High School Season Scouting Reports

It’s the heart of high school basketball season and the games are coming fast and furious. Instead of deciding which games to watch, I decided to shift the focus. I picked 4 players that I needed to analyze and made sure to focus intently on those prospects in particular. Here they are: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="147750" first="Jada" last="Garner"] (2021, SG, Midland Dow)</strong> I was immediately impressed by her straight line speed and quickness. She almost glides down the floor. Garner was able to push the ball in transition with both the dribble and the pass. All of this makes her a big threat in transition. I liked the Garner waited for, and  caught passes, shot ready. She showed a quick and confident stroke as well. Garner looked for a body to box out on almost every shot and shoe showed the ability to catch a pass on the move and finish under the rim. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="175805" first="Ella" last="Riley"] (2021, SG, Plymouth)</strong> The first thing that stood out to me was her willingness to defend anywhere on the court, whether it be the perimeter or the paint. Against taller matchups in the post, she was very active in trying to make her opponent uncomfortable. Riley seemed to always know where she was supposed to be, which kept her moving fluidly throughout the game. She never hesitated or questioned herself. Riley likes using a v-cut to create space and get the ball in her hands. She cuts through the lane and under the rim a lot. When she does, she’s looking for the pass and looking for an opportunity to take advantage of an unsuspecting defender. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="147739" first="Amanda" last="Roach"] (2022, CG, Hartland)</strong> Roach’s defense in itself makes her a next level player. She keeps a low base and her eyes locked on her opponent. Roach understands defensive positioning and it really helps her create turnovers. She has the ability to provide full court pressure on her own. Roach is so tough on offense too. She likes to get to the lane with her right hand and dish the ball off over the defense to open teammates under the rim. Roach has a right finish that is nasty to defend. She protects the ball with the left and skips it off the backboard with her right. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="147719" first="Alecsis" last="Smith"] (2022, C, Bay City Central)</strong> Smith is a flat out powerhouse. She's a physical screener and could really create opportunities and openings with that aspect of her game. When Smith has the right matchup, she really likes to play overtop of her defender. She catches her post feeds high and goes to work. Smith looks very tough to stop when the defense gives her an opening to finish over her left shoulder. She has a nose for the ball off the rim and she shreds off contact when going up for a rebound.