Lunsford and Elbert hold off talented, young Commerce team

In a back and forth battle at the 8A D1 Region tournament on Monday, [player_tooltip player_id='876798' first='Audrey' last='Lunsford'] and Elbert County were able to hold off a very talented, young Commerce team. The game was very close throughout with a lot of lead changes, but the Lady Devils's experience triumphed over Commerce's youth. There were several players to keep an eye on moving forward after standing out in the game.    Audrey did an excellent job leading her team across the finish line for the win. Lunsford is a very talented player who has earned a strong reputation in North Georgia the last few years. This Elbert team is not as talented as ones in the previous years, but I have seen her take control of games late and secure the win for her team in very close contests twice in the span of three days. She has very good size and strength, solid fundamentals, and good athleticism, however her biggest attribute is her competitiveness. The kid competes hard and hates to lose. Her recruitment will continue to pick up over the next year, but Lunsford has already garnered interest from Division 1 and 2 programs.     Allen had several spurts in the game where she made a major impact both offensively and on the defensive end. She applied strong pressure to the Commerce ball handlers and had active, quick feet and hands. Offensively Allen scored from all three levels, including a long and high arching floater going down the lane that helped seal the win for Elbert. Allen made shots from three and scored at the rim. Her scoring production will be key the rest of the way for the Lady Devils.     Dickerson gave Elbert a solid post presence off the bench with her length and athleticism. Also a very good softball player, Bryleigh was not afraid to mix it up in the paint with the bigger posts from Commerce. She had one very nice finish over a taller defender that helped spark a run from Elbert. She moves really well her size and defended well on the perimeter in switching situations. Dickerson rebounded the ball well and altered shots in the paint on defense. The freshman has a lot of physical tools already and could become very good the next three years.     Daniels was very impressive in person after hearing a lot about the freshman, the hype was definitely warranted. Niyah is a smooth operator with the ball on the block. Daniels used her height and length to score at ease around the basket. She also showed a lot of skill with her dominant left hand in doing so. Her athleticism was on full display as she stole the ball, went the length of the court, and laid it up leaving the other nine players far behind her. Daniels also had some highlight blocks in the game. The potential is there for Niyah to become a high level division one prospect as her game continues to develop.     Kenyanna has been a pest on defense in northeast Georgia for years pressuring the ball handler and disrupting the opposing team's offense. Combining that defense with her quickness Jackson was able to get out on the break and score a lot of uncontested layups the last few years in middle school. It was clear she has been working hard on her three point shot as she made multiple ones in the game and looked confident doing it. She is a game changing athlete when she is on the floor, if Kenyanna can consistently knock down shots from deep, then her stock will go sky high.

In a back and forth battle at the 8A D1 Region tournament on Monday, Audrey Lunsford Audrey Lunsford 5'9" | CG Elbert County | 2027 State GA and Elbert County were able to hold off a very talented, young Commerce team. The game was very close throughout with a lot of lead changes, but the Lady Devils's experience triumphed over Commerce's youth. There were several players to keep an eye on moving forward after standing out in the game.