War Games 28.5
Girls Analysis

War Games 28.5: 2022 Top Performers

Xaviera Dyer6-3 F Xaviera Dyer – Zone 6 Celtics Black – Maynard Jackson
The biggest stock riser from Insider Exposure’s War Games 28.5 was Xaviera “Zay” Dyer. After watching her for the first time in June at Georgia State Team Camp, I knew she couldn’t fly under the radar much longer. Dyer exploded for 23 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 1 block in a win over SLAAM Grate. She checks all the boxes for a big-time recruit. Her size is impressive, but her mobility and shooting touch put her at another level. Dyer excels from the mid-range with a great touch. She scores in the post with turnaround jumpers and can get her shot off anywhere. Dyer rebounds with authority and pushes the ball up the floor, able to go coast-to-coast. Mid-Majors need to act swiftly. Dyer is on the verge of cementing herself as a High Major forward. She is as good as it gets in the paint in Georgia.

Caelan Ellis5-7 SG Caelan Ellis – Atlanta Celtics – McEachern
Teams looking for a well-balanced perimeter scorer need to check out Caelan Ellis. She has been on D-I radars for a while. While her size may hurt her a little bit, her game is more than strong enough to draw attention from Low Majors and Mid-Majors. Ellis is a lights out shooter that can score on the catch or off the bounce. Her signature quick crossover into a floater is one of the elite moves in Georgia, making her a nightmare to defend. She finishes with kisses off the glass and scoop layups. Ellis poured in 23 points vs. FBC Carolina Elite and netted 12 against FBC Black Nxt-Gen JG while hitting a total of 6 threes.

Aliyah Washington5-9 W Aliyah Washington – Atlanta Celtics – North Paulding
Sooner or later someone will fall in love with Aliyah Washington. She brought her hardhat to work against FBC Black Nxt-Gen JG, collecting 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block. Washington showcased her developed offensive game from all three levels. She scored on a putback, a baseline drive, a baseline jumper and a three-pointer. Washington has worked hard to improve her perimeter game while not losing sight of her M.O. as a pit bull competitor that can play bully ball in the paint.

5-5 PG Evelina Davlakou – FBC Legacy Select – Luella
The Luella transfer dazzled in a 47-41 loss to New Heights NYC Blue. Davlakou has a great handle, able to breakdown defenders and get into the paint where she shines as a passer. Her shiftiness keeps defenses off balance. She creates separation and hit the three off the dribble. Evelina recorded 14 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 1 steal. Kennesaw State, Jacksonville State and Marshall have all recently offered.

Jordan Kierbow5-8 G Jordan Kierbow – FBC EOTO Black – Mt. Zion-Carrollton
It was a stock up week for Jordan Kierbow who entered the event with NAIA and D-III interest. Jordan played with a pep in her step and looked quicker on the floor and lighter on her feet. She was able to force turnovers on defense and help initiate the offense in transition. Kierbow shot with confidence, hitting a pair of threes in a blowout of Peak Performance Creegan. Again, it was her court vision that really impressed. Kierbow has the strength to get downhill but also has the sense to dish to open teammates. She finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals.

6-2 F Bryana Hardy – FBC Bouncenation – Lovejoy
I expect more D-I schools to jump in on Bryana Hardy. She is an active forward with great mobility. Hardy is comfortable defending on the perimeter and can use her length and lateral quickness to stay in front of guards, giving her switchability. Hardy uses her size to her advantage on offense and plays big. She has a good first step and can drop step off the bounce to spin her way inside. Hardy was effective on the glass, posting 14 points, 9 rebounds and 1 steal in a 62-45 win over ETA Thunder. Mid-Majors should push hard.

Cayla Cowart5-10 CG Cayla Cowart – FBC Black Nxt-Gen JG – West Forsyth
Judging based off of other players that play the same position, it’s unfathomable that Cayla Cowart doesn’t have at least one D-I offer yet while some less effective players have multiple, but that’s the nature of the beast. A D-I offer should materialize soon but if not, expect D-II schools to fight tooth and nail. Cowart showcased different areas of her game throughout the week. Her passing touch was impressive as she could get downhill and lob passes inside through traffic. Cayla’s footwork around the rim with reverse pivots to let defenders fly by and score shows patience. Whenever she wasn’t scoring the ball, she found ways to make a positive impact with her rebounding and defense. Cowart is a jack-of-all-trades that will stuff stat sheets at the next level. She’s the most sought-after prospect in the Peach Belt Conference right now. Her work ethic will carry her far in college.

Letiya Reeves5-10 W Letiya Reeves – Zone 6 Celtics Gold – East Coweta
An incorrect roster may have hurt Letiya Reeves as her number was errantly listed as 6 instead of 15, but I let everyone I could get a hold of know who the impressive wing really was. Reeves has good size on the perimeter. She has a solid motor and a diverse offensive game. Reeves can get her shot off the bounce with three-point range and has the strength to get all the way to the rim. Her aggressive defense helped get into passing lanes. She tallied 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 6 steals and 1 block in a win over Team Elite Peake. I could see D-I teams kicking the tires on the All-State guard as well as top D-II programs.

5-10 PF Kate McBride – Peak Performance Webb – St. Pius X
Embry-Riddle Prescott is getting a workhorse inside. Kate McBride played as hard as any post I saw last week. She gets a body on somebody when shots go up and she tracks down rebounds. She is capable of attacking off the dribble and gets a bulk of her offense in the paint. McBride scores through contact. Her toughness helps her play bigger than her size. Kate had 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals in a loss to Mac Irvin Fire.

Jillian Bretz5-10 SG Jillian Bretz – North GA Magic – Forsyth Central
A great week spanned War Games into ATL SummerSlam as Jillian Bretz closed the summer with a bang, shooting lights out. She hit 3 threes as she went for 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal in a blowout of Low Country Premier. At SummerSlam, she torched the nets in her first game Sunday, drilling multiple threes and then came up big in a championship win over Porter Sports as she scored from all three levels. Bretz is one of the more skilled wings in Georgia. Once she sees a shot fall, she gets into a groove quickly. Bretz is tough in transition as she gracefully attacks the rim and can finish with kisses off the glass. D-II and D-III schools are watching her closely. Columbus State, Emmanuel, Oglethorpe, Berry and LaGrange are a few that have already offered while Georgia College has shown interest.

Chloe Sterling5-6 PG Chloe Sterling – Team Nite Nite-Oliver – Marietta
The state champ turned it on when the game was on the line. She finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals in a 40-38 win over East TN Elite. Sterling buried 4 threes and used a smooth handle to evade pressure.