2023 Adds New Faces to Updated Watchlist
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Seeing is believing and after vigorously going over notes and playing back games and events in my petabytes of memory, I saw several talented players over the course of the past few months, either during the school season, the high…
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Continue ReadingSeeing is believing and after vigorously going over notes and playing back games and events in my petabytes of memory, I saw several talented players over the course of the past few months, either during the school season, the high school playoffs or at some of the Individual Showcases I covered, the last one being She’s Ballin and the next one coming up June 12th, the All Eyez On Me Individual Showcase which means I’ll have my eyes on EVERY player in attendance. As I continue to add and move around players, always keep in mind that Texas is a very large state and it’s important to be in front of knowledgeable evaluators with no agenda whatsoever so here are my six additions
McKinna Brackens McKinna Brackens 5'10" | SF Fairfield | 2023 State TX (Fairfield)
Current Rank #14
Brackens hasn’t been seen in person myself yet but after not only helping lead her team to a state championship (UIL 4A) and being named MVP, I actually pulled up the videos and they did not do her justice because she’s long and athletic, that’s the base and she does things offensively not only fluidly but she also plays within herself. She’s a double-double waiting to happen but two minutes of footage has me dropping #BCSLock on her
Jamie Reude Jamie Reude 5'6" | PG Boerne | 2023 State TX (Boerne)
Current Rank #31
Reude wasn’t nice at She’s Ballin Showcase and when I get up and leave a court specifically to see one player, that says a whole lot and whether it was her crossover setting defenders up for the attack or her stepback to keep them guessing, her ability to create her shot while being guarded tightly was just as impressive as the barrage of three pointers she made being closely guarded
Jaeden McMillin Jaeden McMillin 6'0" | SF College Station | 2023 State TX (College Station)
Current Rank #36
McMillin sold me on that initial sighting when I drove to Bryan to see her College Station team play Rudder because I had to see the freshman everyone was raving about and she did not disappoint. She had a double-double and showed she could score inside and outside, that includes the three-ball and she also helped lead her team to the state tournament semifinals (UIL 5A) but her upside is scary
Saylor Upshaw Saylor Upshaw 5'10" | SF San Marcos | 2023 State TX (San Marcos
Current Rank #50
Upshaw also has the base, long and athletic, yet she’s overly athletic and her energy level stays the same, especially on defense where she left me somewhat intrigued at her desire and ability to play the passing lane, something I love to see from a player. She also can put it on the floor and attack, that first step is pretty good and she also can hit the strop and pop as well as rebound, I saw all of this at She’s Ballin Showcase
Ese Ogbevire Ese Ogbevire 5'7" | PG Fulshear | 2023 State TX (Fulshear)
Current Rank #56
Ogbevire is nowhere near the finished product yet when you’re this explosive and can handle the ball with control, under pressure, many things will fall into place. I love her energy, she applies pressure baseline to baseline and her unselfishness also stood out at running the one yet she controls the tempo to almost a standstill or can push it, zigzagging full court while being guarded
Kaia Henry Kaia Henry 5'7" | CG Manvel | 2023 State TX (Manvel)
Current Rank #60
Henry gives Manvel one of the top trios of young guards, joining sophomores Jordyn Marshall Jordyn Marshall 5'6" | CG Manvel | 2022 State TX and Jade Miller Jade Miller 5'6" | PG Manvel | 2022 State TX and was a key ingredient to them making a regional Elite 8 finish. She can take defenders off the dribble, she can shot the mid to long-range and she also defends but her ballhandling under pressure and ability to see the court, under pressure is ahead of the curve
Here are the updated 2023 Rankings, more coming on Stock Risers as well as positional breakdowns