Tag Archives: Payten Day

Girls Analysis

Think Pink Classic Top Performers


Store Banner

 

Ana Anzola2028 5-6 G Ana Anzola – Redline – North Forsyth
North Forsyth’s potential missing piece will make an immediate impact Day 1 at the varsity level. Ana’s well-rounded offensive game keeps defenses off balance. The lefty is strong with the ball and has a frame that can absorb contact when getting to the basket. Anzola is crafty with the ball, able to implement spin moves to get downhill and finish with both hands. Her three-point shooting busts open defenses, able to pull-up from deep or score off the catch from the corners. Through five games, Anzola averaged 14.2 points per game as Redline played up and captured the JV Division Championship, holding off Explosive Elites 48-41 in the title game. Ana netted a game-high 16 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 steals and 1 block. Anzola has a chance to develop into a D-I guard.

Calleigh Salvador2028 5-4 PG Calleigh Salvador – Redline – South Forsyth
Calleigh is the engine that makes Redline go. She balances her scoring with her creating very well, often a table setter for her teammates but still able to attack when needed. Calleigh is at her best when attacking the basket. She uses her quick first step to put pressure on defenders and does a good job drawing fouls. In the championship, Salvador went 5-6 from the foul line. Once she gets the defense on their heels as they back up to stop penetration, Calleigh utilizes a sharp pull-up jumper, able to stop on a dime to score from the mid-range. Salvador sank three pull-ups en route to finishing with 11 points and 1 assist against Explosive Elites. Calleigh’s presence on defense can’t go unnoticed. She does a very good job of sliding her feet, using her lateral quickness to stay in front of ball handlers with out having to hand check. The high IQ point guard also understand time and score and will not try to pad her stats when the best decision for the team is to milk the clock.

Leah Bryan
2028 5-10 W Leah Bryan – Redline – North Forsyth
Leah looks a little bit taller from when I last saw her at the Sandy’s Spiel Fall League. Now closer to 5-foot-10, the long-armed swingman looks like a future difference maker as a 3&D stalwart. Bryan affects games with her length on defense able to block shots inside and guard multiple positions on the perimeter. Offensively, once she sees a shot fall, she can get hot quickly. The southpaw opens up the floor with her three-point shooting, nailing three long balls in the championship game as she finished with 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Leah is a toolsy X-Factor that can elevate her team’s ceiling when she’s locked in.

Ella Casing
2027 5-0 PG Ella Casing – Explosive Elites – Sequoyah
I love how Ella Casing plays. Even though she is often one of the smallest players on the floor, she usually is one of the most important. Ella is a floor general. She has the ball on a string and has exceptional vision. Casing is adept at feeding the post and is a skilled pocket passer, always finding ways to squeeze in assists through traffic to her posts on the block with tight bounce passes that split the defense. Ella is a threat to score when she calls her own number, a dangerous three-point shooter off the catch that can also pull-up from distance. Even at her size, Casing is still an effective driver that can slither through the defense and finish with both hands amongst the trees. In Explosive Elites’ 48-41 loss to Redline in the JV Division Championship, Casing tallied 13 points, 3 assists and 1 steal, sparking a second half comeback after trailing by 12 at the break.

Jace Sanderson
2027 5-9 SG Jace Sanderson – Explosive Elites – Gilmer
Transferring from Fannin County to Gilmer this offseason, Jace Sanderson will play a big role for the Bobcats. The sophomore is enjoying a breakout spring which began with her play at the Sandy’s Spiel Spring Showcase. On Sunday, Jace played with great confidence and came out firing against Redline, sinking three first half threes. Sanderson excels at moving without the ball, curling up top for dribble handoffs where she is able to quickly get in rhythm and knockdown threes at the top of the key. Jace’s clean footwork isn’t only displayed off the catch when getting into her jumpers, but she is also sneaky good at getting downhill where she finishes with both hands. Sanderson posted 13 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Jace looks like she has the chance to blossom into one of the better 2027 prospects in North Georgia.

2027 5-11 PF Payten Day – Explosive Elites – Creekview
I really liked the toughness Payten brought to the paint. Day is a physical forward that doesn’t shy away from banging under the basket. She rebounds in traffic with both hands and can score through bumps. Day can catch defenders napping in the high post, faking handoffs to turn corners and attack the rim. Payten is a stout defender that alters shots and eliminates second chance points. Payton put up 8 points, 14 rebounds, 1 steal and 3 blocks against Redline.

2027 5-4 G Lillian Barrett – Explosive Elites – Woodstock
The hustle of Lily Barrett caught my eye. The scrappy guard battled for rebounds, fought for loose balls and was a pest on defense. She didn’t need to score a ton to positively influence the game. Barrett made good decisions with the ball as a passer but also did show off her offensive game, hitting a baseline jumper before sinking a three off the bounce.  Lillian stuffed the stat sheet with 5 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and 1 block. Barrett’s versatility and motor make her a terrific glue-guy.

Kyla Cantey2026 5-9 G Kyla Cantey – Explosive Elites – River Ridge
With Gabbie Gliatta out with a serious ankle injury, Kyla Cantey was pressed into carrying the offensive load for the Explosive Elites in the High School Championship. Cantey poured in 13 points, 1 assist and 3 steals in the 55-32 loss to Lady Dominance Lioness. Kyla dropped in 11 points in the first half as the Elites trailed 28-21 before running out of steam. Cantey scored two off the tip with her right hand and scored all her points on drives to the basket aside from three free throws. Her prettiest move came off a steal, spinning for a tough And-1 layup. The lefty has a chance to cement herself as a D-I prospect as she gets stronger and her outside shot becomes more consistent. She has a high ceiling and should be tracked by D-I and D-II programs alike over her final two seasons which she will see an increase in role each year.

2026 5-5 G Rain McRae – Explosive Elites – Sequoyah
Rain is a high effort player. The lefty mixes it up on defense and will crash in to rebound against bigger players. She knocked down a mid-range jumper and a three-ball with her somewhat unorthodox looking shot. McRae filled up the box score with her hustle, finishing with 5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.

2026 5-9 G Cameron Schlichting – Explosive Elites – Woodstock
Whenever Kyla Cantey was on the bench, Cameron became the team’s primary ball handler. Schlichting finished with 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block. Adding confidence when handling with her left hand will help her combat on-ball pressure. While her off-hand dribbling could use some shoring up, Cam showed a nice scoring touch with her left hand, scoring on a floater and with a reverse pivot tear drop in the lane. Schlichting’s outside shooting and quality size give her the versatility to play 1-3.

Shamaria Arnold2024 5-10 F Shamaria Arnold – Lady Dominance Lioness – Southwest DeKalb
Explosive Elites had no answer for the unsigned senior inside. Shamaria Arnold powered her way to 14 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block in Lady Dominance’s 55-32 championship. Arnold is strong and physical, making a living getting on the glass. Shamaria has a soft touch around the basket. She gobbled up any rebounds she got a paw on and was able to earn multiple chances for the Lioness to score. Shamaria has a few college offers in tow. She will be a nice late addition to a roster looking to add toughness and combo-forward versatility.

2025 5-10 W Kyara Ware – Lady Dominance Lioness – Creekside Christian
Ware brought great energy to the table. Kyara is an athletic presence on both ends of the court. She runs the floor for easy buckets, she gets on the offensive glass and she is capable of defending different areas. She scored on a pair of putbacks and nearly notched a double-double, finishing with 7 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block.

2025 5-2 G Jersana Moore – OMG – Union Grove
The little lefty found her offense in transition. She streaked down the floor to score easy layups, found by her outlet passing bigs. In the half court, Jersana used her jitterbug quickness to get penetration and drop in floaters. Moore is a tough finisher. Just because she’s small doesn’t mean she’s scared to attack. Jersana was fearless with her team-leading 12 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist in a 57-35 win over Zone6 Celtics 2026 Gold.

Leilani Ward
2025 5-3 PG Leilani Ward – OMG – Luella
Leilani has good court vision. When she attacks the hoop her head is up, looking to distribute upon vacuuming in the defense. Ward drops accurate bounce passes in tight quadrants. Leilani is a threat to score off the bounce as well, a crafty finisher that utilizes scoop layups. Ward contributed 7 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists and 2 steals.

Ayana Roberts2026 6-0 PF Ayana Roberts – OMG – Hampton
Roberts drew my attention quickly once she entered the game. Ayana is a powerful post presence. She pounds away on the glass and showcased her back-to-the-basket game as she scored on high-low feeds after sealing her defender. Roberts also stepped outside to hit a long jumper and pushed the ball in transition after snagging a rebound. I am interested in seeing more of the rising junior. She tallied 8 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 block in impressive fashion.

Addison Strickland2025 6-0 C Addison Strickland – OMG – Konos Academy
Hidden away in the GAPPS, Addison Strickland is a viable prospect that small schools looking for size and upside may need to tap into. Strickland passes the eye test. She has very good size with an athletic and strong frame. Strickland moves her feet very well on defense. Addison is an effective rebounder. She scored off two putbacks, one she ran the floor for to clean up a miss, not falsely assuming her teammate would make the breakaway layup. Strickland scored an And-1 for her first hoop of the day and finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds and 1 steal. Addison has interesting tools to work with and should improve with reps against better competition.