Winter Rankings: 2024 Stock-Risers
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Here are the biggest stock-risers in the 2024 Winter rankings: Finley Lohan Finley Lohan 5'11" | SF George Washington | 2024 State WV , George Washington, CG, 5-11 – What else can be said about the Patriot sophomore? What situation…
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Continue ReadingHere are the biggest stock-risers in the 2024 Winter rankings:
Finley Lohan Finley Lohan 5'11" | SF George Washington | 2024 State WV , George Washington, CG, 5-11 –
What else can be said about the Patriot sophomore? What situation hasn’t she conquered? What scorer hasn’t she shut down? What game hasn’t she been the scoring leader for George Washington?
Maybe, you could say this … she’s getting better game by game. Sure, it sounds unbelievable. She’s doing everything head coach Jamie LeMaster could ask for and more. Now, she’s taking on even more responsibilities.
That latest example came in a regional co-final game against Greenbrier East. Even though the Patriots couldn’t fully rally from a 13-point halftime deficit, Lohan contributed as much as she could on both ends of the floor. She shut down the Spartans top shooter Cadence Stewart Cadence Stewart 5'8" | SG Greenbrier East | 2023 State WV with a defense that the junior just couldn’t figure out the entire evening. Lohan also sparked the charge that helped GW back in the game. She nailed the 3 that sent them into the lead, and then did her best to try and make the advantage stick.
Overall, it was an ideal showing of leadership from the second-year player. In fact, it was one of many since the Super Sophomores article debuted on the site a few weeks ago. Simply put, she keeps learning and evolving as a player.
Macie Mallory Macie Mallory 5'9" | SG George Washington | 2024 WV , George Washington, SG, 5-8 – Injury or not, Mallory deserves the No. 2 spot based on the strength of her shooting.
Sure, there isn’t any tangible evidence from the prep floor this season. But what about the last three AAU and last two prep seasons? There’s plenty.
Mallory lit up the competition to the tune of a 48% shooting average from 3 over that period of time. Those results came against not only W.Va. Class AAAA competition, but the grueling and cut-throat competition the nationally recognized West Virginia Thunder program plays on the Under Armour circuit. Teams compromising the circuit include clubs from Atlanta, Chicago and other large metropolitan areas. Games often involve plenty of contact and limited fouls. So, she’s had little choice, but to learn how to square her shoulders and pop up a quick shot. And it’s worked.
If that’s not enough proof, OK.
If anyone needs any other reassurances on her progress to get back on the court after an ACL injury, her father Brian Mallory says she’s attacking the assignment with relish. In addition, she’ll likely see the court and play with more vision after a year spent on the bench watching the game from a different perspective. She’s only going up from here.
Lacee Smith Lacee Smith 5'6" | SG Huntington St. Joe | 2025 State WV , Huntington, SG, 5-7 – Perhaps not one of the better-known names on this list, Smith is flourishing in her first season at Huntington since moving from Huntington St. Joe.
Learning from players like NCAA Division II commit Imani Hickman Imani Hickman 5'11" | PF Huntington | 2022 State WV and NCAA Division I commit Dionna Gray Dionna Gray 5'3" | PG Huntington | 2022 State WV , the sophomore shows flashes of the final product. When it’s game time, she’s ready. When the lights are bright, she balls it up.
Maybe it’s not as pronounced as other players on this list, but she’s playing with an athletic starting five who all bring something to the table. It hurts sometimes but helps bring out her ability to mesh with any type of player.
Sophi Aldridge Sophi Aldridge 5'5" | CG Cabell Midland | 2024 State WV , Cabell Midland, SG, 5-7 – Aldridge’s slow start to the season fades well into the past, now.
She erupts for something new nearly every game, that alone makes it easy to forget. The positives outweigh anything else. Take her shots away, she cleans the boards. Box her out, she hits big shots. Basically, she creates another headache for many teams already overwhelmed by Cabell’s depth.
Her range stretches the floor. Her defense forces mistakes. Her timing stands as impeccable. In two recent big games, she hit a combined nine 3s, that helped but pressure on an already challenged Spring Valley group. And she kept the heat on George Washington with another four treys. Now is that’s not hitting big shots, then I don’t know what is.
She flourishes in nearly all kinds of shots. Coming off screens, pop up or limited daylight … not a lot of situations hamper the Knight.
Lily Jordan Lily Jordan 6'0" | PF Morgantown | 2024 State WV , Morgantown, PF, 6-1 –
Jordan brings an athletic build to the court in her six-foot-one body She shows the strength to be able to absorb blows while battling down low. She’s comfortable taking her game out to the arc but moves back down nice and flowing in case she needs to grab a rebound. Should she continue to improve her ballhandling, she’ll be a force many teams don’t want to see at the college level.