Midseason Watchlist Class of 1A: Best Defenders

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There have been a ton of players in the class of 1A in TN who are having outstanding defensive seasons. With that, here is a look at five of the best defenders so far this season, in this class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1248846"],"_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-697a3de716dae"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1248846' first='Tamia' last='Campbell'] has been a great perimeter defender this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Campbell has several games this season with four or more steals. This includes back-to-back games against KIPP Global and also Merrill Hyde High School. In both of these contests, Campbell had eight seals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Along with Campbell's game-breaking defensive abilities, she also brings forth an impressive offensive game. The sophomore has a capable three-point shot, along with the ability to score in the paint. She has had a few outings where she had 15 or more points. This includes a game against KIPP Nashville, where she had 21 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["818131"],"_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-697a3de716e11"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Also a part of the midseason watchlist for the best shooters of the class of 1A, it was impossible to keep [player_tooltip player_id='818131' first='Laila' last='Downs Darden'] off the list for best defenders in the class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Darden, this season in 20 recorded games, has 108 steals. The same craftiness she displays on the offensive end to get open for a jumper, she uses on defense. She constantly finds ways to generate turnovers, whether that is jumping passing lanes or getting a steal off her opponent's dribble.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of Darden's best defensive games this season was against Jo Byrns High School, where she had 10 Steals. With Darden's ability to impact the game in a multitude of ways, she had a triple-double in this contest. To go with her 10 steals, Darden had 35 points and 12 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1122563"],"_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-697a3de716e57"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1122563' first='Amya'' last='Payne'], has been getting blocks in bunches in her senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This season, Payne has had multiple games with four or more blocks. Her movement speed at 5'11" is a intergral piece in this. A couple of games, she got five blocks in this season, were against the Memphis School of Excellence and also Power Center Academy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Along with being a great shot blocker, Payne is also a great rebounder. She has had many double-digit rebounding games this season. One of her best rebounding games this season came against Oakhaven High School. Payne had 10 rebounds in the game, including four of them being offensive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1241820"],"_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-697a3de716e99"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Emma Kate O'Neil has been an impactful player night in and night out for Merill Hyde High School this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>O'Neil has been a great defensive anchor this season, averaging 2.3 blocks per game. O'Neil's rotations on the defensive end, paired also with her size makes her an effective shot blocker. It is also notable that she can read the movement of guards on their way to the paint better than most high school interior players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>O'Neil, along with being a great interior defender, is a great interior scorer and overall rebounder. In the season, she is averaging a double-double, averaging 12.4 PPG and 10.5 RPG.</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":"Carley Bryson","_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":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mitchell High School","_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-697a3de716f2f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Junior Carley Bryson has been a steal threat throughout her tenure in high school, and that has remained true this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bryson, in her junior season, has had four or more steals in the majority of her games. This includes a contest against Raleigh-Egypt High School, where she had 10 steals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Along with Bryson's defensive effectiveness rising in her junior season, her offensive game has also taken a leap as well. Bryson is a great inside-the-arc scorer. She displayed this in a recent game against the Memphis School of Excellence, logging 31 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->