Game Report: River Ridge-Buford
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Mataya Gayle GA #4 PG #2 HEIGHT 5'7" POS PG CLASS 2023 View Profile Mataya Gayle Instagram Twitter State: Georgia School: River Ridge Club: Southeast All-Stars White When the Knights needed a play to be made, Mataya was the closer.…
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Continue ReadingWhen the Knights needed a play to be made, Mataya was the closer. The Penn-signee scored seven of her 15 points in the fourth quarter, hitting pull-ups and floaters in traffic. Gayle lifted River Ridge to a quick lead with an early three and led wire-to-wire. Her quickness and bursts of speed to basket caused issues. She was patient against the press and was able to deliver cross court passes to keep the defense moving. Gayle collected 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks to her robust stat line as the Knights held on at Buford Arena 53-51, winning without two starters.
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Joy was the X-Factor. With River Ridge missing their two starting post players, Tchamabe emerged as a battering ram that Buford couldn’t keep off the glass. The physical powerhouse provided 10 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks, scoring on four putbacks as she muscled her way into rebounding possession. I’ve always been high on Joy with how strong she plays and on Saturday, her value never shined brighter.
It was a big spot for Roberson playing against one of the state’s most storied programs in the mecca of Georgia high school hoops. While Makayla got chewed into a few times by Coach Jason Taylor, she didn’t fold and showed great resolve as she accepted hard coaching and rose to the occasion. Roberson stepped up, especially in the paint as she posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. She found herself around the basket often, pulling down rebounds to score on putbacks and earn second chance possessions. Roberson did a nice job guarding Buford’s star freshman and has shown over the course of her first season to be an incredibly valuable defender.
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Pearl got loose in the first quarter, helping the Knights out to a 16-9 lead as she scored eight of her 11 points in the frame, scoring from all three levels with a mid-range jumper, a floater off the glass and a three-ball. Sophia’s work against the press serving as a second primary ball handler was crucial to the Knights’ success. Pearl communicated well, vocal with her teammates about strategy and in-game adjustments from possession to possession.
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Ava Grace scored in spurts. She got hot in the second quarter and early third, hitting four pull-ups. Watson has deep range to go along with her quick accurate trigger. She does a great job getting to her spots off the dribble, stopping on a dime as defenders retreat to cut her off. Watson finished with a game-high 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 1 block.
Romano didn’t have her best shooting game – neither did anyone for Buford – but any time she let a shot fly the defense had to hold their breath. Taylor is another lethal three-point shooter with deep range. She shoots with confidence and will burn teams that are slow to close out on the catch. She provided a spark on defense as well, hustling to get to any 50/50 balls. Taylor had 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 4 steals. D-II/D-III schools looking for a game-changing floor spacer will want to reach out.
There’s a lot to like about Lydia Ledford Lydia Ledford 5’10” | SG Buford | 2026 State GA ‘s upside. First of all, she has an athletic frame with broad shoulders and wiry, yet strong length. It looks like adding muscle over the next 4-8 years shouldn’t be a problem at all. Offensively, Lydia is comfortable using both hands, able to attack with her left before pulling up to shoot over the defense. Ledford is a good three-point shooter. Her versatility extends to the defensive end of the floor. She can guard nearly every position and is a crucial piece as Buford’s tallest player on the roster. Ledford did a little bit of everything vs. River Ridge with 8 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal.
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You need players like Killian that are willing to do the dirty work and provide toughness. Listed at 5-foot-9, Corin is an undersized forward that is asked to rebound and use her quickness on defense to get around slower posts. She finished with 9 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 steals and 2 blocks. Without her effort inside, Buford would have gotten pummeled on the glass. Corin works hard in the paint, throwing her body around to get prime position. She scored on a pair of putbacks and showed touch from within 10-feet.