Freshman/Rising Sophmores Making an Impact
To step in and be a vital part of your team as a freshman requires a certain personality and toughness, to get past that new girl on the team stigma and gain the respect of the older players on the…
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Continue ReadingTo step in and be a vital part of your team as a freshman requires a certain personality and toughness, to get past that new girl on the team stigma and gain the respect of the older players on the team as well as the coach. Freshmen impacting their teams is something we don’t see a lot of but these talented players are bucking that idea and not only impacting their teams but in some cases actually leading their teams.
Anna Taylor-Guard- Neuse Charter School- Despite being a freshman Anna was one of the leaders on her team and a big reason for their success which is usually not the case for freshmen players. She has worked hard at learning how to play the game and already has a vast array of skills. Don’t let the fact that she is playing in a small conference or at a small school fool you, she has the goods. No matter where you play to be able to average 21 points a game shows you can put the ball in the basket and this crafty left-hander can definitely do that. She accomplishes this with a smooth stroke from mid-range or in transition where she can finish around the rim well. Her play saw her honored as a member of the 3rd Team All-District Team as a freshman and trust me this is just the start of the many honors this young lady is going to earn in the high school career. One can only imagine what she will be like when she matures and gets stronger in her remaining three years but rest assured she will be a player to watch and one that will without a doubt be playing and contributing at the next level.
Evangelia Paulk-Guard/Forward- Asheville High School– There are some players you just can’t take your eye off of and enjoy watching them play and this player is one of those. I find myself shaking my head at the offensive talents of this player at this stage in her high school career. She can score in so many ways it leaves you wondering how she is going to score next whether it’s her potent mid-range game where she shoots the free-throw line jumper with silky smooth accuracy or pulling up in the lane and finishing with a soft touch or shooting the 3 pointer where she is a lethal standstill shooter but can also shoot it off the dribble or from a screen or scoring in transition whether off a steal or a rebound she runs the lanes well but also has the ability to rebound and push the ball herself where she can find her way to the basket or find teammates she does it all with ease these skills led her to average 19.3 points per game. With all her offensive talents what you marvel most at is her defensive skills where she is a great on-ball defender but excels getting in passing lanes where she uses her instincts and long arms to deflect or steal errant passes to get her and her team in transition. This enabled her to average a remarkable 5.2 steals per game. She was rewarded with a 3rd Team All-District selection. One can only expect as she matures and gets stronger and more experience for her to get better and her skills to improve and what this means is a lot of visits from Division 1 programs and three more years of exciting basketball for us NC basketball fans, I can’t wait to watch this player develop it’s going to be fun to see.
Autumn Gentry-5’4” Guard- Trinity High School– There are not many small guards who can not only play the shooting guard position but also excel there. Well this player is one of those elite few at 5’4” she is definitely small even in the high school arena to play the shooting guard spot but this player has the goods to get the job done. She is comfortable coming off the screen and shooting the ball well and has an adequate 3 point shot but where she really shines is her ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the basket with ease, with both hands and finish over taller defenders. She is almost impossible for one player to stay in front of because of her ball-handling ability and toughness. All of this combined to allow her to average 19 points per game as a freshman. She is also a good defender and just loves to compete. Her honors included a spot on the 3rd Team All-District team. This player is going to be one we talk about throughout her career and as she gets stronger and works on some of her other skills and to attract more Division 1 offers plays more point guard she is surely going to be able to cement her a spot on a college roster when the times comes.
Kaitlyn Adams- 5’9” Forward- Bunn High School– Sometimes freshmen don’t play or look like freshman and this player definitely fits that quote. She has an athletic build that serves her well on the basketball court she is strong and tough and plays that way. As a freshman she understands that you have to play hard all the times and what makes her different she loves the game and plays it with fun and enthusiasm. Offensively she is solid in the post with her back to the basket where she uses her body well and has good hands and footwork, she also possesses the ability to make the 3 point shot if needed and that will continue to improve the more she works on it. She can also handle the ball well enough to get to the basket off the dribble but she excels in the open court either scoring off the break or dishing to an open teammate. These offensive skills led her to average 15 points a game for her team and showing her poise and confidence she had one of her best games in the state playoffs. Don’t overlook her defense where she is solid and learning how to be a better defender but her athletism allows her to rebound well to the tune of 7 rebounds per game as well as 1.5 blocks per game. Her talents were recognized and she was honored as a 3rd Team All-District member. So her build is already there and now she just has to continue to improve her skills and just gain more experience things that are assured to happen and that will lead to her finding her name on a lot of Division 1 recruiting boards when the time comes.
Darrionna Howard-6’1” Forward- Clayton High School– Not many basketball players are blessed with the body type and athleticism necessary to play the game at a high level but this player is one of those ones. At 6’0” with long arms and legs, quickness and jumping ability, and a high work ethic she is the proto-type basketball player and set up to succeed. She uses all these natural abilities to her advantage by scoring at will in the post with both hands, running the floor well and finishing at the rim and to add to this she is an excellent passer and does a great job getting her open teammates the ball. These skills enabled her to average 15 points a game. Her offensive skills are solid for where she is in her career but what puts her ahead is her defensive ability. She is built to be a great defensive player using her long arms to get in passing lanes for deflections and steals and to defend the lane with block shots which led her to 8 rebounds and 4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game solid defensive numbers for any player let alone a freshman. All of this led to her selection on the 3rd Team All-District team as a freshman. All this player has to do is to continue to improve and get stronger and without a doubt those top defensive Division 1 programs will be knocking on her door to have her come join their program.