Triad Area Sleepers Outside the Top 100 But Not For Long Class of 2023
All these players had quiet freshman seasons and their playing time varied depending on the player or team but what they all have in common is the potential they displayed when they were on the court. When you have seen…
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Continue ReadingAll these players had quiet freshman seasons and their playing time varied depending on the player or team but what they all have in common is the potential they displayed when they were on the court. When you have seen a lot of basketball and basketball players it doesn’t take long to recognize talent in players that you only see a little of. These girls are ready to play and play they will this season and as their playing time increases everyone else will see that hidden potential that has put them on this list.
Taleeya Reed- SF- Parkland High School
Leading this list is a player that probably isn’t getting a lot of publicity and may not be as well known outside of her conference or to teams that played against her because if you have you know this young lady has game. Stepping in as a freshman she was able to show her skills and at times glimpses of a special player in years to come. She is a great athlete that plays the game fast and makes plays other players are not able to make. She scores the ball in a variety of ways and has the skills to get it going, which she did in a few games where she produced double-double including a 26 point 18 rebound 4 steal game which led to one of her MaxPreps Player of the Game awards. On the defensive end she is special and causes havoc in passing lanes and on the boards where she excels to the tune of averaging 8 rebounds a game which is crazy considering she was a freshman. This girl has all the talent and is going to make a huge impact not only in the area but in the state as early as next season, the few weaknesses she has are more things that will come with playing more, getting stronger and maturing both physically and mentally. Make no doubt about it this is the last time she will appear in a sleeper list and if you don’t play in her conference, oh by the way she made All-Conference, you will know her name really well as the season progresses next season and if college coaches are on their game believe me when I say they already know who she is.
Jainasia Bailey- 5’1”- G- Williams High School
One of the hardest if not the hardest positions to play is the point guard position because of the pressure and responsibilities that are associated with the position, this is even more difficult when you are placed in that spot as a freshman, some can handle it and some can’t but this player did a great job. Her guard skills are there and she is solid fundamentally with her passing and lack of turnovers, ball handling, and defensive abilities. She is lethal in the open court and getting to the basket in the half-court which allows her to use her quickness with and without the ball and when I say she is quick it is not an understatement no one player can stay in front of her and she can get in the lane at will and that makes her so valuable on the offensive end. She needs to develop a better more consistent outside shot and that will come and when it does she will be even more deadly. On the defensive end she has the athletic skills to put tremendous pressure on the ball and get into the passing lane and turn steals into points. She showed in quite a few games what she will be able to provide double-figure points and an excellent assist to turnover ratio and a handful of steals and as she plays more and gets more experience those games will be normal for her. She is one of those guards to keep an eye on as she has the attributes to be a game-changer at the point guard spot and go from sleeper to well known in as early as next season.
Lydia Couillard- 6’3”- Center- High Point Christian Academy
Sometimes you can just look at a player and say hey she is raw now but she has the potential to be a special player when it’s all said and done this player fits that model. As I have said before she has one of those traits you cant teach as she is already 6’3” tall and that can only help it never hurts when it comes to basketball especially girls basketball. Her strengths lie in her work ethic and her desire to learn and that along with her physical gifts will assure in time she will be a sleeper no more. She has to learn how to use her size and work with it and that in itself is difficult for a young player as they find themselves all of sudden the tallest player on the court and now have to learn to play as a big. In her limited playing time in her freshman season, she showed signs of slowly learning how to play the game at her size as things like where to be and how, how to position down low and use her size, shot-blocking and rebounding are starting to make sense to her but what impresses me is just how hard she plays and how hard she is trying that is what gets me excited about her future. In a few games she was able to make some solid big player moves and score and collect rebounds to the tune of 4 or 5 in a game all things that show signs she will be ok. With a season under her belt already and an offseason to work on her skills and get comfortable with her size and what she can do on the court in addition to her work ethic and the fact she has 3 more years to develop expect her by her senior year to be one of those dominant bigs not only in the area but in NC and the US.
Haley Long- 5’1”-G- Oak Grove High School
The best way for a freshman point guard to learn her position is to play behind a quality point guard to show her the ropes so she has time to learn what it takes to be a successful point guard at the high school level and this player was fortunate to have just that. While learning she had ample opportunities to show her basketball talents and from what she did during that time she looks poised to step up this season and take over the team and be one of the top point guards in the area. She already has the basics down and just needs to learn to play at the pace and intensity of this level but she is more than capable. She handles and passes well, her shot form is solid just needs some more consistency but she is talented enough to figure it out and even managed to do so in a few games last season where she scored double figures and she is on her way to being one of the good ones. Where she excelled this season was as a defensive specialist where she put pressure on the ball and used her amazing instincts to get into passing lanes and steal errant passes this lead to 3 games with 4 or more steals and a season-high 6 steals in one game so she knows how to defend. As her shot develops and her understanding of the game improves expect her to be one of the guards being sort after and talked about in the Triad area and possibly the state.
Chelsie Powe- 5’7”- G- Dudley High School
On a team that is always loaded with talent and athletes and has a winning program it’s hard for a freshman to just make the team nonetheless play minutes but this player did both. She is an impressive combo guard that has great size and is very athletic which leads to her excelling in the open court where her ball handling and size enable her to finish with ease in an array of moves at the rim. To go along with that she is a good 3 point shooter who shoots with a really nice form for such a young player and with great confidence. Just like all the players on her team she is a great defender who uses her athleticism to jump passing lanes whether in man or press situations and she anticipates really well for a young player. What I think sets her apart and has me knowing she is going to be an all-star type guard is she has that swag and attitude that all the good players have and she just believes she can compete with anyone and that when she is on the floor she is the best player and to have that as a freshman still learning the ropes speaks volume to her skills. As her playing time increases expect to hear more and more about her and her skill set says that will be sooner rather than later.