Batson’s Ballers: ALL STATE AAA Team

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I probably watched more games in the AAA classification than I did in any other classification. The number of very good teams in the area I live made it easy to see these teams and their stars consistently and often. The teams further away I saw not as I often this season, but I have seen their best players live several times over the last few years. As far as the stars, there are multiple players ranked in the top of their class in Georgia like [player_tooltip player_id='991147' first='Ella' last='David'], who is the number three ranked player in the 2029 class behind [player_tooltip player_id='991134' first='Carib' last='Morris'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1226988' first='Peyton' last='Frazier']. Frazier played like an All State player when I watched her and GAC live four or five times. [player_tooltip player_id='899789' first='Morghan' last='Reckley'] and KJ Acree are two of the top ranked players in their class both in Georgia and nationally. Both hold multiple offers from colleges and universities with the very best women's basketball programs in the country. For player of the year there was no way I could choose one of, or even two of these players over the third. I also saw that for some classifications the Georgia Coaches Association had three players listed. With that being said, the Players of the Year in AAA for me were [player_tooltip player_id='899789' first='Morghan' last='Reckley'], KJ Acree, and [player_tooltip player_id='991147' first='Ella' last='David']. These players led their teams to outstanding regular seasons and deep runs into the playoffs. They were equally important to their teams and as important to their teams as any players in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["899789"],"_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-69be8fd6ea173"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I say it often, but Morghan will do a handful of things or make 4-5 plays a game that will leave the crowd making noise and folks shaking their head in disbelief. This season the evolving maturity of her game was on display. She thinks the game at a higher level than she did a few years ago and that makes the next two years very exciting as an evaluator. I have not seen one player stop or even contain Morghan in high schooler AAU. She is one of the best athletes I have covered and when making comparisons she reminds me of Milyasia Fulwiley and Jaloni Cambridge in college and Jordan Speller in high school. Her game is very similar to Cambridge and I expect similar success for her after high school. She is a generational talent who has amassed a cult-like following with her personality and style of play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["671764"],"_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-69be8fd6ea202"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Acree, like Reckley will have pretty much have choice of almost any college in the country to play when she graduates next year. Maybe it's because she has played on a loaded [program_tooltip program_id='713452' first='FBC' last=''] roster or maybe because she plays in South Georgia, but I believe she is still underrated nationally. She is a 6' PG whose skills are up there with the elite of the elite in America, ball-handling, passing, and shooting. What makes her impossible to defend with one player is her size and length in combination with said skills. KJ is an excellent three point shooter far beyond the line. She gets the to the basket at ease and scores at will, over and around defenders and through contact. Her midrange game is excellent as it is also apart of her regular offensive package. She does a phenomenal job creating space with the dribble to get shots off. KJ struggled in the first half against an excellent Bob Jones in the first half at She Got Game, before putting on a show with offensive arsenal in the second half with a dozen power four schools watching on, including the Iowa head coach. A school that has offered KJ, which is very rare as Iowa has recruited mostly players in their region over recent years. Expect to see another showdown next year as she and Reckley both looked excellent in their meeting gin the playoffs this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["991147"],"_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-69be8fd6ea262"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">David is not from South Georgia, but she is another player who has not gotten the recognition she deserves nationally. David, quite frankly, had a lot of hype and big reputation to live up to heading into her freshman season. All she did was lead her team to a 26-4 record where they went undefeated (10-0) in a very tough region playing Cherokee Bluff (1-2) three times before the state tournament. David was outstanding in the playoffs as well before Oconee lost a very close game to the eventual state champions Heritage-Catoosa. David had a monster freshman season averaging 25 points, five rebounds, four steals, and three assists per game while also leading the team in blocks. Her ceiling is still very high as she has three more years and the real possibility of scoring 3,000 points and breaking some records along the way. She scored an astonishing 727 points this year as a freshman. Both parents were very good high school and college players themselves, so she knows the game and plays with a high level of efficiency. Both parents are also very competitive (mom is her high school coach) and so is she. Ella leaves it all on the court and plays the game with a lot of joy. She is another player I am looking forward to watching before she goes off to play major college basketball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1105842"],"_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-69be8fd6ea2b5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Paisley was very fortunate to be surrounded by and the beneficiary of excellent guard play this season for Heritage-Catoosa. However without her consistent and impressive play in the post, her team would not have had the incredible season that they did culminating in a state championship. Collins has great size, but her mobility separates her from most post as she moves with purpose and fluidity. Collins sprints the floor in transition as well as any big in the state and she does it non-stop often resulting in her beating her defender down the court and laying the ball up. In the half court, she really operates well on the block posting up and diving to the basket before finishing smoothly off the glass with her dominate left hand. Paisley is an excellent athlete and intense competitor things you can't teach. She will be a good college player in a couple years, however if she can demonstrate over the next two years that she can consistently knockdown midrange jumpsuits, then she could be a mid-major division one player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["476460"],"_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-69be8fd6ea302"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ellison is completed an excellent high school career with an outstanding senior season for Pickens before signing with North Georgia where she will continue her athletic and academic career. Ellison is a scorer, pure and simple, and while she does everything well, this is what made her such a nightmare on opposing defenses. She is long, making her shot difficult to block and even alter on the high school level. She is an underrated athlete and gets good elevation her shots as well. Steinhauer incorporated the drive more and more to her game over the last few years making her one of the more complete offensive players in Georgia. She handled all of the defensive pressure and attention well when I saw her live, picking apart the opposing teams' defense with the pass in both games. She is an excellent ball handler as well who rarely turns the ball over of forces a bad shot. Her game should translate very well on the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1228165"],"_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-69be8fd6ea352"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I probably watched Milan and GAC play more than anyone this season and at times I took for granted the outstanding play of [player_tooltip player_id='1228165' first='Milan' last='Johnson']. She is an outstanding lead guard with high level skills, and very good size drawing the interests of several division one programs. The maturity she showed after losing her teammate and leading scorer, [player_tooltip player_id='932138' first='Barri' last='Newman'], was admirable. Johnson's role changed and her responsibilities and expectations did with it. She had the ball in her hands a lot more of the time and she was relied to help fill the scoring void left by Newman. She did an excellent job increasing her effectiveness and efficiency scoring the ball while also facilitating the offense. she handles the ball with confidence and is an excellent passer. Johnson's production could see a major increase as she plays her final season before making her college decision. She is a player who could average twenty points on most teams with ease, but her play in the second half of the season helped GAC make a nice run in the state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["674580"],"_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-69be8fd6ea39c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kersh is as good a point guard as there is in Georgia and basketball isn't even her main, or apparently, best sport. She is considered one of the very best soccer plays in America for her age and has already committed to play for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in college as just a junior. The elite athleticism is painfully obvious as she dribbles around, by, and through the other team's defense on the regular. She is a very good shooter from the midrange and three point line, where her percentage and play goes up the bigger the moment. Her vision and passing ability is second to none and her confidence and composure allow her to make plays that others simply can't. I'm lucky to call Bob Corwin a friend and he and I both agree that if needed she could slide right over to basketball in South Bend in an emergency situation and play just fine for the Fighting Irish on the hardwood. She is a gamer and tough as nails. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["899800"],"_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-69be8fd6ea3e8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lewis is another player who may have not received the attention or shine deserving of her play this season. The senior finished the season averaging 18 points per game on 42% shooting from the field while grabbing close to seven rebounds a game. She also contributed almost four steals, three assists, and a block per game. She is a big guard who moves well with a lot of skill. She does nice job getting out in transition and finishing at the rim. Ridgeland finished the season 23-5, going 9-3 in their region before losing to Cherokee Bluff in the state tournament. She will continue her athletic and academic career at UVA Wise where she should see the floor early and often for coach Jamie Cluesman. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->