovering if someone gets by her. Watkins did a nice job scoring in the paint as she absorbed contact.

Kayla Cleaveland2025 6-0 F Kayla Cleaveland – River Ridge
One of the first names a college coach brought up to me when I walked in the gym was Kayla Cleaveland. One of the state’s biggest stock risers this season, the state champ was back in action two days after hoisting the trophy. What stands out about Cleaveland aside from her game is her character and toughness. She battled a foot injury nearly all season long but didn’t let it slow her down as she grinded her way into being available as much as possible. She reinjured her foot in the state title game after an early seven points but once again showed her mettle as she returned to play and finished with 15. When breaking down her game, the lefty is a true three-level threat. She loves her 15-footer from the elbow, a shot she has perfected. What really impresses me is how well Cleaveland runs the floor and can catch and finish all in one motion with either hand while moving at a rapid pace. Kayla is the real deal with her versatility. Georgia Southern offered after the state title game, marking her first D-I bid.

Arianna Hill2026 6-0 C Arianna Hill – Toombs County
Arianna Hill really caught my eye. The young post has a strong frame and flashed quality footwork with her back to the basket. Hill scored on drop steps and didn’t flail away from contact. Hill is an effective rebounder and a defensive presence in the paint. I think she could be a major player in Region 3-2A and develop into one of the better big girls in the classification.

Tracy Wakefield
2028 5-6 G Tracy Wakefield – Marietta
2028 is a long way away, but Tracy Wakefield and a bunch of other current Marietta middle schoolers have a chance to be flat out special. The youngster had no problem fitting into camp on Sunday as she stripped the nets from deep and had an impressive eurostep through traffic for one of the toughest hoops of the day. Wakefield could log varsity minutes right now. As she continues to add to her game, her confidence will grow concurrently. I’m excited for Tracy Wakefield’s future.

Amaya Harris
2025 5-6 G Amaya Harris – Hillgrove
Harris is a tough cookie in the backcourt. Amaya is a strongly built guard that can shift directions and score in different ways. She’s a skilled finisher, but will also beat defenses with her stop-and-pop game. Amaya is a stingy defender that can help guard 1-3.

Londyn Walker
2025 5-8 G Londyn Walker – Wesleyan
One of the strongest players in camp, Londyn Walker is a battering ram when she puts her head down and attacks the rim. Walker is a powerful player, strong in the weight room which allows her to play much bigger than her size. She can outmuscle opponents for rebounds and has no problem absorbing contact for And-1 finishes. With her strength, Walker holds value defensively as she can hold her own when switched onto bigger oppnents.

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War Games 28.5 Underclassmen Top Performers

2025 6-0 W Miyah Holmes – Porter Sports – Grovetown
It’s getting hard to deny the fact that Miyah Holmes might be one of if not the best prospect in the entire 2025 class. Everything about her checks off as High Major upside. Continue reading War Games 28.5 Underclassmen Top Performers →