June Scholastic Previews: Lift for Life

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Girls Hoops Missouri will be doing team previews on some of the top in-state programs during the scholastic period. Due to recent NCAA calendar changes, June has become vital to recruiting and the high school game. There are two live periods so this is a great time to evaluate prospects and gain insight into teams for the upcoming season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Few teams exploded onto the scene quite like Lift for Life last season. The Lady Hawks followed up a 14-16 season where they went deep into the playoffs for a 28-3 season where they won Class 4. The extra year of experience in addition to a star freshman made the difference. Now, they look to repeat with a similar core. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's not often you see a freshman lead a team in scoring. That's exactly what <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='777605' first='Amaya' last='Manuel']</strong> did last season. She immediately raised her stock as one of the best 2027 athletes in Missouri. Manuel is a dynamic scorer who can handle the ball and create for others depending on the defense. She's an elite talent who should put up huge numbers as a sophomore. Reaching 1000 points in two seasons is not out of the question. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='488377' first='Zha' last='Harris']</strong> is her backcourt running mate and a true PG. She's an attacking guard who will defend with intensity and throw dimes from one side of the floor to another. Harris is a leader who dished out 138 assists in her second varsity season. Harris was a major stockriser in the state. Being a floor general is all about winning games and complimenting team success. She did just that and has a state ring as a result. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='493477' first='Diamond' last='Polk']</strong> is another great guard who makes plays for this team. Her slashing ability and toughness at 5'6 is impressive. She's an exciting player to watch. In many ways, she's the perfect compliment to the other two prospects listed above. The team is guard-oriented and they work together which is a successful recipe. Polk is a 2026 and will remain a key part of this core group. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='803071' first='Cara' last='Manuel']</strong> is another 2027 to watch out for. She earned plenty of minutes in her freshman season and plays well with her sister on the floor. Manuel is another talented guard, which is the constant theme of this roster. They play well in space and make smart decisions. Having 4 or 5 guards on the floor is tough to defend because they all have speed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->