Triad Area Diamonds in the Rough- Sophmores- Class of 2022
All these players have finished their sophomore year with little or no exposure and for all of them, that is going to change next season because of their immense developing talent. Some players just take a little longer to develop…
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Continue ReadingAll these players have finished their sophomore year with little or no exposure and for all of them, that is going to change next season because of their immense developing talent. Some players just take a little longer to develop and that has been the case with these players they are talented each in their own way but what they all share is they are diamonds in the rough but not for long.
Lexi Roberts- C,F,G- Sophomore- Clover Garden High School
A valuable player for a team that won 25 games and a conference title game with a superstar player that caught most of the headlines, she was able to produce great numbers and to make enough contributions to make me believe she is truly a player to watch over the next two years. She is very versatile and can play inside and out but this year most of her damage came inside where she excelled. Her numbers tell the story of a player that is developing her talents and will be ready to step into the spotlight this year. Last season she was just an all-around solid player with 8 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block, and 2 assist per game averages which show she basically did it all. She had a few games with 10 or more rebounds and in one game pulled down 16 rebounds and she showed she can handle the pressure of big games when pouring in 9 big points in the conference title game to help her team win. If you don’t already know who she is don’t worry when the new season gets underway you will become well aware of her and her talents and so will a lot of colleges around the US.
Natalia Rubio- G- Sophomore- Vandalia Christian High School
A guard with great instincts and skills which enable her to play at a high level. Her fundamentals are solid ball-handling, passing, shooting and her defensive skills are all at an impressive level. Even at her age and experience she shows a good knowledge of the game and makes the correct play most of the time. She has spent a lot of hours working on all her skills and that is evident in her stat line with 6 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game averages. It is her defensive skills that are ahead at the moment as she defends extremely well and her anticipation allows her to jump passing lanes for steals and deflections and she knows how to position herself for rebounds. As her offensive skills improve she will be one of the most well rounded players in the Area and that will make her one of the most sought after players when it is time to move on to the next level.
Emma Hackney- G – Sophomore- Clover Garden High School
There are players that are just made to be defensive stars whether it is there physical makeup, their instincts, or just their attitude or a combination of these things or all of them. Emma is one of those players that fall into this category with ease. She just loves to defend and she is good at it so yes she has some of the physical tools but with her it’s just her attitude to be a defensive stopper or a defensive ace. The numbers lend to this as she averaged 6 rebounds and an amazing 6 steals per game including a game with 10 steals. Not all players want to do the work on the defensive end and enjoy it but she is a player that both wants to and enjoys it. Her offensive skills are not as advanced yet but they are solid for where she is in her career with an 8 point and 2 assist per game average but expect for those numbers to improve as she continues to work on this part of her game. A player that hangs her hat on the defensive end is rare but with the emphasis on defense at the next level expect her to gain some attention sooner rather than later.
Kirah Lineberry- 5’7”- G- Sophomore- Page High School
An athletic guard that is still growing both physically and as a player. She is gifted with the athleticism that makes for an elite player with long arms and quick feet so that part she already has and now the actual basketball skills are coming fast. She is solid in transition and is developing a nice shooting touch from mid-range. She has versatile skills that see her comfortable at both the guard and forward position and even as she learns the game she was able to average 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block per game good numbers for her sophomore year. MaxPreps awarded her with 3 players of the game awards during the season. She looks like she is still growing and as her body matures and her skills continue to improve by her senior year we will be talking about her more and more.
Ella Smith- 6’1”- C, F- Sophomore- Winston Salem Parkland High School
Some players are just waiting to explode on the scene and show their skills and this player is definitely one of those. She has quietly been working on her skills, getting better getting taller and just learning how to play the game and now this year will be her coming out season. She will no doubt be one of the best inside players in the Triad area and that exposure will make sure she is known throughout the state. She is such a talented inside player that rebounds with passion and is an elite shot-blocker add to this her soft hands and developing post game and mid-range shot she is one of the top players to watch. She had multiple games of double points and double rebounds and that looks set to be the norm for her next season. Expect for her averages of 6 points and 10 rebounds and 2 blocks per game to rise next season along with her profile and rest assured she is on the top of a lot of college recruiting boards and rightfully so.