Dallas Mavericks Fall Classic: Standout Juniors

Dozens of Texas high school teams gathered in Frisco this weekend for the Dallas Mavericks Fall Classic. Forty-eight schools were in attendance, giving hundreds of players the opportunity to compete in a tournament-like atmosphere early in the season. This event was loaded with talent. Let’s take a look at some of the best 2023 prospects from the weekend. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="267347" first="Journee" last="Chambers"] | 2023 | 5’5’’ Combo Guard | Frisco Liberty HS</strong> - Chambers had a lot of success attacking the basket off the dribble in the championship game on Saturday. She was rewarded with close-range looks as well as numerous trips to the foul line, where she was also excellent. The Liberty guard was great at utilizing floaters and runners once she got into the paint, highlighted by her <a href="https://x.com/aloughmiller1/status/1459674468616388609">game-winning tear drop</a> to beat the buzzer and earn her team a first-place finish. Chambers received all-tournament honors as well. This is an assertive scorer who proved she can deliver in the clutch. <strong>KK Jones | 2023 | 5’7’’ Point Guard | Denton Guyer HS</strong> - In her third season as a varsity starter for Guyer, Jones has finally been given the keys to the car. She is making the most of it too. The junior floor general put together a strong performance in her opening game of the tournament, impacting the game with her scoring, passing, rebounding, and defense. Jones consistently made things happen for herself and others. She was responsible for some crafty finishes at the basket as well as some terrific assists as a playmaker. Her defense was also outstanding, recording a block and a steal in the contest in addition to several deflections. Moreover, Jones took somewhat of a beating in this game and displayed toughness to grind out a win. <strong>Mariah Watson | 2023 | 5’8’’ Shooting Guard/Small Forward | Denton Guyer HS</strong> - Watson is a versatile piece on Guyer’s roster. She looked comfortable playing in the post and on the perimeter at both ends, and was productive in both areas. The 5-foot-8-inch junior showcased some solid post moves and strong finishing on the block. She got it done as a slasher too. Her timely cuts and transition scoring were critical to her teams’ ability to maintain the lead for almost the entirety of their opening night matchup. Beyond that, Watson held up when defending taller opponents and came up with some key stops in important moments. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="204178" first="Jadyn" last="Atchison"] | 2023 | 6’1’’ Shooting Guard/Small Forward | Cedar Hill HS</strong> - Atchison possesses a long and wiry frame and understands how to use it to her advantage. She can get her shot off against just about anyone. The Cedar Hill junior isn’t afraid to take some difficult jumpers from mid to long-range, but she was most effective when getting into the teeth of the defense and scoring over the top by exploiting size mismatches. Her length showed up on defense and on the glass too. Opposing ball handlers were visibly bothered when she defended them one-on-one. <strong>Lacey Rice | 2023 | 5’7’’ Combo Guard | Amarillo HS</strong> - Rice was excellent in Amarillo’s opening matchup of the event on Thursday. She recorded 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists. Her spot up shooting caught my eye, knocking down a pair of catch-and-shoot corner threes. She also showed that she can score with her jumper from mid-range. Furthermore, the 2023 guard made multiple triples in three of her four games this weekend, proving that she can be a consistent source of shooting for the Sandies this season. Additionally, Rice was willing to sacrifice her body and take charges to gain extra possessions. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="134046" first="Sydney" last="Wade"] | 2023 | 5’4’’ Point Guard | John Paul II HS</strong> - Wade played with great pace in both of the games I saw her in. She controlled the tempo of the game on offense and was outstanding as a facilitator. She was a generous passer who assisted on several baskets throughout the weekend, including a gorgeous full-court pass that hit her teammate perfectly in stride. The JPII guard produced as a scorer too. She dropped in some floaters from difficult angles and was also solid when attacking the hoop in transition. Wade wasn’t afraid to show some emotion either after making a positive play, and her teammates appeared to feed off her energy. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="96156" first="Taylor" last="Haggan"] | 2023 | 5’11’’ Power Forward | John Paul II HS</strong> - Haggan was tremendous in both her opening contest and in the third-place game. She was such a steady source of offense for JPII. Her ability to finish in a variety of ways after establishing herself on the block was outstanding. She showcased strong hands at the catch, solid footwork, and a soft touch down low. Haggan was fantastic at stretching out to the foul line and drilling mid-range shots, displaying consistency as a jump shooter throughout the event. On defense, the junior forward could not be overpowered in the paint and made opposing teams work to get the ball into the post. The Mavs Fall Classic was a great all-around showing for her. <strong>Lydia Cooke-Wiggins | 2023 | 5’6’’ Combo Guard | John Paul II HS</strong> - Cooke-Wiggins definitely had one of the best-looking jump shots out of anyone I saw during the tournament. She was able to create her own shot with regularity and deployed her jumper from a variety of spots, knocking down several off-balanced shots off the bounce. The junior guard can stop-and-pop from the elbows, or slice her way to the basket where she exhibited the ability to score with acrobatic finishes or with floaters from tough angles or distances. She showed off her shot-creating and shot-making capabilities this weekend and was rewarded with a spot on the all-tournament team.