Early Season Standout Post Play

The #RamsayTipOffClassic and the #MoJoTipOffClassic was played on a Thursday and Saturday, respectively, and gathered top talent across the state. I am not sure if there will be two events this year that were played in such close proximity that will bring the level of competition that these two events did of players in the state.   With games often being dominated by guards, I really enjoyed watching the post play of the ladies. The state of Alabama has some post players that college coaches will be seeking out heavily. Let's talk about a few…   <img class="size-medium wp-image-353398 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/PGH-JMecoh-Stringer-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />J'Mecoh Rae'ona Stringer (5'10/Power Forward/2025)   School: Wenonah HS Instagram: N/A Twitter: @N/A   J'Mecoh is a freshman but plays well beyond her years. Now you still see immaturity in parts of her game, but she is highly productive in the middle for Wenonah. She has good size and plays physical in the paint. She is a force on the offensive end as she can score the rock around the rim. <blockquote> She draws a lot of fouls and gets to the line often. </blockquote> Her game was limited to the paint area when I saw her, but she is young and has time to continue developing her repertoire. She is a significant piece for the Dragons as they look to rebuild the tradition that is known with the Wenonah Lady Dragons program. She is a foundational piece that can be built around, and the attention demanded from her will open up many opportunities for her teammates.   At the #RamsayTipOffClassic against Carver-Montgomery, she had a team-high 15pts.   <img class="size-medium wp-image-349628 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/PGH-Erin-Perry-300x300.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" />Erin Perry (6'0/Center/2023)   School: Carver-Montgomery HS Instagram: Erin_jamya Twitter: @epeezy04   This was my second time seeing Erin within a week, and she was the same steady presence that I saw earlier in the week. The difference is her teammate Takya Camille Walters-Norman didn't leave with an injury this game, so Erin played more of a role and dominated on the glass but contributed in the scoring columns when opportunities presented themselves. <blockquote> Scoring wise she had a quiet performance but still poured in double digits. </blockquote> With her 6'0 frame and her long arms, her length created problems as Carver packed in their zone, and Wenonah players found it difficult to get good looks in the paint area as Erin loomed around.   At the #RamsayTipOffClassic against Carver-Montgomery, she finished with 11pts.   <img class="size-medium wp-image-353399 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/PGH-Dyona-Jones-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />Dyona Maria Jones (6'0/Power Forward/2022)   School: Hewitt-Trussville HS Instagram: Dyona.24 Twitter: @Dyona_24   I was able to put my eyes on Dyona at the #RamsayTipOffClassic and the #MoJoTipOffClassic held at Mortimer Jordan. She was a dominant force in both contests that I saw. She is an extremely physical player in the paint and likes to bang and likes to run the floor. <blockquote> She is a good finisher around the rim and even gave the audience a Dream Shake and had me wondering was I watching Houston Rockets play back in the day. </blockquote> The season is young, but I truly believe that there is another level to Dyona's game that she will have to bring to help Hewitt be the caliber team they can be this season. Hopefully, she can take it to that next level and be an even more dominant player than she is right now.   At the #RamsayTipOffClassic, she had 14pts against Ramsay.   At the #MoJoTipOffClassic, she had 8pts against Hazel Green.   <img class="size-medium wp-image-353401 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/PGH-Naomi-Smitherman-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />[player_tooltip player_id="320524" first="Naomi" last="Smitherman"] (6'1/Power Forward/2022)   School: Ramsay HS Instagram: slim._nai Twitter: @naomi_2022   When I first laid eyes on Naomi, I was impressed with her size, as she towers in the paint and brings a lot of attention her way offensively and makes ball-handlers question attacking the paint when she is on defense. Her production was not what I expected at the #RamsaytipOffClassic. Still, I could tell there was promise, so I was optimistic about her game and was intrigued to see how her production would be in a couple days at the #MoJoTipOffClassic. The difference in the two games was night and day, as Naomi was a lot more active on both ends of the court. <blockquote> Offensively she showed her turn-around jumper in the paint and even stepped out and knocked down the mid-range J. </blockquote> Defensively, she guarded in space and had active hands getting several deflections. While a senior, Naomi could have a big season if she can decide that she is going to impact the game every second she is on the court because she has the capacity to do so. She has offensive potential that is just screaming to be unleashed.   At the #RamsayTipOffClassic, Naomi finished with 2pts against Hewitt-Trussville.   At the #MoJoTipOffClassic, Naomi finished with 8pts against Trinity Presbyterian.   <img class="size-medium wp-image-353403 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/PGH-Ruthie-Smith-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />[player_tooltip player_id="324026" first="Ruthie" last="Smith"] (6'0/Forward/2023)   School: Lauderdale County HS Instagram: ruthiesmith2023 Twitter: @RuthieSmith2023   Simply put, Ruthie gets it done inside and out. She could, in one sense, be considered a stretch-4, while in another sense, she can be viewed as a traditional forward. She is a player that exemplified the shift in the role of the once traditional big to the modern-day big. <blockquote> So basically, Ruthie is a player that can play multiple positions, score at multiple levels, punish smaller defenders, and is agile enough to play at the top of Lauderdale's full-court press. </blockquote> Before the game with Lauderdale and Spain Park began, the noise in the stands was about how well Ruthie can score the rock, and she did not disappoint, showing multiple tools in her toolbox. Lauderdale has weapons on their squad, but none more significant than Ruthie.   At the #MoJoTipOffClassic, Ruthie finished with 16pts against Spain Park HS.   [player_tooltip player_id="373864" first="Leah" last="Brooks"] (6'2/Forward/2024)   School: Hazel Green HS Instagram: N/A Twitter: N/A   One of the most dominant post players that I have seen this year is [player_tooltip player_id="373864" first="Leah" last="Brooks"], and she has started her sophomore campaign off with a blast. She has good size and length and could possibly grow a little more. Now let's talk about her ability to score the rock, as she gets it done and leaves no doubt that scoring is the strength of her game. She has excellent mechanics in her turn-around jumper off the low block, which she can deliver over both shoulders. <blockquote> Leah is one of the highest-ceiling prospects in the state, and I am looking forward to seeing what the remainder of this season and the rest of her high school career brings. </blockquote> I will keep this one short because trust me when I say you will be hearing more about [player_tooltip player_id="373864" first="Leah" last="Brooks"].   At the #MoJoTipOffClassic, Leah finished with 21pts against Hewitt-Trussville.