Deeper Dive: Class 2A Region 4 Player Evaluations

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2025-20256 girls' high school basketball season is officially underway in TN. With the start of the new year of hoops, here are a few players in the Class 2A Region 4 that people should keep an eye on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["900222"],"_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-69283ee70df27"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='900222' first='Taniya' last='Roberts'] at the wing position is an absolute disruptor on defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last year, Robert's prowess on defense showed up in multiple games. One of her main strengths on this side of the ball is her ability to read passing lanes. She had multiple games with eight or more steals against teams last year. Yes eight! One of these games came against LEAD Academy High School, where she almost recorded a quadruple-double. Roberts, along with her eight steals in the game, had nine points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Roberts on offense is also a great inside scorer and can handle the ball and create off the dribble well at 5'9".</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["907630"],"_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-69283ee70df89"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior guard for LEAD Academy High School, [player_tooltip player_id='907630' first='Jackline' last='Nzainambaho'], is definitely a player to keep track of this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She has blazing speed, making her a dangerous scorer in transition. She also gets increased opportunities at fastbreak scores, with her ability to get steals on the defensive side. Paired with this is her ability to hit shots from the perimeter. It will be exciting to see what kind of season Nzainambaho can piece together in her third season of high school hoops.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["822474"],"_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-69283ee70dfd1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As just a freshman last season, [player_tooltip player_id='822474' first='Valencia' last='Hailey'] played a big role at Pearl-Cohn High School, finishing the 2024-2025 season with a record of 16-9.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last year, for the Lady Firebirds, she was the second leading scorer on the team, averaging 12.3 points per game. With that at the guard position, she showed she also showed that she was a solid rebounder, averaging 5,4 boards per game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Early into her sophomore season, she has continued an upward trajectory in her talent as a player. Against Watertown High School on No. 25, she had 15 points and five rebounds. Hailey has also been making an impact defensively early in the season, getting two or more steals already in a couple of games this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1155012"],"_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-69283ee70e017"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sophomore and teammate of Hailey, [player_tooltip player_id='1155012' first='Myah' last='Knowles'] should also be in for a big year at Pearl-Cohn High School as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last season, Knowles, in her freshman season, averaged 7.3 points per game. She already looks on track to post a higher points per game average in the 2025-2026 season. Against White County High School on Nov.21, she had 16 points. Knowles, in this game, demonstrated a great ability to create separation off the dribble. With this space, she made a couple of threes on the day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Knowles is also a high-level guard defender. Her above-average speed allows her to stay in front of defenders with ease. On Nov. 25 of this year, she displayed her defensive prowess by notching a total of five steals in a game against Watertown High School.</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":"Lucy Richardson","_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":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"White House-Heritage","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-69283ee70e0c1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lucy Richardson brings some versatility to the SF position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Richardson showed last season that she was both a high-level rebounder and interior scorer. Early in the 2025-2026 season, it looks like these skills have transferred over. Against Sycamore High School this year, she had 12 points and eight rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also, against Sycamore Richardson, she showed some of her upside on the defensive end. She had two blocks in the game. On both of these, she showed off her athletic ability in sticking with the opposing player off the dribble, with great lateral movement.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->