Week 4 Eye Catchers Pt. 1

<strong>2023 5-7 G [player_tooltip player_id="238220" first="Sharon" last="Tolliver"] – South Forsyth</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="238220" first="Sharon" last="Tolliver"] was brilliant against Denmark, stealing the show from Class 7A’s leading scorer. Tolliver poured in 31 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals and 1 block. She’s an athletic guard with a high motor. Tolliver is a hard driver that can finish with euro steps. The bulk of her offense comes from the perimeter though. She was dialed in with her outside shot. She drilled five threes and a handful of mid-range jumpers. Tolliver had no issue pulling up off the dribble to get her shot. Sharon used her athleticism on the glass and on defense. She crashed the boards and could snatch rebounds away from bigger opponents. Defensively, she earned deflections and knockaways. She could get into passing lanes and also move her feet to stay in front on-ball. Only a sophomore, Tolliver has a bright future as a two-way standout. <strong>2023 5-7 G Maggie Thompson – South Forsyth</strong> The vast majority of scoring duties were left to [player_tooltip player_id="238220" first="Sharon" last="Tolliver"] but that didn’t stop Maggie Thompson from finding her niche on Tuesday. Thompson did all the little things and excelled defensively. Finishing with 2 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 6 steals, Thompson’s versatility and effectiveness was on display. She helped move the ball on offense and was opportunistic on defense, sticking her hand in on drives to earn steals. Thompson’s ability to do a little bit of everything helped South Forsyth to a 59-34 victory. <strong>2022 5-7 PG [player_tooltip player_id="238213" first="Sophie" last="Smith"] – Denmark</strong> It wasn’t her best game, totaling 9 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists and 2 steals, held below her 23.9-point-per-game average, but [player_tooltip player_id="238213" first="Sophie" last="Smith"] still looked the part of a dynamic point guard. She’s elusive with the ball and has a great handle. Her quickness and court vision make her hard to corral. Smith always keeps her head up and isn’t afraid to make tough passes in traffic. Her three-point shot was off on Tuesday, but she’s lethal from well beyond the arc. When Smith attacks the bucket, she understands how to use her body to shield the ball from defenders and can finish with either hand. She will draw interest and offers from D-I programs. <strong>2024 5-10 F Emma Hempker – Denmark</strong> Emma Hempker showed promise for a freshman with her ability to score both inside and out. She hit a pair of threes in her 10-point production and tallied 2 assists and 3 steals. She has length on the perimeter and can help defend multiple positions. Hempker can play a variety of spots on the floor on offense. <strong>2022 5-10 CG [player_tooltip player_id="194708" first="Cayla" last="Cowart"] – West Forsyth</strong> A regular on the site, [player_tooltip player_id="194708" first="Cayla" last="Cowart"] put together another strong outing in a 52-39 loss to North Paulding. She finished with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks. The slasher supreme only got to the line three times, but still was able to convert in the paint. Cowart played the role of primary scorer and facilitator. Her vision and passing led to numerous clean looks at the basket. Cowart’s high motor and all-around floor game helps her impact games in a variety of ways. The one area of improvement needed is her three-point shot. She went 1-7 from deep. If she can bring her shooting average into the 30-percent plus range, her offense will open up even more as teams will have to respect her outside shot thus allowing even more driving lanes. <strong>2021 5-3 PG Adriana Olivera – North Paulding</strong> Speedy stole the show on Friday. Known for her quickness and defensive prowess, it was her three-point shot that West Forsyth had no answer for. Olivera drilled 5 threes en route to a game-high 21 points, 4 rebounds and 5 steals. Adriana is an unassuming little guard, but her tenacity and much improved outside shot bring not only her game, but North Paulding’s game to a whole other level. The Wolfpack won’t win many games with [player_tooltip player_id="191967" first="Taylor" last="Cullinan"] and [player_tooltip player_id="148859" first="Aliyah" last="Washington"] combining for just 18 points, but they will win a ton if Olivera is able to pick up the slack like she did at the War Lodge Invitational.