UNG Team Camp: Consistency is Key

Some of these players I have been watching for years and to see their steady, continued improvement on the court is a result of the work they do with trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and their coaches. These players have proven that they are reliable game in and game out for their teams whether it is with school ball like camp or travel ball in other settings where I have seen them play. Their improvement may not be as drastic as others, but they just keep getting better and now have become key contributors to their teams' success.    If you hear a loud thud while Milton or Team Elite Hubbard is playing it is probably because Brooklyn took the ball strong to the basket, got fouled, and hit the floor hard. This happens multiple times a game when other players get tired, Brunetti's motor doesn't stop. So they resort to reaching out and hacking her when their legs stop working. She attacks the basket as hard or harder in the fourth quarter than in the first and always ends up at the free throw line several times a game. She has excellent height and reach and the strength and power to go with it as a stretch four. She is also very effective attacking the backboards on the offensive end and skillful putting the ball back up and in the basket. She plays with a high IQ and is a tough competitor. With time she has the skills and ability to move out to the wing and play guard in the future. She is definitely a college prospect heading into her sophomore year.     With several players out for South Forsyth it was Avynn's team to run at the point guard position solo and she did a great job over the course of the two days offensively and defensively. Avynn is a strong kid and a very good athlete so defensively she is a very good on the ball defender who does not mind getting into the mix in the paint either. She rebounds the ball very well for position and can turn defense into offense quickly off of opposing teams' turnovers. Kniceley excelled pushing the ball in transition and finding open teammates, specifically future All American [player_tooltip player_id='991134' first='Carib' last='Morris']. The two had a lot of chemistry and had impromptu give and go plays where they scored almost every time and came just by looking at each other. Avynn is a consistent player who will be a key factor in how far South Forsyth can go in the state playoffs next season, her final one in high school.     I saw Harmony play for Denmark last season and was impressed with her play in the opening game of the Region tournament. She hit several shots from the mid range as well as behind the three point line with the majority of the defense's attention on [player_tooltip player_id='926799' first='Jadyn' last='Shepard']. I was able to see her briefly at a couple of events with Redline in between then and the camp at North Georgia and her work and improvement was evident. She is not just a shooter now and scored going to the rim several times in all of the games I watched Denmark play in Dahlonega. She is long and athletic with a very quick shooting motion and release. She and Shepard alternated running the point guard position. She now gives Denmark a legit second scoring option and is definitely a player to keep an eye on.     I had a chance to see Lillian and Woodstock a few days prior to the North Georgia Team Camp in the Milton Summer League on Tuesday night. She, along with [player_tooltip player_id='1545628' first='Lyla' last='Sanderson'], were outstanding shooting the ball from deep, knocking down midrange jump shots, and getting opportunistic baskets at the rim in transition and the half court. Barrett moves very well without the ball and does an excellent job preparing and setting up for her shot. She did not need a lot of time to get her shot off and several of her makes were a few feet behind the three point line. She also has a sneaky handle that I have seen her flash a couple of time. She showed a lot of skill and athleticism and played with confidence in the games I saw her play.     [player_tooltip player_id='1241700' first='Reese' last=''] has the size and strength you want in a post player, particularly at the power forward or four position. Another quality you need from players there is a little bit of dog in them as they are required to battle inside defensively and challenge for rebounds on both ends of the court. [player_tooltip player_id='1241700' first='Reese' last=''] definitely has that. What coaches are looking for now is a player who can stretch the defense with their athleticism at the position, forcing bigger, often slower, defenders to try to go out on the perimeter and guard them. Emerson took advantage of that several times blowing by opposing defenders on the wing and at the top of the key before getting to the basket and finishing or drawing a foul. She could be the next one in the long line of very good prospects to come out of Lumpkin County. Her versatility should make her a very recruitable player for college coaches.     I did not get a chance to see Ana play before she went down with ACL injury last year, but had heard a lot of good things about her and her game. After several games now watching Redline and seeing her at team camp you can see what the fuss was about. She is still coming back and getting comfortable on the court, but she is a smooth lefty who has shot the ball at a very high percentage from three in the games that I have seen this year and she also does an excellent job sprinting out on the break where she is often rewarded with uncontested layups. Anzola is a more than capable ball handler who can run an offense, but her biggest strength is putting the ball in the basket. Physically, she definitely knows where the weight room is and finishes well through contact.     Vandiver has a reputation as a big time scorer in the 2029 class in Georgia. She is more specifically known in this part of the state for being a flamethrower from deep where she had several impressive games shooting the ball from deep. In the game versus Milton I was most impressed with her quick decision making and no hesitation when pushing the ball up the floor for White County against Milton's press. Vandiver did so mostly with the pass and not the dribble as she connected with [player_tooltip player_id='726381' first='Kalynn' last='Watkins'] multiple times for scores in transition. Ansleigh took one or no dribbles before advancing the ball up the court and getting more points on the board in a game that went into overtime. She is a player with a lot of skill and I look forward to seeing her and White County play again soon.

Some of these players I have been watching for years and to see their steady, continued improvement on the court is a result of the work they do with trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and their coaches. These players have proven that they are reliable game in and game out for their teams whether it is with school ball like camp or travel ball in other settings where I have seen them play. Their improvement may not be as drastic as others, but they just keep getting better and now have become key contributors to their teams' success.