Wofford Team Camp: Solid as a Rock

Several players, some young and some older, also stood out at Wofford with their stellar play. These players were consistent, reliable, and steady performing their jobs for their teams and will be counted on by their respective coaches to perform at a high level next scholastic season in the Winter. Each brought something unique and different to the games I watched them play, but all had a meaningful and positive impact on the outcomes. I expect them to play prominent and important roles for their teams then like they did this past week in Spartanburg.    Silver played the two games I watched Byrnes with a high basketball IQ, good athleticism, and skill on the offensive end. She had two dominant players on her team and she wisely was trying to feed [player_tooltip player_id='925560' first='Ashlyn' last='Evans'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1605714' first='Kesiah' last='Salmon'] without forcing passes or turning the ball over when those two had it rolling on the offensive end. Silver is a capable scorer herself, from all three levels, with her biggest strength being her ability to stretch the defense shooting the ball from three. Ellison handled the ball very well, with the required responsibility, without turning the ball over, contributed on the boards and the defensive end, and was a vocal leader for the Runnin' Rebs. She could have easily forced shots that were not there or open, but she showed her experience and unselfishness getting the ball where it needed to go inside where Byrnes had the advantage.     Wilson made some big shots for Daniel in a very entertaining game with Gainesville that went down to the wire in the second half. She is a very crafty and confident player on the offensive end and showed a lot of skill with the basketball in her hands. Wilson shot the ball well from the perimeter while also using her size and ball handling ability to get her momentum going down hill toward the basket. When she got into the paint she was effective scoring as well as dropping the ball off to her teammates around the basket as well as kicking the ball out for open threes.Wilson is another experienced player who knows the game and was one of the more vocal leaders for Daniel. She will be a big piece to go along with the three other guards that they have in making a run deep in the playoffs.     Newkirk was impressive for WCA inside battling against a very good player, Sophia Louise-Pierre, who holds division one offers and is two years her elder. Jannah did a nice job tracking and putting a body on Soph defensively for Wesleyan Christian while also serving as a deterrent for Galloway trying to score at the rim. In a guard dominated, fast-paced game Newkirk was able to show her athleticism and mobility at 6'2 getting up and down the court in transition and when she was forced to come out of the paint defensively and guard on the perimeter. Jannah showed soft hands and good finishing ability with a crowd of guards around her trying to rip the ball out when she caught the ball in the post on offense. Because she kept the ball high and made quick decisions, their efforts were denied. She has a bright future with a lot of upside and potential heading into high school and has already been invited to multiple national all american camps and showcases. I would not be surprised to see he pick up scholarship offers between now and then due to her size and potential.     Emma Grace started the game off very hot for North Forsyth against Charlotte Catholic on Day One at Wofford team camp. With the graduation of Gabbie Gliatta who will continue her career at Division Two Emmanuel, EG will be called upon to not only fill some of the scoring void Gliatta left, but in all likelihood be the starting point guard and primary ball handler for the Lady Raiders. EG scored seven quick points to start the game with two nice finishes in traffic on the fast break along with a pull up three in transition. She is a very skilled player, both handling the basketball and specifically shooting the basketball from three point range. She did a nice job balancing her scoring with initiating and facilitating the offense in the half court as well as getting the ball to [player_tooltip player_id='898829' first='Leah' last='Bryan'] who was also cooking early in that game with eight quick points. Turner plays the game with a high basketball IQ and her team will need her to make good decisions while being strong with the ball if they plan on making another deep run in the playoffs.     I was somewhat surprised to find out after the game versus Gainesville that Mitchum was just a 2030. She was very impressive and showed a diverse skill set on the offensive end for being such a young player. Then I remembered that in South Carolina middle schoolers are allowed to play varsity. That explained part of the reasons she fit right in with the Daniel guards who I really came away with a high opinion of. Mitchum was confident and comfortable with the basketball in her hands on the bounce and on the move showing the ability to create her own shot against much older players. She also looked confident and had good form on her shot from the perimeter. Mitchum looked the part physically as well at almost 5'10 with good length, long wingspan. I had not seen Addie play before, but I very much look forward to seeing her play again. I think she has a very bright future with a big upside. Because of her varsity experience, she played with a calm and composure that it is rare for a kid her age.

Several players, some young and some older, also stood out at Wofford with their stellar play. These players were consistent, reliable, and steady performing their jobs for their teams and will be counted on by their respective coaches to perform at a high level next scholastic season in the Winter. Each brought something unique and different to the games I watched them play, but all had a meaningful and positive impact on the outcomes. I expect them to play prominent and important roles for their teams then like they did this past week in Spartanburg.