Triad Area Diamonds in the Rough-Freshman Class of 2023

Stepping up from middle school basketball to high school is a big step for most basketball players as they have so many adjustments to make and the competition is bigger, stronger, more experienced, and skilled than they are accustomed to. But for a few special players the transition is easier because of the skill set they have already established and the experienced gained playing off-season basketball and they are ready to make the step up not to JV but to varsity basketball. Here are some players that were impressive in their debut season and who are showing early signs of being top players by the time they are seniors they are my diamonds in the rough.   Ella Butler- Freshman- 5’11”- Forward- Western Guilford High School It always helps when you are blessed with natural talents and grow to this height but maintain your athletic ability and that is what we have here. Ella is one of those players that just looks like a basketball player as soon as she steps on the court, she is long both in the arms and legs, she is athletic and she is well set up to be a quality basketball player. So far all she has done her freshman year is average 15 points a game in a variety of ways in transition, around the rim and mid-range shooting but she also is a good defender where her length allows for deflections and steals and she is a steady rebounder averaging 7 rebounds a game. She still has things to learn as all young players do and she will mature and get stronger with time but she has diamond written all over her and I can’t wait to watch her development.   Emma Pendleton- Freshman- 6’2”-Center- Forsyth Home Educators Here we have a throwback to the Shaq days where post players dominated the post with size and power and skill. Emma is a solid build back to the basket player that has worked hard on her post games and has the moves and footwork to prove it. She makes her living in the lane and has learned how to post up and seal and has great hands and is hard to stop down low. Her size and strength allow her to finish strong at the basket going through defenders and still managing to score, at this early age she already knows how to use her body to rule the paint. This allowed her to score 11 points a game to go along with an amazing 9 rebounds a game. Oh don’t think she is relying on her size only she also runs the floor well and is working hard on her ball handling and shooting to enable her to be a more complete player. Watching how hard she works on her skills and seeing the skill set she already possesses leads me to believe she is clearly a diamond in the rough and another one to keep an eye on as she progresses through her high school years.   Alina Abdulina- Freshman- 5’10”-Forward- Forsyth County Day High School Another one of those athletes that have been gifted with the physical tools to be a talented basketball player. She is already an accomplished shooter from midrange and 3 point range and has incredible form for such a young player. Her athleticism allows her to run the floor extremely well and finish at the rim but it is her shooting ability that translated to her 13 points per game average in her first year. She also defends well with her long frame allowing her to be a ball hawk which led to steals and easy baskets at the other end. The more she plays and as her body matures and gets stronger she is going to be one of those versatile players that colleges are loving at the moment that have the ability to play multiple positions on the offensive end as well as defend multiple positions giving their coach so much more flexibility when using their talents. Remember her name as I am sure we will be hearing it more and more as her high school career continues and her diamond starts to shine.   Briahna Scott- Freshman- 5’9”- Guard- Walter M Williams High School Wow is the word that comes to mind when I watch this player play she has the tools to be truly one of the elite players before her high school career is over. To already be so polished at this early in her career just makes me wonder how good she is going to be. An athletic guard with size and speed and length she has all the physical tools to be outstanding. She is a crafty lefty that scores in a variety of ways off the dribble, in transition and she is learning to shoot the 3 point shot and as this part of her game improves she will be almost impossible to defend. Defensively she can defend multiple positions at ease already at this stage of her young career which just checks more boxes on her profile. Add to all of this her desire and work ethic and you can see why I am so high on her talent, even as a freshman she averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and even 2 blocks a game to just reiterate her complete game. Her talents have already been noticed as she was selected to the All-Region team this season and believe me when I say this is the first of many honors this player will earn during her high school playing career and if her skills have not been noticed already trust me her star will shine too bright not to be noticed. She is definitely one of the best diamonds in the rough I have covered.   Danasja Horne- Freshman- 5’8”- Guard- Parkland High School One of the best things a coach can say about a player is they are coachable and willing to learn and this player is that and more. One of the most promising guards in the area she has already started to figure things out at this level and after a successful first year running the team she is going to be one to watch. She already has some of the tools to be special at her position, she is a good ball-handler, a good passer, and can create her own shot as well as shot for others and she is developing a nice feel for the game and how it flows. Defensively she has the athletic ability and size to guard both guard positions with ease and is good enough to spearhead any defensive scheme. Already a team leader as a freshman her leadership skills will continue to grow as will all her other skills put her on course to be a premiere guard not only in the area but in the state. Her stat line is not what you would expect from a freshman with 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals to go along with 1.5 assists per game and she was able to impress at an early-season tournament where she was named to the All-Tournament team. I love the way this player plays the game and as her skills continue to improve and she matures she is going to be a guard to be reckoned with and colleges will follow her progress from rough to diamond. I know I will enjoy watching as well as all other basketball fans in NC.