Noteworthy Performers: Southwestern 4A Conference

Here are some of the top performers in the Southwestern 4A conference so far this year. I have included information about athletes who have not committed to colleges yet, but it should be noted that the following players are also statistical leaders in the conference: [player_tooltip player_id="116872" first="Jessica" last="Timmons"] (Independence High School, NC State University), [player_tooltip player_id="201033" first="Braylyn" last="Milton"] (Independence High School, University of Cincinnati), [player_tooltip player_id="201042" first="Nia" last="Nelson"] (Myers Park, Howard University), and [player_tooltip player_id="116882" first="Kennedy" last="Calhoun"] (Hickory Ridge High School, Longwood University). Betsey Burnett (Garinger, PG/SG, 2023) is a guard averaging over 20 points a game, and she is balancing that performance with 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and 4 assists a game so far. She had 35 points against East Mecklenburg as she put on a shooting clinic from behind the arc draining 7 three-pointers. Her anticipation on defense translates well to offense as she jumps into passing lanes grabbing steals and quickly taking them the other direction for some fast break points. On offense she does a great job moving around the court with and without the ball finding the open areas in order for her to continue to contribute for her team. She makes smart decisions with the ball, too, knowing when to dish it to her teammates after drawing the defenders to her or taking it all the way to the hoop. As a sophomore, she is already showing that she is a leader of her team. Alyssa Lewis (Hickory Ridge, G, 2023) is making her name known as an underclassmen. She is another guard who opponents need to do their best to protect the ball as she can grab steals and use them to score her fast break points. She isn’t just a transition scorer, though, as she shows off her jump shot from all over the court including behind the arc. Lewis does a great job finding separation from her defenders to get her shot up. She is already good at handling the ball under pressure. When playing against a tough Independence team, she put up 15 points. [player_tooltip player_id="116914" first="Mia" last="Xerras"] (Myers Park, PG, 2023) is a very skilled ball handler who knows how to create separation between her and her opponent. She can blow by defenders or step back for a jump shot. Guards better keep close to her before she shows off her three point shooting ability against them. She is a terror herself on defense jumping into passing lanes and causing deflections making it difficult for her opponents to make any kind of plays. As an underclassmen, she is already leading her team from her position. [player_tooltip player_id="213236" first="Cheyla" last="Scott"] (David W. Butler, W/SF, 2023) was dominant in a game against Porter Ridge with 21 points and 22 rebounds. She also contributed 4 blocks and 5 steals. She is a sneaky player who knows how to jump into passing lanes to grab steals and take them in transition scoring before her opponents can even catch up to her. She crashes the boards looking for rebounds to make sure her opponents have no second chances. Olivia Burke (Porter Ridge, G, 2024) is averaging over 20 points a game along with 9.5 rebounds and 3 assists. She is an athletic guard who knows how to make plays with the ball. She moves fluidly with the ball weaving in and out of her opponents finding the gaps in opposing defenses to dish the ball to her teammates. She can drive the ball all the way to the basket herself, or she can shoot from behind the arc. She makes it difficult for other guards to have their way on offense as she jumps into passing lanes and picks the pocket of those that try to get by her. Her IQ is already high, and she still has a full high school career ahead of her. Kaylee Carson (Independence, PG/SG, 2024) is averaging 14 points per game in her freshman season. She is also contributing rebounds and assists. She had her first career double-double with 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists against Porter Ridge. She is an exciting guard to watch as she knows when to blow by people or show patience letting a play develop. She does a great job running the floor even without handling the ball to make sure she can contribute on fast break opportunities. She finds the gaps in the defense making nice cuts in order to grab passes and score. She certainly has a bright future ahead of her. At such a young age, Sheree Gidney (Hickory Ridge, PF, 2024) is making her name known as a force to be reckoned with in the paint. She is constantly tracking the ball finding ways to block shots, and she knows how to anticipate passes around her creating steals for herself. She runs the floor well preventing her opponents from scoring on fast breaks. She had 10 points against Independence this season.