A few freshmen to watch in the Mountain State

Freshmen don’t usually make an immediate impact on the high school game. At least, not at first. Whether they struggle to grasp plays, can’t quite find their shot during valuable playing time, or they just aren’t ready - a multitude of things can keep them off the hardwood. That doesn’t mean there’s a growing curve for everyone. Here are six new faces bucking that trend in their first year playing varsity ball: Zaniah Zellous Zaniah Zellous 6'2" | PF DME Academy | 2025 FL , Linsly, 6-2, Post - Zellous stands as the undisputed best player in the class of 2026. Yes, already. Any time someone can touch the rim as a ninth-grader, it tends to make a big splash. That’s not all that stands out about the Linsly frosh. Not even close. Looking at her entire game gives a more in-depth diagnosis of her early development. As a shot blocker, she’s nailed the concept of letting the ball come to her instead of swatting down at smaller plays. As a tall wing, she can run the floor and bring the ball up the court with confidence. Her floor presence brings it all together, especially on the offensive end. By already being so plugged into the Linsly offense, she actively reads when a teammate is driving and clears out of the lane but gets back down in the post for the rebound in two or three steps. She covers so much ground, it’s not surprising when she snags the board. Alexis Bordas Alexis Bordas 5'8" | SG Wheeling Park | 2025 State WV , Wheeling Park, 5-6, SG - Bordas will be a college basketball player in four years’ time, there’s little question about that. The bigger mystery is what will her game look like by then? More specifically, what will her shot look like? As it stands right now, her release easily can be blocked by an athletic defender capable of staying on her and forcing her to shoot a contested bucket. Thankfully, her current game looks encouraging in helping. She has other scoring options she can go to if she needs to work on her shot. Lay-ups, pop-up shots, and shooting from the wings are all in her arsenal. So, it isn’t all bad news. There’s a future where she becomes a spot-up shooter who lives like Ray Allen did during his time in the NBA, rolling off screens and launching deep shots. Spot-up shooters are quite valuable. Luckily, the other parts of her game are strong as well, so she doesn’t need to break down certain parts in a meticulous fashion. Not to mention, she isn't confined to just one role. Spot-up shooter or tough driver and defender, she should easily pull off either. Nasiya Smith Nasiya Smith 5'10" | SF George Washington | 2025 State WV , George Washington, 5-10, Wing - Confidence comes to freshman at different times. It’s just an inescapable fact of the game. When it does finally show up though, beautiful things can happen. Such is the case with George Washington’s Nasiya Smith Nasiya Smith 5'10" | SF George Washington | 2025 State WV . After a quiet start to her Patriot career, her confidence is growing every game. That was quite apparent in her most recent outing. Against Greenbrier East, the freshman was on point. There was little holding her back. No fear, no jitters, no anything, it was an amazing sight to behold. Mostly because her skill set matches up so well with what the Patriots need. She launched 3s, she played solid defense, she even brought the ball up the floor in certain situations. Coaches should keep an eye on this freshman going forward. As her confidence grows, there’s no telling where her ceiling is, yet. Preslee Treadway Preslee Treadway 5'8" | SF Greenbrier West | 2025 State WV , Spring Mills, 5-4, PG - Kudos to Spring Mills' new point guard. Kudos to her for playing above her height game in and game out no matter who the opponent is. Approaching the game in that manner is going to pay huge dividends in the long run. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon. Coaches tend to notice when a player at a perceived disadvantage rises above themselves. Those triumphs stick in their brains when it comes time to offer players. They're often hard to forget. What is so great about the Cardinal? In the immediate, Bolduc is big and bold just standing at 5-foot-4. Her game speaks out loud. Commanding the floor just comes easy for her, like that is what she was put on the court for. Calling out plays, finding teammates, knowing when to take over a game ... those are all things in her repertoire. Oh, and she's crafty when it comes to finding the best shot for her. Kynna Britton, Sissonville, 5-10, CG - Here's the thing that stands out about Britton: She already looks like a high school basketball player. Watch any of the Indians' games and that stands out. Not just a little bit, but a lot. The comfort, the passion, the IQ, everything's on display every time she's on the court. She's hunting for rebounds, directing traffic, and her teammates are responding well to all of it. They take queues from her, as they know she just wants the team to be the best it can be. Some may say it is an anomaly. Others may say it could be beginners' luck. It's more likely she's just a natural leader. Addie Davis, St. Marys, 5-7, G - Coaches will want to keep an eye on the Blue Devils' newcomer, two if they can spare them. She looks right at home during her first year on the gig. Sure, there are a few snares and snags. Everyone goes through growing pains. They aren't holding her back. They're more empowering if anything. Each new fact positively building on the next and so on and so forth. That new growth goes into her next game and again, everything rolls all over again. So far on the season, she's averaging 12.1 points, 5.6 boards, 4.6 assists, and 3.4 steals per contest. She's also shooting 43% from the field, with 19 made 3s.