Breakout Candidates

Over the next few months, be sure to familiarize yourself with these players. While they may not be household names nationally just yet, expect their stocks to rise as they climb the ranks in Georgia. <strong>2022 5-9 F [player_tooltip player_id="148859" first="Aliyah" last="Washington"] – North Paulding</strong> Blessed with a pit bull mentality and an uncanny nose for the ball, [player_tooltip player_id="148859" first="Aliyah" last="Washington"] is one of the toughest forwards in her class. Washington blends a soft touch, tenacious rebounding and a motor that doesn’t quit. She routinely outrebounds bigger opponents and can stretch the floor with her versatility, able to shoot from distance and take her man off the dribble. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2DA2qH"><em><strong>HIGHLIGHTS</strong></em></a> <strong>2023 5-7 CG [player_tooltip player_id="154586" first="Jada" last="Morgan"] – Jones County</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="154586" first="Jada" last="Morgan"] is well on her way to stardom after pouring in 15.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game as a freshman. Morgan is a wrecking ball that can dish out punishment when getting to the basket. She can chop down defenders with her combo-dribbles and get into the paint. Morgan is also a streaky three-point shooter that can light teams up once she sees her shot drop. Her overall polish and feel for the game are very advanced for her age. D-I schools should follow closely. <strong>2022 5-10 SG Chae Harris – Shiloh</strong> It’s rare to find a player that has all the tools to become a game-changer. Chae Harris has the size, length, athleticism and knack for playmaking that gives her such a high ceiling. She averaged 12.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.4 blocks as a true stat sheet stuffer. She can knock down the open three (24-83; 29%) and is a menace on defense with how she can get into passing lanes. Harris has some areas of her game she needs to fine tune but with two years left in her career, it would be a shock if she doesn’t put it all together and become one of the best players in Gwinnett County. <em><strong><a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2B60r8">HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></em> <strong>2021 5-6 PG [player_tooltip player_id="118110" first="Kaila" last="Rougier"] – Beach</strong> Rougier tipped-off her offseason by impressing at the Insider Exposure Summer Jam with the FBC/KA Nightmares. The shifty scorer doesn’t let her lack of size hurt her. She knows how to score at all three levels and excels at breaking down defenders. The southpaw can stop and pop after leaving the defense in the dust. Kaila averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3.5 steals. Her recruitment started in 2019 with offers from Alabama A&amp;M and Jacksonville. Most recently in May, North Florida offered. Mid-Majors should be the next in line to vie for her services. https://x.com/KailaThaGoat/status/1263632664931831810 <strong>2021 6-0 PF Makaila Brown – Brunswick</strong> This summer has been big for Makaila Brown as Radford and Gardner-Webb have offered. She averaged 11.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks per game but her stretches of dominance provide a glimpse of what could be an explosive senior season. Brown is athletic, strong and has a nice touch. She flies in for offensive rebounds and finishes with power at the basket. The mobile post has solid footwork with her back to the basket and can finish on the run in transition. Defensively, she can be tough to score on with her length. Brown has a lot of high-level basketball ahead of her. <em><strong><a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2DpERe">HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></em> <strong>2022 6-2 F [player_tooltip player_id="148863" first="Claire" last="Davis"] – Cass</strong> One of the most versatile inside-out forwards in her class, [player_tooltip player_id="148863" first="Claire" last="Davis"] has size and skill. Averaging 19.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2 steals and 3.1 blocks per game, Davis was a mismatch nightmare playing in arguably one of the state’s best regions. She handles the ball like a guard and can get teammates involved as a point-forward. Davis plays with a physicality and toughness as she scores both in the paint and from the three-point line. She uses her length to alter teams’ offensive game plans with her shot blocking and quick reactions on the perimeter. She’s got D-I written all over her. <strong>2022 5-6 PG Becca Ledford – Fannin County</strong> A rising junior, Becca Ledford is a smooth guard with a high IQ. She handles the ball well against pressure and understands how to manipulate a defense. Ledford can get into the paint where she looks to finish or drop off to open teammates. She’s got a nice jumper that must be accounted for on the perimeter. Ledford isn’t afraid to get up close and personal on defense. She has enough lateral quickness to stick with ball handlers and get underneath them when they try to make a move. D-II schools will want to circle her name and watch her progress as she accepts a bigger role in the offense over the next two years.