Triad Area Players You Don’t Know Yet- But You Will Junior Class of 2021
These juniors may not have had spotlight type junior years but they were all solid, they are all college prospects and heading into their final high school year expect big seasons from them and to hear about each one of…
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Continue ReadingThese juniors may not have had spotlight type junior years but they were all solid, they are all college prospects and heading into their final high school year expect big seasons from them and to hear about each one of them as soon as the season starts.
Maylee Miller- G- Junior- Vandalia Christian
A guard with solid skills and fundamentals. Her ball-handling and passing skills are advanced and she possesses a solid shooting stroke and makes a vast amount of her open shots. This led to her averaging over 9 points a game last season. Having another talented guard in the backcourt with her works in her favor as she can play both guard spots and she makes that transition with ease as she is just as comfortable with the ball in hand as she is moving without the ball. She can defend either guard spot as well and is a smart defender and uses her instincts to anticipate passes to the tune of 3 steals per game and rebounds well for a guard averaging 4 a game. She is already a member of the school’s All-Time team and next year promises to be her best yet and her skills will assure she is playing basketball somewhere at the next level when her high school career is done.
Milan Gordon- 5’9”- SF- Junior- Northern Guilford High School
This player is the ultimate team player and plays as hard as any player on the court. She is always on the move and is very athletic which she uses to her advantage on both ends of the court. In transition is where she really shines as she runs the floor and finishes as good as any player. Her shot is steady and as it improves the sky is the limit for her on the offensive end as she has the quickness to get to the basket literally at will. These skills led her to average over 7 points a game and with the offseason to work on her outside shot expect that number to rise to double digits in her senior season. On the defensive end she is amazing using her physical tools to steal passes and start the break to the tune of over 1 steal a game and she is a solid rebounder as well grabbing over 3 boards a game. Just watching her play you think there are two of her out there as she is always around the ball and never takes a play off and is consistently making plays. It also helps that she is battle and big game-tested playing for a program that plays in a tough conference and is a permanent fixture deep into the state playoffs. Just the kind of hustle players every college needs and has on its roster and that is where she will find herself at the end of her senior year.
Kaitlyn Blakley- 5’4”- G- North Forsyth High School
One of the most improved players on the list as she has moved from playing in only 2 games as a sophomore as she learned the ropes to playing in all games in her junior season. This shows her dedication to the game and the areas in her game that she needed to work on she has improved drastically. She is now a solid point guard who can handle the ball and rarely turns it over, she sees the floor well and makes great passes, she can get to the basket and finish against taller players and her shot has continued to improve. These skills led her to average over 6 points a game and that will most definitely increase next season with work in the offseason on her outside shot. What she has learned the most is how to play and read the game as a point guard and how to be a leader and communicator which is why she was chosen as captain of this year’s team and those skills will bode well for her at the next level and is sure to attract colleges looking for just a solid point guard to run their team.
Shakira Baskerville- 6’0”- F- Junior- West Forsyth High School
Kind of hard to not notice this player as she stands at 6’0 and is about the most athletic big I have seen in the state this year. To be her size but move as fast as some guards show her tremendous athletic talents. She runs the floor like a guard and covers so much distance and space with her length and size. Watching her play you forget she is 6’0 tall as she is just as comfortable in the front of a press trapping players all over the floor as she is under the basket where she is a force blocking or changing shots and she is a rebounding machine on both ends of the floor. She is comfortable in the post with soft hands and great moves and footwork and her length makes her hard to defend but she can also step outside and make that shot with ease with 3 point range as well. She is capable of a double-double every night she steps on the floor and will probably average that with ease next season. What I love about her is her motor she just plays so hard and never takes a play off, she is into everything and leaves you just shaking your head and wondering where did she come from to make that play. I may be late in finding her but I am sure colleges are not late to the party because she will make a contribution to any college program in the country with her skills and dedication. Look for big things from her next season and make sure you get out to see her play and she will not disappoint.
Makayla Poole- 5’11”- F- Southeast Guilford High School
On every successful and championship team, there has to be that one player that is the glue that doesn’t grab the spotlight or headlines but is the reason for the team’s success that is what she is to a team that has won over 30 games the last two seasons and a state championship and would have been playing for another one this season if not for the suspension of the season. She just does all the little but necessary things such as anchor the defense, clean up the offensive and defensive boards, be a good passer, and just outwork everyone on the floor. She has the best hands I have seen in high school basketball this season she just grabs or catches any ball near her, she catches all passes to her good and bad, she grabs every rebound within her reach in traffic she just manages to come up with the ball. She also is one of the best finishers at the basket in the Triad if not the state she makes layup after layup both in traffic and in transition, she posts well and understands how to get position to post up or to get a rebound and when she gets the ball in the paint she is automatic. Her motor is always on and no matter the score or the situation she will be involved in the play somehow. Her versatility is amazing as she can defend any position on the court as she is just that athletic and can score in the post and has developed a nice mid-range shot and as that improves and extends she will be one of those impossible to defend players. She is one of those players that has been there and done that and is big game tested and has tremendous poise and confidence because of it. With the departure of one superstar expect her to step up and become the #2 superstar on another championship-contending team. Colleges that have not taken notice may be too late to the party as I am sure she is already on top of a lot of college recruiters board and she deserves to be.
Other Players to Watch
Leila Hamoud- 5’2”- G- Junior- Page High School
A solid point guard who shoots the ball well and runs the team as a confident leader. She has the ability to get to the basket and makes good decisions in transition. Averaged 6 points a game last season but that should increase this season could be a true sleeper.
Jayla Massey-5’4”- G- Junior- Parkland High School
A guard that is comfortable at either guard spot but excels with the ball in hand in transition where she can use her court awareness and speed to make positive plays. She is a skilled passer that averaged over 3 assists per game last season and her shooting skills have improved to add to her already strong driving game. Defense is also an area where her game is strong as she was able to average an amazing 4 steals per game using her quickness and instincts all this makes her a strong choice for any college needing a solid guard.
Talaya Smith- 5”6’’- G- Junior- Walter Williams Burlington High School
Another combo guard that could play the forward position if she had to she just has that kind of versatility. Shoots the ball well with the ability to break down the defense with her quickness and ball handling. Her size enables her to pass over smaller guards and she was able to average 2 assists per game as well as 6 points a game. She helped lead her team into the state playoffs and had a big first-round game that enabled the team to pull off a big upset and get into the second round. Going to have a good senior year and will attract interest at the next level as she has the skills to play at a college somewhere in the US.