Standout Defenders at Run 4 Roses
In this article:
If you attend any college camp, showcase, or expose’ the first thing the coaches and experts will tell you is that “to play in the ‘big leagues’ you have to be able to play defense. In this article, we look…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIf you attend any college camp, showcase, or expose’ the first thing the coaches and experts will tell you is that “to play in the ‘big leagues’ you have to be able to play defense. In this article, we look at some of the top defenders at the Run 4 Roses Classic and Championship. These players were standouts with their on-ball defense, help side defense, playing the passing lanes etc.
Nia Blocton Nia Blocton 6'0" | PF Ridgeview | 2024 State FL had a monster tournament on the defensive side. Blocton faced some very strong and athletic bigs and she did a great job of playing physical in the paint. She rejected a lot of shots on the ball, and as good as she was on the ball, her help-side defense was on another level. She blocked so many shots on the help side that her teammates should send her a thank you card and a turkey for Thanksgiving. Blocton was also a force in the rebound department. She has the ability to track the ball ( Dennis Rodman-like) and control the glass on offense and defense. Her defense was special at Run 4 Roses Classic and Championship.
Destiny Donaldson Destiny Donaldson 5'9" | SF Ribault | 2025 State FL had a very good showing at Run 4 Roses. Donaldson rebounded well and also was able to score on the inside and outside. She can score the ball, but her calling cards are her relentless pursuit of the ball and her defense. She had a 20 -20 game last high school season where she grabbed 20 rebounds and made 20 freethrows. Donaldson is so versatile, she can mix it up in the paint with the 4s and 5s and then go on the wing and shut down a 2 and a 3. Other attributes include her speed and jumping ability. She is a very good shot-blocker. Donaldson had these skills on display at Run 4 Roses. She was a defensive standout.
Kiyana Hunter Kiyana Hunter 5'3" | PG Mandarin | 2024 State FL played some good defense at Run 4 the Roses. Her on-ball defense was very good and so was her helpside defense. She drew some tough assignments and defended some fast and shifty guards. Her ability to harass the ball handler, move laterally and match their speed was very good. Hunter was also good at switching on picks or using quickness to come over the top and stay with the point guard. Her help-side defense was very good and she did a good job of stopping the opposition from getting to the rim. Quickness in space and straight-line speed are her attributes and she used them well to compete against some very good guards at the Run 4 Roses.
Ansley Hicks Ansley Hicks 5'6" | CG Paxon | 2024 State FL also played great on-ball defense. Hicks is one of the top athletes on the First Coast and can run all day. She has great speed and agility and can move laterally or straight very well. Her ability to stay with an opponent and prevent a drive to the goal was very good. She also covered ground in transitional defense and prevented other teams from scoring in transition.
Imani Henderson Imani Henderson 6'1" | PF Atlantic Coast | 2026 State FL Henderson was very tough on defense at Run 4 Roses and she had some really tough assignments at times, playing against some of the best 2026 and 2027 post players in the country. She held her own averaging 3 blocks and 8 rebounds per game. Henderson has a long wing span and in addition to blocking shots, she also altered a lot of shots during the Run 4 Rose tournaments. A college coach once told me how athletic Henderson was and how high her ceiling was. As good as she played at Roses, the sky is the limit and that’s only a “few inches above the ceiling” the coach was talking about. Henderson is going to be a beast.
Martin Davis Martin Davis CG FL / 5’8 SG / Glenn Academy GA / 2026 / (ECU Richardson 2026). Davis averaged 11 points per game and had 5 steals per game at Run 4 Roses. Davis has a high motor, active hands, with good anticipation, and plays through the passing lanes. At Run 4 the Roses, she constantly challenged the ball handler full court and wreaked havoc.
Narissa Blocton Narissa Blocton 5'9" | PG Ridgeview | 2026 State FL was very good on defense and is versatile enough to guard the 1, 2, and 3. The young Blocton is tall and lengthy with active hands and very good speed on the court. She is an in-your-face defender and is very good at disrupting the timing of an offense and also taking a player out of the game. At Run 4 Roses, you could see offenses slowing down and her team’s defense elevated when she entered the game. She was very good at turning steals and loose balls into fast breaks and showed she could finish through contact. Blocton had several “and-ones” in the tournament.