Early Season Breakout: Lebanon and Whitehaven High School

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two teams in the class of 4A, Lebanon and Whitehaven High School, are off and running with positive momentum in the 2025-2026 season. Whitehaven has a record of 12-3 while Lebanon has a record of 10-2. Here are three players from each team who are contributing greatly to helping their team to a multitude of wins so far this season.</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":"La'Niyah Moore","_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":"5'10u0022","_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":"Whitehaven","_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-6952abcc8d806"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">La'Niyah Moore has a great skill set at the guard position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Already this season, Moore has had multiple games where she has scored 15 or more points. This includes a recent game, in the MLK Championship. In the contest, Moore had 16 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moore's under control style and ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities in the paint both play a part in Moore putting up numbers like these.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["899895"],"_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-6952abcc8d8b6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='899895' first='Jala' last='Wilson'] has been a consistent contributor on offense for Whitehaven all season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year, in 10 logged games, she has scored eight or more points. Also, like her teammate Moore, she is a great rebounder. She is constantly dominating the glass, as seen in a game against Houston High School, where she had 10 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wilson has a presence in the paint that requires constant attention. Her ability to get buckets in the interior has the capacity to change games, as proven already this season. It will be exciting to see how the Merecr commit, and her teammates cap off their year in what will be Wilson's final year of high school hoops.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["743542"],"_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-6952abcc8d932"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Junior guard Elyse Norris has undoubtedly taken a step forward as a player this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Norris is a great conductor of Whitehaven's offense. She has high-level dribble moves, is a phenomenal passer, and can also create her own shot. All these skills were showcased at the 901 tournament, where her team won the championship, and she was named MVP.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ranked currently at #47 in her class, Norris has all the talent to continue to move up these ranks. She is definitely a player to keep an eye on in her remaining years of high school basketball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["509171"],"_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-6952abcc8d9e4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='509171' first='Tiara' last='Spencer'] can score in bunches. This was proven by her surpassing 1,000 career points this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the main ways Spencer gets buckets is from her long-range jumper. She has taken over a few games this year with her perimeter shot alone. In several games this season has had contests with four or made made threes. This includes a game against Rockvale High School, where she had seven made threes, and also a game against Albertville High School, where she made five threes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></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_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":"Naleiya Withrow-Walker","_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":"5'6u0022","_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":"Lebanon","_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-6952abcc8daff"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Naleiya Withrow-Walker at the guard position can help in many ways, but her playmaking ability is the main thing that stands out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Walker can knock down threes, but with that, she is always hunting for the best shot for her team. Whether that is a driving layup for herself or a corner three for her teammate, she is constantly surveying the court looking for the best way to put points on the scoreboard. Her playmaking ability has been seen in many games this year, including one against Hoover High School. In this contest, she had eight assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the defensive end, Walker is a relentless defender. She has multiple games with two or more steals, and she has shown her scrappiness in converting these turnovers. If she deflects a pass, she has no issue diving on the floor to try to give her team possession.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["821718"],"_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-6952abcc8db96"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In her junior season, [player_tooltip player_id='821718' first='Ellie' last='Beth McDonald'] has punished opposing teams with her perimeter shooting ability often.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McDonald already this season has had several games with two or more makes from long distance. This includes a recent game against Rockvale. She had two makes from three in the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McDonald has a quick trigger on her jumper. This, along with another facet of her jumper that not many high school players possess, goes into making her a great shooter. This facet is that she can get her feet squared and momentum towards the basket immediately off the catch. This helps her in being able to get her jumper off faster than most players at the high school level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->