The Expo: Previewing Hoop State Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Across the country, we are still relatively in the early stages of Expo season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Three areas will indeed be hosting Prep Girls Hoops Expo events – those include Arizona, Colorado and…the Carolinas.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anyone who knows anything about the high school girls basketball season in both North and South Carolina understands that it is talent rich with many standouts from previous seasons having gone on to establish national profiles.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rock Hill Sports &amp; Entertainment Center will be filled with talent from the senior, junior and sophomore classes and a good number of those talents could be next to emerge onto the national stage. Here is a look at what the Hoop State will bring to Rock Hill this weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["412215"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66db7a82a4284"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sometimes, the phrase “special player” gets thrown around a bit too loosely nowadays. Storm is a special player regardless of era. Furman, Elon, North Carolina-Greensboro, Charleston Southern, Winthrop and Tennessee State all believe so as those programs extended offers her way. After a stellar career at the juggernaut that was Grace Christian, Storm will close out her high school career at NC GBB Academy. She is coming off her final season on the AAU level which was with [program_tooltip program_id='714756' first='Carolina' last='All-Stars'] and she is more than poised to close out her career on the preps level with an emphatic exclamation point. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":646007,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jamiah Hopper","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Shelby","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66db7a82a4369"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The bulk of 2A Shelby's success occurred at home last season. The plan for the Golden Lions in 2024-25 is clear – much more Hopper and improved play on the road. She shared team captaincy duties on last season's Golden Lions rendition and has displayed improved play with the experience she has obtained. In addition to being a skilled scorer, she also displays impressive rebounding skills and can keep teams guessing with her defensive capabilities. Hopper will bid adieu to the high school ranks following this season – expect her showing at this year's Expo to be a glimpse of what to expect in 2024-25.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["622007"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66db7a82a43c5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Duncan will not have far to go to get to this year's Expo given Rock Hill is only a short drive up a couple interstates from Cabarrus County. With three seniors having graduated from the 2023-24 3A Vikings rendition, Duncan will definitely be the focal point of many things Central for 2024-25 and 2025-26 (when NCHSAA realignment commences). Defense is one of the hallmarks of her game as she never takes a play off on that end of the floor. Look for her to hustle for many a loose ball. Offensively, she has no problems drawing contact and getting to the free throw line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Stephanie Mobley","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"North Mecklenburg","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Elevate Elite 3SSB 2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66db7a82a4486"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Victory Christian's loss will be North Meck's gain. The standout junior announced last month that she made the decision to transfer from Victory Christian to the Vikings. She played her AAU ball this past season with Elevate Elite – a 3SSB (Adidas) program which is based in the Washington, D.C. area. Last month, she landed an offer from Queens University. Mobley is able to fuse together overall talent with plenty of speed and agility. Ball handling is another one of her strong points in addition to slashing to the rim and the ability to connect from long range. She may be underrated by some but that may not be the case for much longer as she advances into her junior season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["509584"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66db7a82a44d3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Another product of [program_tooltip program_id='713558' first='Lady' last='Attack Elite'], Ortscheid has a very full athletic plate throughout the year. In addition to basketball, she has also played volleyball during her time at Northwest. Ortscheid is coming off a 2023-24 where she averaged 11.7 points, six rebounds and 2.9 steals in 27 games. Those 27 games saw the 3A Trojans finish with a 20-7 record. During the season, Ortscheid landed an offer from Davis &amp; Elkins in West Virginia and recently landed another offer from Barton College. Expect those offers to continue to pour in over the next couple of years for this talented junior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["755814"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66db7a82a4513"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Herndon was a key element of a 2023-24 Southern Durham rendition that finished with a robust 24-6 record. Included in those 24 victories were 17 in its conference and a deep run in the 3A state tournament that only came to a halt at the hands of eventual state runners-up Terry Sanford. Herndon is listed at 5-foot-10 and effectively plays in the four in the frontcourt. Among her many strong points are her ability to rebound and her willingness to force steals as a defender. Herndon is coming off a grassroots season that saw her wear the [program_tooltip program_id='713538' first='Carolina' last='Flames'] uniform. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->