Top Performers-Gold Division #PeggyWhitleyClassic

Even though Justice Carlton Justice Carlton 6'1" | PF Seven Lakes | 2024 State TX wasn’t in attendance, she was representing Texas at a national conference, I had a chance to catch some surprises from her squad yet the surprises didn’t stop there as several new faces stood out in the top division, in front of me

Madison Carlton Madison Carlton 6'2" | PF Seven Lakes | 2026 State TX (Seven Lakes)

Carlton gave me my first look at her in a couple of seasons, this is why I love tournaments because I miss so many players on shoe teams yet her GROWTH, on and off the court, was impressive, to say the least. Long and athletic, yeah it’s still the base, good timing to block shots, rebounds on both ends, and showed she could score around the basket

RyLee Grays RyLee Grays 6'3" | PF The Village School | 2023 State #17 Nation TX (Pearland)

Grays was her usual dominant self inside the paint and I guess my biggest takeaway regarding her progression is she’s scoring around the basket with either hand after contact. Going after the ball and battling for everything has always been there yet she has elevated her game in so many other areas

Rezia Castillo Rezia Castillo 5'7" | PG Clear Brook | 2025 State TX (Clear Brook)

Castillo was called a #D1Lock by a REAL EVALUATOR when she was in the 2nd grade and although I enjoy bringing this up, I also enjoy how she has taken her game up, to yet another level. Her “court vision” and threading the needle for assists is next-level ready right now yet she’s explosive off the dribble and scores after contact attacking the basket but that jumper ain’t nothing to play around with, she can drop it

Chandler Caver Chandler Caver 5'9" | CG Hightower | 2025 State TX (Hightower)

Caver understands how to fill in the blanks because she can score both in the flow or just take over offensively when needed. She showed that she can also deliver in the clutch, both offensively and defensively, and played a huge role in her team being runner-up

Madison Bob Madison Bob 5'8" | SG Hightower | 2024 State TX (Hightower)

Bob and her silky smooth game have always grabbed me, sort of like how she slices in the lane to grab rebounds against taller players. She also can create her shot, from mid to long-range, and drop it with a hand in her face

Kameryn Phillips Kameryn Phillips 5'8" | CG Shadow Creek | 2023 State TX (Shadow Creek)

Phillips looked good on LIVESTREAM from pool play yet that voiceless entity I hate didn’t do her justice as she simply put on one of the best offensive performances I saw from both events I covered, She simply goes hard, she rebounds on both ends, scores on putbacks, drops mid to long-range jumpers yet she also defends, baseline to baseline or inside. Her playing the passing lane was “icing on the cake”

Shalayne Morgan Shalayne Morgan 5'9" | CG North Shore | 2023 State TX (North Shore)

Morgan goes hard, in fact, “you won’t OUTWORK her” and the unsigned senior plays the same on both ends consistently, no matter what the score is. I’m huge on things you can’t teach, she understands how to take the charge yet she charges her teammates up with her highlight finishes as well as pull-up jumpers, AFTER CONTACT

Kobe Johnson Kobe Johnson 5'11" | SF North Shore | 2026 State TX (North Shore)

Johnson is coming into her own as she’s becoming more comfortable playing against the “big girls”. She’s definitely one of the top freshmen in the city yet I’m adding her to the state because she’s long and athletic, that’s the base, and is becoming relentless on the boards. That pull-up jumper doesn’t hurt her case either

Shreya Jategoankar (Seven Lakes)

Jategoankar created plenty of buzz over the club season as I was clueless about who she was. 4 or 5 three pointers to open up the game had me pulling up the roster yet she also scored from midrange and off the dribble. She’s heady, saw the floor yet more importantly she understands how to score in the flow

Nyla Price (Shadow Creek)

Price as in “The Price Was Right” yeah I changed it like she changes directions in the open court. Her attacking the rim either in transition as well as in the set was nice, and so was her pull-up jumper. She saw the floor and did a good job defensively

Nia Reed (Hightower)

Reed reads the defense perfectly and as I “play on words” her play on the court, on both ends, is fuel for her team’s fire because her energy trickles down. She defends strongly, yet she also can score off the dribble as well as the pull-up

Paige Bonner (Pearland)

Bonner falls into that “never takes a play-off” type of player and her smothering defense, baseline to baseline, creates some problems, like turnovers. She plays the passing lane and also scored off the dribble, including after contact

Nyah Hardy (Pearland)

Hardy uses her athleticism well on both ends, she does a good job defending “on the ball” showed quick hands, and came away with steals. She also scored off the dribble and dropped the midrange both in the set and in transition

Ja’Delle Major (Clear Brook)

Major did something MAJOR after creating her shot and knocking it down from multiple spots, I enjoy seeing that. Yet, she also showed she could “catch and shoot” with accuracy, that ain’t no joke and I’m talking mid to long-range while being defended. She also attacked the basket and saw the floor

Aniya Brannon Aniya Brannon 5'4" | PG Clear Creek | 2026 TX (Clear Creek)

Brannon gave me a glimpse of what was coming at a preseason camp held at her school back in the summer. She has exceeded how good I thought she was and will be added to the next Top 100 update. Her first step is somewhat devastating when you factor in her athleticism coupled with body control. she’s an “and one” waiting to happen. The pull-up jumper is nice, mid to long-range, and she applies heat defensively

Olivia Shaw (Clear Creek)

Shaw was impressive around the basket early, showing nice hands and footwork as well as rebounding on both ends and scoring on putbacks, but that changed quickly. I became overly impressed seeing her dive after loose balls and play the passing lane yet the kicker was her shooting. The midrange was nice yet she went clutch, created her shot, and dropped a 3 to end the 3rd