Phenoms of the Future: Game Breakers and Play Makers

Some players have the ability to take over games with sheer athleticism and size, others really on skill and their mental game to help carry them and their teams in the crucial moments of big games. There were several good players who stood out with their solid play. These players were the best performers I saw all weekend and each brings something unique to their respective teams.    We are at the point now where Blaklee is not "the little Ledford" or "Callan's sister" (probably past that point a while ago). For the next two years Murray County will be her team to lead and there is no doubt that she will do an outstanding job. Forget the size right now, Ledford plays nowhere near her height. She is an elite athlete and her quickness and leaping ability should alleviate any concerns with that. She was a huge reason Redline was able to escape with a close win over a Southeast United team with several future college players. She is a very confident player and she brings up the level of play of those around her both at Murray County and did so again on Sunday with a very talented redline team. She is an elite shooter from three and the midrange and is very good breaking defenders down off the dribble and creating scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates. She is one of the very best guards in the state and proved again this weekend.     It was great to see Camya for extended periods at both the point guard and shooting guard positions. She is relied on heavily for the majority of Lee County's offensive production so she has the ball in her hands and is relied on to make plays almost every possession. Joined in the backcourt by [player_tooltip player_id='1263879' first='Mahliya' last='Reeder'], [player_tooltip player_id='1143207' first='Lauryn' last='Walker'], and [player_tooltip player_id='674578' first='Adelyn' last='Thompson'], Camya was able to play off the ball a lot more which gave her the freedom and space to show her ability to score off the dribble from 12-15 feet and at the rim. Hutcherson is one of the best shooters in Georgia without question, so it was good to see her showcase more of her offensive ability. I thought she was one of the best on ball defenders I saw all weekend turning steals into points for herself and teammates. She should be a highly sought after guard in the 2027 class in the southeast.     Jade was instrumental in [program_tooltip program_id='713452' first='FBC' last=''] NextUP's win over Tennessee Xtreme doing what she does best, getting buckets. She knocked down a big three when the game was still in doubt, something she has a knack for doing. She also did a nice job sprinting out ahead of the pack in transition and scored a couple uncontested layups as a result. Jones on ball defense was better than I have seen in the past and she was a much more active and willing defender than she was when I coached against her as a freshman. She also showed improved shot selection within the flow of the offense. Jade is a natural scorer and she has been doing that consistently her entire high school career. She is a player who definitely will garner interest from college coaches this summer during the live period events. There is no doubt she is a college player, but what level she ends up playing at is still to be determined.     Addie made a lot of plays over the course of two days for her team on both ends of the floor. Defensively is where her length and athleticism had the biggest impact. Harrell was very disruptive in the press both on the ball, coming to trap, and jumping in the passing lane creating turnovers and turning offense into defense. She has a long wing span and knows how to use it. She was very bouncy and much quicker than I remember her from just a year ago. She puts a lot of pressure on the defense getting down hill off the dribble where she is very good getting to the rim and finishing or drawing fouls. Addie was also very opportunistic on the offensive glass and was able to get a couple quick put backs off missed shots. She is player who is trending in the right direction and still has a lot of untapped potential. Addison will only continue to get better the next three years.     Wise is a player who really impressed me multiple times during the high school season with North Hall. She was very active, like a magnet to the ball on defense, and shot the ball extremely well from three point range against stout competition. The freshman never backed down and seemed to enjoy the tense moments when those games were on the line. Her play was critical in North Hall's upset win over GAC as she played excellent in that game. She was very good running the point for Redline's 15U team this weekend. I had seen her make one impressive drive to the basket and finish with her left hand in high school, but she showed she is a lot more than a shooter this weekend. She scored off the bounce getting to the rim several times and mixed in shots from the midrange while still being a threat from deep. Wyse will be ranked, and fairly high, when the new rankings are released in the next month.     Liu will have a major role for Northview next season as the team graduates seven seniors leaving her with reigns to the offense as the starting point guard. She was very elusive with the basketball over the weekend and did a nice job both facilitating the offense and creating scoring opportunities for her teammates, while showing her ability to score at all three levels herself. Liu is a playmaker. She is confident with the ball and plays with conviction taking chances others might not be willing to with her ability to handle the ball. She split traps and made difficult moves in tight quarters several times escaping the defense. She is a knockdown shooter who punished the defense when left open in catch and shoot situations. Mia attacked the basket with no fear of contact and got herself to the free throw several times where she also shot the ball very well. She is a player to watch the next three years for Coach Rice and the Lady Titans. For now, she has a big Spring and Summer ahead with [program_tooltip program_id='713452' first='FBC' last=''] NextUp.     Lauryn is a very unique player that has the ability to play the 1-4 in high school making her one of the most versatile and valuable players in her class in Georgia. She has a smoothness to her game, doing everything well while making it look easy. She is long and wiry with good athleticism and knows the game well. She impacted the games I watched on both ends, scoring, defending, and rebounding the ball at a high clip. She is very good pushing the ball in transition with excellent vision and passing ability. She is a stat sheet stuffer and a mismatch as a result of her skill, athleticism, and high basketball intelligence. She is also a very coachable kid that comes from a winning high school program. She will be a solid player on the college level in a little over a year. I expect her stock to continue to rise heading into her senior year where she has a very good chance to lead Brunswick on a state championship in her last season.

Some players have the ability to take over games with sheer athleticism and size, others really on skill and their mental game to help carry them and their teams in the crucial moments of big games. There were several good players who stood out with their solid play. These players were the best performers I saw all weekend and each brings something unique to their respective teams.