Scout's Honor:Girls from the 2023 Rankings Who Are Game Changers

As a coach, you want to be able to trust your players. You want them to have the power and ability to go out and execute a game plan. You want them to have the courage and will to fight, attack, and defend every minute they are on the court. Doable? Maybe. But it takes a special kind of player who can think the game, adjust, and go out to will their team to victory. These kinds of players are a coach’s dream. The type of player who can uplift their teammates, but is just all-around solid kids. My type of player, she has to have that “dawg” in her. One that is going to go out and want all the “smoke.” She invites the pressure. She loves the challenge. She wants to be the one to be stopped, yet go out and stop the opponent’s best player. It’s about the desire to win. It’s about “Me for us.” The class of 2023 has some girls who fit the mold of what this state’s girls basketball scene is all about. Here are a few girls who have what it takes to be game-changers for their clubs. [player_tooltip player_id="285367" first="Anna" last="Claire Milam"] (5’9/ SG/ Dickson Co.)- Tough kid who just loves to play ball. You need a bucket, this is the girl that can do it. AC can put it on the floor to get to the rim, launch from beyond the arc, or utilize her quick first step to pull up. She is a heady player that plays on both ends of the court. She anticipates passes to jump the lane, rebounds, and starts transition breaks, and will get a little physical on occasion. She does have an inside presence but mainly is a face-up player. Great kid with a bright future. Cry’stianna Whitehead (5’10/ SF/ Memphis School of Business)- Someone in love with basketball. Shaq lives and breathes the game. Doesn’t matter what she is doing, basketball is on her mind. This young lady can shoot the rock. Curry inspired her, she has the range to her game. She also can get to the glass, has a knack for put-backs, and can distribute the ball. Cry’stianna is always in the gym putting in work. She is an exciting young prospect who keeps getting better. [player_tooltip player_id="285332" first="Brianna" last="Burgess"] (5’10/SG/ Creek Wood)- Talented kid who can score the ball. She is “country strong” and plays the game with heart as well as determination. Brianna is a silent assassin, who is always ready to play ball when the lights are on. Her game is quiet. You don’t know what she has done until the buzzer goes off. She is a double-digit scorer, solid rebounder, and a great distributor. Defensively, she isn’t afraid to do the little things to her team win. [player_tooltip player_id="285337" first="Emiyah" last="Cobb"] (5’10/ CG/ Clarksville Northwest)- An electric player who is exciting with the ball in her hands. This wiry combo guard can do it all for her club. She can break a defender down, using a quick first step. She can shoot it from beyond the arc by either coming off a screen or pulling up in transition. She can get to the rim and finish with contact. Solid kid who just loves to have fun. Defensively, her length creates havoc which leads to turnovers. A lot of her points comes from her playing solid defense and going the other way with it. Emiyah will be one of the next prospects out of the Clarksville area who will be highly sought after. [player_tooltip player_id="245305" first="Peytyn" last="Oliver"] (5’3/ PG/ McMinn Co.)- Scrappy kid who plays the game with a passion. She may not have the tall frame, but don’t let that fool you. She is a tough competitor who will find a way to succeed. Peytyn has a little bit of everything to her game. Quick feet, which enable her to get past her defender to either pull up or shoot a float. She has the ability to dial it from deep. She is a heady player that knows when to attack and can distribute to her teammates on time. Defensively, she loves to apply pressure. It doesn’t matter the size or the opponent, Peytyn is going to give you all she’s got. [player_tooltip player_id="285353" first="Myah" last="Sutton"] (5’5/PG/ Oakland)- Floor general. A great young lady who is the heartbeat of her ball club. Myah has an amazing presence on the floor. She’s a smart player who plays the game with a high motor. She knows when to attack, knows when to set something up, knows whose hot or whose not. She just has an uncanny ability to read and react to the game. Offensively, she can get to the rim and finish with contact. She is a multi-level scorer who can also facilitate the ball. She is dynamic in transition and can hit her runners in stride down the sideline or with an overhead pass. An exciting kid with a bright future. [player_tooltip player_id="285377" first="Ti’Mia" last="Lawson"] (5’10/ SF/ Jackson South Side)- T Law is starting to come into her own. She is forging a path for herself, one that has her trajectory arrow pointing towards bigger and brighter things. This dynamic ballplayer is an offensive threat. Multi-level scorer who can do it all. She has a quick first step, great handles, and incredible court vision. She is a defensive juggernaut, who can create turnovers that lead to transition buckets. An exciting prospect with a great future ahead of her.