Thanksgiving Week Standout Guards (Part 2)

There were some exciting tournaments in the state during Thanksgiving week. Here’s part 2 of some standout guards I saw during the tournaments I attended.   <img class="size-medium wp-image-362376 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/PGH-Makayla-Ford-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />Makayla Nichole Ford (5’6/Combo Guard/2022)   School: Lee-Huntsville HS Instagram: 0fficial.kaylaaaa Twitter: @kaylanford123 Tournament: BALLN Prep Thanksgiving   If I had to sum up Makalya’s game, it would be very simple: she competes at a very high level. She was hands down one of the hardest-working players I saw during Thanksgiving week. She is small but was one of the most relentless on-ball defenders that I saw. She was a big annoyance to ball-handlers; as she piled up several steals in the game, I saw her. On the offensive end of the court, she was just as tenacious as she attacked the rim with purpose. <blockquote> You could tell that she was an experienced player, and her senior experience and leadership showed on the court. </blockquote> Her ability to create off the bounce, score in the paint, and finish thru contact showed her determination as she often did those things thru and over bigger players with length. She finished with 15pts in the contest against Cardinal Ritter (MO)   Offers: N/A   <img class="size-medium wp-image-362377 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/PGH-Hannah-Wallace-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />Hannah Wallace (5’6/Shooting Guard/2024)   School: Cardinal Ritter College Prep (St. Louis, Missouri) Instagram: _.hannaaahhhh Twitter: @_.hannahw1 Tournament: BALLN Prep Thanksgiving   I really was intrigued with the potential of Hannah, as her crew from Missouri came and battled in the state of AL. She has good length at the off-guard spot and showed that she can handle the rock. <blockquote> Often, she led the break for her squad and made good decisions in transition. </blockquote> She is highly versatile and gives her coach a lot of options in how to utilize her. As she continues to develop her game, her versatility will increase her stock as she will have a robust toolbox from which she can draw tools. A couple of tools that she showed were her ability to knock down the trey ball and finish at the rim. When it comes to Hannah and the fact that she is just a sophomore, the reason to be excited about her development is warranted. She already can do a lot with the ball, and more time in the lab will only expand her abilities.   Offers: St. Louis University   <img class="size-medium wp-image-350020 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/PGH-Emily-Straughn-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />Emily Payne Straughn (5’6/Wing/2023)   School: Mountain Brook HS Instagram: emilystraughn Twitter: @emily_straughn Tournament: Mountain Brook Spartan Turkey Jam   Emily was one of the most polished players I saw during the holiday week. Her high IQ was one of the things that separated her from a lot of players that I saw over the course of the week. Not to mention that she has a knack for scoring the rock at all levels. She is a player that has to be accounted for by the defense on every possession. Whether she is making plays for herself, creating scoring opportunities for her teammates, or scoring from behind the arc on c&s opportunities, Emily made her impact on the offensive end of the court. <blockquote> She produced at a high level in the game I saw her play against Springville, who did not have an answer for her offensive prowess. </blockquote> I enjoyed watching Emily play as she understands how to play the game and has an excellent feel for the game. She rarely forced situations, played at a nice pace, and showed a very balanced game. She finished with 19pts against Springville.   Offers: N/A   <img class="size-medium wp-image-362378 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/PGH-Farrah-Hawkins-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />Farrah Hawkins (5’7/Shooting Guard/2023)   School: Springville HS Instagram: farrah.leighhh Twitter: @farrahleighhh Tournament: Mountain Brook Spartan Turkey Jam   On paper, the match-up between Mountain Brook and Springville heavily favored host Mountain Brook. However, everyone read that paper except Springville as they made the game more of a contest than many thought it would be. Farrah was a reason for Springville’s ability to keep the game close over four quarters. Now Farrah simply found ways to score by simple determination at times. She is still developing in a few areas skill-wise, but she did well the things that she was able to do. <blockquote> She was a playmaker off the bounce as she constantly looked to attack and create for herself and others. </blockquote> With this being her junior campaign, it will be interesting to see if she can commit to the lab over the off-season and come back a breakout player for her senior campaign. I mention that because the potential is there.   Offers: N/A   <img class="size-medium wp-image-362379 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/PGH-Cgloe-Siegel-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />[player_tooltip player_id="324020" first="Chloe" last="Siegel"] (5’6/Shooting Guard/2023)   School: Deshler HS Instagram: chloesiegel11 Twitter: @chloesiegel2023 Tournament: BALLN Prep Thanksgiving   If I was writing about elite shooters from behind the arc, Chloe’s picture would have to be on the cover of the article, because as Dick Vitale says, "she can stroke the rock baby." She was one of the most confident shooters that I saw, and her confidence poured over to others in the gym. I even found myself, along with a few others in the crowd, thinking that it was going in every time she shot the ball. <blockquote> Being on a team that shoots the trey ball just about every time down the court, Deshler’s system allows Chloe to thrive in the strength of her game. </blockquote> I know there are questions about mechanics, but as the quote goes, numbers don’t lie, so take a look at Chloe’s numbers and see her high level of production for yourself. She dropped 20pts in the contest against Athens (18pts came from behind the arc)   Offers: University of North Alabama   Stay tuned...More is coming…