War Games 28.5
Girls Analysis

War Games 28.5: 2025/26 Top Performers

Sophia Pearl2025 5-6 PG Sophia Pearl – TSF – River Ridge
A dynamic backcourt is building at River Ridge. With Mataya Gayle on the verge of blowing up, now the Knights welcome Sophia Pearl into the mix. She’s a tough guard with a reliable handle. When she gets to the rim, she has enough strength to finish or kick out to shooters. Speaking of shooters, Pearl is a great one. She lit it up from deep all week with TSF, who hit 23 threes combined in the two games I watched. Pearl sank eight of them, nailing five in a 52-49 loss to FBC Idaho as she finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Pearl can score on or off the ball. She hit two threes off the dribble and showed an ability to get to her spots in the mid-range. In a county full of great backcourts, the addition of Pearl could push River Ridge to the top of the heap.

2025 5-9 SG Kayla Whitner – TSF – Woodward Academy
From Day 1 at Woodward Academy, Kayla Whitner will be the best shooter on the team. She is a true three-point specialist that routinely hits four or more threes a game. She has very good length and is always squared on the catch. If she is able to add more to her game over the next four years, watch out.

Justus Fitzgerald2025 6-0 F Justus Fitzgerald – FBC Black Future – Roswell
I really like Justus Fitzgerald’s upside. Coming from a super athletic family which includes 6-foot-6 UMass wide receiver Michael who just graduated as a dual-sport standout, don’t be surprised if Fitzgerald squeezes out a few more inches on her already impressive frame. She’s very mobile and active. While her defense and rebounding may be a little ahead of her offense, she showed glimpses throughout the week of what she could look like as a finished product. Her best game came against WBBP Pride, collecting 10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in a 57-55 win. Fitzgerald gets her offense in the paint. She’s tough on the glass and has a propensity for driving baseline and finishing through contact. College coaches will want to keep her name in the back of their mind.

Mearah Whitehead2025 5-9 W Mearah Whitehead – FBC Black Future – Archer
MeMe Whitehead might be my favorite incoming freshman. She may not be as polished as some others or even have as high a ceiling, but the effort and energy she brings every single game gives her a high floor and will help her earn minutes immediately at the varsity level. MeMe plays as hard as any freshman I’ve seen. She’s sturdy. Whitehead defends and rebounds with a relentless mindset. She plays bigger than her size and can outmuscles bigger opponents. Whitehead gets most of her offense on slashes and putbacks but did show an ability to knock down the mid-range jumper with her high arching shot. In the two games I watched, MeMe averaged 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2.5 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. Whitehead plays so hard I could see it being difficult to keep her from seeing substantial minutes Year 1.

Tatum Brown2025 5-5 PG Tatum Brown – FBC Hoopstarz UAA – Grayson
Tatum Brown has a chance to start every game in her high school career. Don’t be surprised if Coach Tim Slater gives her the keys to the offense Day 1. Aside from being on the small side, there isn’t much negative to draw from Brown’s smooth game. She’s a very good ball handler that can split traps and get downhill. She has a floater in her arsenal and can shoot from distance. She plays with a level head and doesn’t get too high or too low.

Kate Harpring2026 5-8 G Kate Harpring – TSF – Marist
I wrote about older brother Luke a few weeks earlier and now I got to see Kate. I have a feeling that myself and college coaches will be seeing a ton more of her throughout the years. Daughter of 11-year NBA vet Matt Harpring, Kate is the next big thing at Marist. She’s on track to be a High Major guard, especially when you consider she’s bound to sprout a few more inches thanks to dad’s 6-foot-7 genes. Even though she was playing up, you could quickly tell Harpring is the catalyst for TSF. She’s got a strong frame and can do a little bit of everything. She has really good footwork toward the rim and can stop on a dime to shoot from the mid-range and beyond. She had 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in a loss to FBC Idaho before finishing her week at ATL SummerSlam against the MBA Bobcats, pouring in 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists, drilling 4 threes in the process. Kate is advanced across the board and will be an immediate game-changer by the time she reaches the high school level. She could have a Courtney Ogden type impact in the 2022-23 season.