Underclassmen to Know in the HoopState

There’s a ton of talent in the state of North Carolina when it comes to basketball. Here’s a look at some underclassmen lady hoopers that stood out during the high school season. <h5>2022 Guard/Wing [player_tooltip player_id="116890" first="Indya" last="Nivar"] - Apex Friendship</h5> Nivar has already hit the ground running in her second season on the varsity squad for the Lady Patriots. She’s already surpassed 1,000 career points and was named Conference Player of the Year and District Player of the Year in 2019-20 after putting up 26.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 5.1 spg, 2.5 apg and 1.3 bpg. She’s a prospect with high-major potential already on the wing. <h5>2022 Forward Sammy Ackles - Holly Springs</h5> Ackles is a force in the paint on both ends at 6-foot-3. She swatted 3.6 blocks per game to go along with 13.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per contest in 2019-20. She runs the floor well and makes her presence known on both ends when she’s on the floor. She’s a Conference Player of the Year candidate to watch next season. <h5>2022 Guard [player_tooltip player_id="116904" first="Jerni" last="Kiaku"] - Garner Magnet</h5> Kiaku is a lightning-quick guard at 5-foot-4 that gets after it on both ends. She put up 21.9 ppg, 3.7 apg, 3.4 spg and 2.5 rpg as a sophomore for the 20-8 Lady Trojans. She’ll definitely be one to keep an eye on in the Triangle Area as one who fills up the stat sheet. <h5>2022 Guard/Wing [player_tooltip player_id="116897" first="Bobbi" last="Smith"] - Southeast Raleigh</h5> Smith is a confident scorer on the wing that can get to the rim off the bounce and knock it down from behind the arc. She was a key piece of youth for the Lady Bulldogs this season. She’s following in the footsteps of seniors [player_tooltip player_id="116849" first="Jamia" last="Hazell"] and [player_tooltip player_id="116847" first="Anya" last="Poole"], both who are headed to D1 programs next season. <h5>2022 Forward Amiya Joyner - Farmville Central</h5> Joyner is a 6-foot-3 forward with nice length and size in the post. She uses her size well to establish position and get to the rim. On defense, she’s a paint protector and cleans up the glass well. She’s another forward with high-major potential in this class. <h5>2022 Guard Jahnyah Willoughby - Farmville Central</h5> Willoughby is a tone-setter for the Lady Jaguars with her ability to create steals and get out on the break. She’s a 5-foot-3 guard that gets after it on both ends and will make her opponent pay when they’re not in position. She’s a small guard with a ton of game and potential. <h5>2023 Guard Milla Gnann - Apex Friendship</h5> Gnann played a solid role on the varsity squad as a freshman, putting up 7.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per contest. She’s a 5-foot-5 guard that competes on both ends using her speed and awareness. <h5>2023 Guard [player_tooltip player_id="116911" first="Staci" last="Williams"] - Holly Springs</h5> Williams was a bright spot on the perimeter for the Lady Golden Hawks with her ability to create for others and knock down the 3-ball. She averaged 12.3 ppg as a freshman while shooting 36 percent from behind the arc. She’ll be one to watch in the backcourt next season for Holly Springs. <h5>2023 Wing/Forward [player_tooltip player_id="116905" first="Reychel" last="Douglas"] - Millbrook</h5> Douglas is another top prospect in the North Carolina 2023 class at Millbrook. She’s off to quite the start already for the Lady Wildcats as they went 24-7 in 2019-20. She can create on the perimeter but is a strong downhill driver that finishes with flare in the paint.