Lexington Play Day: Frontcourt Forces (Part 2)

Camp month for 2025 is in the books. What awaits many top-tier talents following the chance to catch their breaths and stay in-state is the stretch run of the grassroots campaign.    Prior to that taking place, Lexington and its coach Molly Goodrich hosted a one-day play-day event at Pleasant Hill MS. Teams mostly from higher classifications took part and there were also junior varsity teams that were on hand at nearby Beechwood MS.    We at Prep Girls Hoops were on hand at the home gym of the Pleasant Mill Cougars for the day's action. After our first article where we shifted our focus from guards to forwards and bigs, we conclude with one more piece spotlighting a few frontcourt standouts.    Johnson is the primary interior stalwart for a 5A Division 2 Greenwood team that were Upper State champions last season. She averaged 13.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 steals and just over a block per contest last season. Johnson defensively can help out on double teams and displays her confidence with her willingness to call for the ball when she believes she can make a play. And with the six-foot stature she brings, Johnson can make plenty of plays. She will also finish with the left hand and will be ready to box out in case of an opposing team's missed free throw. Johnson is also a potent shot blocker and can come from out of nowhere for rejections.     Aficionados of 4A Emerald may weep watching Morgan this morning as she is trading her purple and gold Vikings threads for those of 5A Division 2 Greenwood. The Eagles, last season's 5A Division 2 Upper State champions, already were giving teams problems in the paint. Morgan only adds to the interior depth Greenwood will present. She understands that playing in the interior means playing physical and converting tough shots that can send her to the free throw line. When one stands at 6-foot-2 as is the case with Morgan, plenty of rebounding battles will be won.     Any team that is looking to put 5A Westwood in the loss column has to do something about this talented rising junior. Britt displays her versatility with an ability to play a variety of positions on the court. Playing at the three or the four is her bread and butter, but she also can find time as either a shooting guard or at the wing. It does not matter if it is the easy way or the hard way, Britt will find a way to put the ball in the basket. She is also an effective rebounder and does some of the little things that help a team win such as setting screens.     Whalen's Ben Lippen team was the lone assembling from the SCISA ranks at the Lexington Play Day. She averaged 10.7 points and 5.5 rebounds in her sophomore campaign for the Falcons in 2024-25. At 5-foot-10, she seamlessly fuses together height with length and athleticism. Her offensive versatility is displayed with her ability to attack the basket as well as her willingness to set herself up behind the 3-point line to sink her attempts from deep. Allow her to get an offensive rebound in close proximity to the basket and that is a near-automatic two points for Whalen. She is also more than able to play point and that can mean iso situations – particularly late in games.     Last season, Turner had her best season to date on a Byrnes group that once again was one of the teams to beat in the 5A Division 1 ranks. She will be key to another winning campaign in 2025-25 for the Rebels. She is confident in her ability to make plays and displays this by calling for the ball. Turner plays with her back to the basket and approaches every game with a fearless attitude. She has no issues going to work in the low post even against multiple defenders. Turner knows how to take care of the ball, does not shy away from physicality and is willing to work hard for those buckets in close proximity to the rim.

Camp month for 2025 is in the books. What awaits many top-tier talents following the chance to catch their breaths and stay in-state is the stretch run of the grassroots campaign.