Week 9 Scouting Report: Standout Wings and Forwards

I made it out to two Week 9 games. The Denton Braswell Bengals earned a 47-35 road victory over the McKinney Lions on Tuesday, and the Lake Highlands Wildcats hosted and defeat the JJ Pearce Mustangs 51-36 on Friday. There were several individuals who caught my attention during these matchups. With that in mind, here are seven standout wings and forwards from this past week’s action: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="135370" first="Alisa" last="Williams"] | 2022 | 6’1’’ Power Forward | Denton Braswell HS</strong> - Williams was decisive when operating in the post and showed good variety with her finishing. She can score on the block in traffic, as well as knock down turnarounds in the mid to high post area. Moreover, the Braswell senior is capable of extending out to the perimeter and spacing the floor. Her hands also stood out. She was so strong at the catch point and always secured the ball with ease whenever she received entry passes. Williams has a polished game that should allow her to contribute immediately at LSU next year. <strong>Jade Journey | 2023 | 5’7’’ Small Forward/Shooting Guard | JJ Pearce HS</strong> - Journey shot the ball well from mid-range and from behind the arc on Friday. She is a terrific spot-up shooter who can hit from a variety of spots. I loved how quickly she was able to get into her shooting motion after receiving the ball. Journey is also an active defender on and away from the ball. Beyond that, the junior wing contributes on the glass and possesses a deceptively quick first step that can make undisciplined defenders look silly. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="384324" first="Fiona" last="Hasse"] | 2023 | 6’1’’ Power Forward | Lake Highlands HS</strong> - Hasse is a glass-cleaning forward with good size who gets it done at both ends. She did a good job of staying with it and battling for offensive rebounds while also securing defensive boards. She did a lot of little things well Friday night, including sealing off defenders in the paint and quickly going back up with her putback attempts. Her footwork in the paint was solid as well. <strong>Sam Tillson | 2024 | 6’3’’ Power Forward/Small Forward | McKinney HS</strong> - Tillson is a stretch four with a soft touch on her jump shots. The McKinney sophomore knocked down a pair of spot-up triples vs. Braswell on Tuesday, exhibiting her ability to consistently hit from deep. She can create space for herself with jab steps, and though she is not the fastest prospect, she makes up for it with her fluidity and skill. Additionally, Tillson was excellent as a rebounder and disciplined about boxing out opposing players. This is a skilled forward who can provide value in a number of areas. <strong>Jada Griffin | 2024 | 6’0’’ Power Forward | Lake Highlands HS</strong> - Griffin provided brilliant rim protection throughout Lake Highlands’ matchup against JJ Pearce. She came away with multiple blocks and impacted any attempt that was released within her area code. The sophomore forward displayed a great feel for when to go after blocks and challenges and when to stay down and avoid foul trouble. Furthermore, she was fantastic on the glass at both ends. Griffin would have to be my pick for defensive player of the week. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="158866" first="Kennedy" last="Evans"] | 2024 | 5’10’’ Shooting Guard/Small Forward | Denton Braswell HS</strong> - Evans did a lot of the dirty work for Braswell on Tuesday. The sophomore wing knocked down a deep catch-and-shoot three, contributed on the boards, and played great perimeter defense throughout the contest. She ended the matchup with three points, six rebounds, three steals, and a block. Although she did not light it up as a scorer, her impact was noticeable, and that speaks volumes about the type of player she is. <strong>Skylar Anamekwe | 2024 | 5’11’’ Small Forward | McKinney HS</strong> - Anamekwe showcased her outstanding athleticism Tuesday night. She possesses a high motor and hustles her tail off to get back into plays. Her effort is never in question. The 2024 small forward showed some craftiness as a scorer too, evidenced on one occasion with a good-looking step through move down low after utilizing a pump fake. When you add in her versatile defense and rebounding contributions, you get a prospect that anyone would want to play alongside.