Week 10 Recap: Top Performers
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Lucy Hood GA #13 PG #6 HEIGHT 5'9" POS PG CLASS 2024 View Profile Lucy Hood Twitter State: Georgia School: Rabun County Club: Southeast All-Stars White Heading into this season, my biggest question about Rabun County was who was going…
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Continue ReadingHeading into this season, my biggest question about Rabun County was who was going to score and would Lucy Hood Lucy Hood 5’9″ | PG Rabun County | 2024 State GA take the next step in becoming one of Georgia’s best 2024 point guards. Hood was passive at times throughout last season’s run to the state title game deferring to four senior starters around her, but in order for the LadyCats to replicate their success, the onus was on Hood to hunt her offense her junior year. 17 games in, it’s safe to say Hood has done exactly what she’s needed to do. Lucy is averaging 17.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.8 steals per game while shooting 40% from three and turning the ball over just twice a night. Against Athens Christian, she attacked steadily and closed with a flurry while the Eagles tried to storm back. Hood scored 11 of her game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter to pair with her 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. Lucy hit three three-pointers, scored on floaters, drives and pull-ups. She went a perfect 9-9 from the line. Hood uses her crossover to plant her foot and go downhill with a change of pace. At the rim, she’s a physical finisher that absorbs contact well. The big guard has improved every year as an on-ball defender, making opponents uncomfortable with how aggressive she plays. Lucy is teetering on the line between D-I and D-II. She holds no offers currently but has received interest from multiple schools from the aforementioned levels. The gym rat will see offers flow in once the first one materializes.
Back from missing last season with an ACL tear, Southards has provided the exact scoring punch needed for Rabun County to replace all the points left behind by their potent senior class. Ellie is averaging 16.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 41.1% from three. On Tuesday night however, it was her defense that really stood out. She did a great job clamping down on Natalee Goff Natalee Goff 5’10” | SF Athens Christian | 2024 State GA , making it tough for her to score as she forced contested shots on the perimeter. Southards is a crafty defender. She’s a stout 5-foot-8, strong enough to defend in the post and quick enough to keep opponents in front on the perimeter. Ellie has active hands, stripping ball handlers and deflecting passes. Southards scores in bunches from beyond the three-point line and has a nice synergy working with Lucy Hood Lucy Hood 5’9″ | PG Rabun County | 2024 State GA . Ellie sank three threes as she finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. She’s a player that will be a target for D-II/D-III/NAIA programs.
I see why schools are starting to warm up on Natalee Goff Natalee Goff 5’10” | SF Athens Christian | 2024 State GA , who just picked up her first offer from NAIA Antelope Valley last week and three JUCO offers following the Rabun County game. At 5-foot-10, Goff is a big guard. She gets tremendous rotation on her shot and has a really quick trigger. Natalee has good perimeter footwork, using jab steps and one-dribble pull-ups to find her shot. Rabun County did a good job of forcing her into tough shots early on, but in the fourth quarter Goff stepped on the gas, isoing every trip down as the Eagles elected to keep the ball in her hands. She netted 10 of her team-high 19 points in the quarter, finishing with 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 7 steals and 1 block to boot. Natalee burned the LadyCats on screens, hurting them when they would go under or miscommunicate on switches. Goff’s jump shot is definitely her main weapon. She did have a nice drive when she took her man into the post and scored on a baby hook. Continuing to improve as a playmaker off the bounce will help her development. She’s an interesting prospect on the fringe of D-I/D-II.
Averie Jones Averie Jones 5’7″ | CG Lumpkin County | 2024 State GA ‘ three-point shooting and overall offense usually gets the headlines. I get it. But it’s time we start talking about how good of a defender she is as well. Jones always draws other teams’ best players and has consistently shown an ability to slow them down. Averie is physically stronger than most guards and can use that to her advantage when defending on-ball and cutting off drives. She helped hold Chit-Chat Wright to nine points over the first three quarters as Lumpkin pulled away to a 49-33 lead. Jones had an all-around strong game with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block in front of North Georgia’s entire staff.
As the year moves on, the better and better Pierce has and will look. The broken leg is in the past and Lexi had gotten back into basketball shape. She scored well in transition and made some tough unselfish passes to get a great shot instead of a good shot. Lexi tallied 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.
You don’t just luck into a triple-double. With Lumpkin County facing their most important test of the season, a rematch with Wesleyan with first-place in Region 7-3A on the line, Mullinax was spectacular recording 19 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in a 70-48 rout. The reigning Class 3A Player of the Year was at her very best – the best I’ve ever seen her, especially considering the level of competition. Mullinax wiped the boards clean and ignited fastbreak opportunities for the Indians. Every time the Emory-signee touched the ball, good things happened. Not only did her passing lead to points, but Mary lit it up, running the floor for three layups, scoring on a pair of drives, a putback and hitting two threes.
Wright was a bright spot for Wesleyan. She scored in bunches in the second and fourth quarters. Wright is an elusive ball handler with an elite jump shot, able to create space and score without the need of ball screens. She sank three three-pointers and got to the rim using spin moves and floaters. Wright did a nice job of scoring through contact. She’s a good leaper, helping her play bigger than her size. Chit-Chat posted 19 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals.
Eva got loose for a stretch in the third quarter, netting nine of her 11 points. She’s a good shooter that runs to the three-point line and can let it fly from deep. Eva showed the ability to put the ball on the floor as well, hitting a pull-up jumper and most impressively, putting her head down to get to the rim where she finished with an And-1 left-handed layup.
The Emmanuel-signee scored from all three levels. Kate sank three three-pointers, a baseline jumper and scored inside with both hands to finish with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Jackson is so polished offensively. While she isn’t an elite athlete, she has no trouble outplaying them as she uses her physicality and robust offensive arsenal to provide points. Kate did a nice job snatching rebounds in traffic while anchoring the interior defense.