Best Defenders from 2025 Last Chance Shootout

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2025 Last Chance Shootout brought in some extremely talented girls' high school basketball players to Lebanon, Tennessee. Within that pool of players were some scrappy defenders. They made their mark on the defensive end and made sure their opponents did not get anything easy. Here are some of the best high school girls defenders from the tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- 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":"Caitlyn Childress","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_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":"Midway High SChool","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Lady Knockouts","_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-687ea19507a21"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Caitlyn Childress was one of the better defenders on the weekend, and she provided the majority of her pressure on the wing. She does not let the opposing player get past her easy. And this is because of her solid side to side defense. Her play and intensity only picks up as the pressure in game builds. She showed this against club team, NXT Level. With a few seconds left in a one score game she got a deflection. This did not let the opposing team get a shot up and gave her and the Lady Knockouts a win.</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":"Harper Rhodes","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12122","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Wavery Central High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"NXT Level","_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-687ea19507b29"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Versatility is what you get with the class of 2027 product, Harper Rhodes. She plays center for her club team NXT Level, but she does not play like a typical one. She has great speed that allows her to guard positions one through five. Against the Lady Knockouts she was forced to switch on some pick and rolls actions. She held up well. In this same game she also showcased her ability to be a great help side defender. She picked up a block and some good contest on shots by the opponents at the rim.</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":"Aaliyah Ryan ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12122","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"McGavock High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Team Tae","_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-687ed2948fa21"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Aailyah Ryan is a forward, with potential on both sides of the ball. The incoming freshman has good length, and great speed to go with it. When she makes a play on the ball she is athletic. She explodes into the air, rather than being cemented to the ground. Against TBW 29 Black at the Last Chance Shootout she showed off her defensive skills. She had a couple blocks in the first half of the contest, and showed off some solid on-ball defense on the wing and in the low post.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On offense, she displayed good touch around the basket. As well as her ability to finish with both hands. She is skilled now, in a couple of years, she has the chance to be a player opposing coaches will have to plan ahead for.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1239616"],"_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-687ed2948fa9e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1239616' first='Ramzy' last='Northern'] came off the bench for TBW 29 Black and made an immediate impact. The incoming freshman swatted a shot of an opposing Team Tae player moments after checking in. Her defensive skillset is agro, but not reckless. She play within the game, but is constantly looking for a way to make it more difficult for her opponent to score.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With her agro skill set on defense, it also translated to the rebounding department. She grabbed some boards and passed it ahead to get her team in transition. Northern simply finds a way to have a positive effect on the game, even if she is not scoring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1239771"],"_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-687ed2948fb09"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1239771' first='Tess' last='Long'] provided some high-level on ball and wing defense for club team TBW 28 Gold. In a matchup against the Knockouts she was constantly disrupting the passing lanes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">She caught and stole one pass and turned it into a chance at the bucket on the other end. In the contest, she also showed her heart.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She got hit with a body check that sent her to the ground. She was able to shake it off and continue playing. Long's scrappy defense was also a staple in her team's 35-27 win over the Knockouts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->