War Games 28.5
Girls Analysis

War Games 28.5: 2024 Top Performers

Bryanna Preston5-8 PG Bryanna Preston – FBC Legacy 16U UAA – Lovejoy
Kentucky, Belmont, Charlotte and South Florida all offered Bryanna Preston this month. With the way she played at War Games, I expect plenty more to pile in. You can’t teach speed. Preston is a blur with the ball; she uses her overall athleticism on both ends of the floor which makes her special. She has elite quickness on defense, disrupting offenses with her hand-speed and anticipation. She turns live ball turnovers into points every time. Preston has wiggle. She gets into the teeth of the defense and gets to the rim. Bryanna has effective flash as well, comfortable making ball fakes when going up for layups to spin defenders around. Adding a consistent outside shot will help her development. She hit a nice three off the dribble against the Atlanta Cagers and finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block after picking up 13 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 6 steals to open up the week against the Carolina All-Stars. As her offers tell, Preston is a High Major guard that will continue to improve over time.

Caroline Mullins5-9 CG Caroline Mullins – Wood Elite – Pickens
Pickens took a magical run to the Elite Eight large in part to the play of Caroline Mullins. Heading into her sophomore season, expectations are sky high for the well-rounded guard. Caroline has tools to work with. She’s got good size and is athletic. Mullins has a high motor and can influence games on both ends of the court. She attacks from all three levels with an accurate jump shot when her feet are set. Mullins has a nice pull-up jumper to go along with her three-point range. She is an effective rebounder and has the ability to guard 1-3 on defense. Caroline has a good nose for the ball and earns multiple deflections. She put up 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 5 steals in a rout of UED and stuffed the stat sheet even more against FBC Tipton. As she grows in creativity, as will her upside. Mullins has a bright future and a chance to be one of the best to come out of Pickens in quite some time.

Malaya Jones5-5 PG Malaya Jones – FBC Black Next-Gen JG – Arabia Mountain
East Tennessee State offered today following a strong showing playing up in the 17U division. Though on the smaller side, Malaya Jones is as sharp as a tack. She handles the ball vs. pressure and has no issue setting up the offense. Jones is really good at getting two feet in the paint. She uses a pretty floater to negate shot blockers. Malaya is mature beyond her years. With an All-State selection and Class 4A Freshman of the Year honors already under her belt, Jones has a terrific career ahead of her.

Erin Rodgers6-1 W Erin Rodgers – FBC Black Next-Gen JG – Grayson
When Erin Rodgers came off the bench, she provided an immediate spark. The lanky guard scored from multiple levels and was an aggressive offensive rebounder. Rodgers can create space with the dribble and score off the bounce with her jumper. She has three-point range, but doesn’t settle for long shots and instead is able to mix up her attack nicely. Rodgers is a versatile piece that plays all over. Her length gives her major value on defense as she earns deflections. A handful of Low and Mid-Majors have already offered. Erin has High Major upside and should be a Power 5 player when all is said and done.

5-9 SG Carrington Wilson – FBC Hoopstarz UAA – Stockbridge
It was my first-time watching Carrington Wilson who had a sterling freshman season averaging 19.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 3.4 steals and 1.1 blocks. Carrington didn’t put up numbers like that in a 45-43 loss to New Heights NYC, but she did impress me.  Wilson is a very good athlete. She’s aggressive in nature and likes to attack the rim and pull-up for short jumpers. She has range to the three-point line and provides energy on defense.

5-5 CG Frankee Payne – FBC Bouncenation 16U – South Gwinnett
Frankee Payne knows her game well. A prolific scorer as a freshman as a flamethrower from deep, Payne excels at getting to her spots. The lefty is a lethal jump shooter that doesn’t need many dribbles to get to the mid-range. She’s got strength to her frame and can shake off defenders. If she grows more, she could become a dynamic three-level scorer. Payne had 13 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steal in a 49-44 win over MBA Bobcats.

5-9 G Gabbie Grooms – Zone 6 Celtics Black – Landmark Christian
Another standout that put up monster numbers as a freshman, Gabbie Grooms tacked on 9 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists playing up.  Grooms has a sturdy body that helps her get into the paint and absorb contact. She uses a nice hesitation move to get past defenders. Grooms can shoot the three and is a reliable playmaker off the dribble.

Eva Garabadian5-8 CG Eva Garabadian – Atlanta Cagers BlueChip-Kniceley – Wesleyan
I think Eva Garabadian has a chance to land on D-I radars sooner rather than later. She has a smooth handle and the ability to score in different ways. Eva has a nice eurostep downhill and can score with scoop shots and floaters. If teams don’t play up on her, she can torch them from the three-point line. She may be more of a shooting guard, but has the ability to help run the offense as a primary ball handler. She went for 13 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in a 39-36 win.

Lucy Hood5-9 PG Lucy Hood – FBC EOTO Select ’23 – Rabun County
In a wild 37-35 victory over FBC Carolina Elite, it was Lucy Hood who helped get EOTO open looks when needed. I think Hood can hang with some of the best guards in the class. She’s a very good athlete that’s shifty with the ball. Lucy is good at getting penetration and kicking out to shooters. She’s a high energy player that sticks her nose in every play. She is a good rebounder for a guard. On offense, Lucy can be used in different ways. She played in the high post some and delivered assists to backdoor cutters. Lucy finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. She has a chance to develop into something special.

Abby Samples-Slaton5-8 SG Abby Samples-Slaton – North GA Magic ’23 – Dawson County
Playing up an age group, Abby Samples-Slaton made a lasting first impression. She’s a wiry guard that can stroke it from deep. Abby can play either on or off the ball but is most dangerous when she can spot up for threes. Samples-Slaton wasn’t just a three-point specialist however. She was able to attack the hoop and draw fouls. Abby poured in 18 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 1 block while sinking 3 threes and going 5-6 from the line. Samples-Slaton should thrive over her next three seasons in Dawsonville.