One Last Ride: Five Seniors You Have to See, Before They’re Gone

Senior year is the last hurrah. It is the final opportunity to shine and prove you deserve another look. For some, it is also the final chance to earn that scholarship and extend their basketball career.   Senior seasons should almost always end with tears. Hopefully, those tears come from winning a championship and accomplishing something you dreamed about for years. However, sometimes those tears come because you fell short of a goal you worked so hard to reach.   Either way, senior year carries a different emotional weight. Suddenly, every game, road trip, practice, and locker room moment feels more meaningful. The “last times” begin arriving faster than expected. Still, basketball is supposed to be fun. That should never get lost underneath recruiting, expectations, rankings, and championship aspirations.   Therefore, this list is a little different. Instead of ranking the five best players in Virginia's Class of 2027, I wanted to celebrate entertainment. These are five seniors I simply enjoy watching play basketball.   Different styles. Different strengths. Different reasons, but when they step onto the floor, they make you want to keep watching.    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='443350' first='Micah' last='Ojo']</h3>   What an absolute treat [player_tooltip player_id='443350' first='Micah' last='Ojo'] is to watch.   Simply put, Ojo is the best basketball player in Virginia, and I do not believe it is particularly close. Her top-10 ESPN ranking in the Class of 2027 certainly supports that conversation.   However, rankings only tell part of the story. Ojo brings an incredibly complete game, yet her dominance rarely feels forced or manufactured.   Instead, everything comes naturally within the flow of the offense. What feels like an average night can somehow finish with 35 points and 10 rebounds.   More importantly, Ojo consistently impacts areas that never appear in recruiting rankings. She takes charges, attacks loose balls, rebounds, defends, and does whatever her team needs to win.   Now, she enters her senior season chasing an opportunity few players ever experience. Ojo has a chance to finish her career with four consecutive state championships.   Additionally, she can help extend one of the most impressive winning streaks Virginia basketball has seen. With college basketball eventually waiting, opportunities to watch Ojo at this level are disappearing quickly.   My suggestion is simple: watch her now before the price of admission gets considerably more expensive.     <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Madi Smith</h3>   They call her “Mad Dog,” and the nickname perfectly matches the ferocity she brings to the floor. However, Smith does not receive enough credit for just how athletic and smooth her game can be.   A long and rangy wing, Smith possesses the length and physicality to operate effectively around the block. At the same time, she has the grace and agility to get out and run the wing.   That combination makes Smith particularly fun to watch in transition. Additionally, her athleticism allows her to impact the game on both ends and from multiple positions.   Smith now enters her senior season looking to lead her team back to the state championship. Doing so would provide another memorable chapter to an already impressive high school career.   Beyond this season, big-time college basketball appears to be waiting. Smith remains one of the most athletic prospects in Virginia's talented Class of 2027.   Therefore, expect Division I programs to continue taking notice.   Do not be surprised when “Mad Dog” finds her Division I home in the very near future.     <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Brittani Evans</h3>   This underrated point guard is simply elusive.   If I may borrow an old country phrase, you could not hit Evans in the back with a handful of rice. Simply put, she is incredibly difficult to stay in front of.   Her low center of gravity and explosive first step allow her to consistently beat defenders off the bounce. As a result, containing Evans often becomes a multiple-defender responsibility.   However, that is where she becomes even more dangerous. Evans recognizes additional defenders and exposes them with her ability to distribute from penetration.   She can feed the block, find shooters on the wing, or continue attacking in transition. Defensively, Evans brings that same relentless mentality. She can pick up opposing ball handlers baseline-to-baseline and make them work every step up the floor.   Eventually, that pressure can frustrate opponents into rushed decisions, poor passes, and turnovers. Already holding college offers, Evans has clearly caught the attention of programs at the next level.   With one high school season remaining, expect that attention to continue growing. Until signing day arrives, Evans will remain one of Virginia's most entertaining point guards to watch.     <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tanya Henson</h3>   She calls herself “Baby Shaq,” but unlike the Big Aristotle, [player_tooltip player_id='443377' first='Ta'Nya' last='Henson'] can dominate without scoring a point. The Norfolk State commit is a ferocious shot blocker who understands exactly how to utilize her length.   Additionally, Henson has been well coached in positioning, timing, and protecting the paint without sacrificing defensive discipline.Her length and range allow her to cover tremendous ground defensively.   She can rotate from one side of the paint to the other and consistently alter shots. On the glass, Henson can beat opponents with positioning, athleticism, or simply wanting the basketball more.   Her quick reaction to missed shots makes her incredibly difficult to keep off the backboard. However, do not mistake her defensive dominance for limited offensive ability.   Henson can simply put the ball in the basket. She possesses an impressive collection of traditional post moves, including up-and-unders and strong finishes around the rim.   In many ways, her offensive game feels like something from another generation.   Henson remains comfortable playing with her back to the basket and establishing position inside. However, she can also face defenders and confidently operate from 15 feet.   Following a heartbreaking state championship loss, Henson enters her senior season with unfinished business. Expect “Baby Shaq” to make plenty of noise across Virginia while attempting to lead her team back to Richmond.     <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Jeanna Baskerville</h3>   Wake Forest commit Jeanna Baskerville already possesses a game that looks ready for the college level. Comfortable running the point or working from the wing, Baskerville brings impressive versatility to every possession.   More importantly, she plays a disciplined style of basketball that should translate seamlessly to the next level.The game simply appears slower for Baskerville than it does for most of her peers.   Her processing speed allows her to recognize situations and make adjustments before defenses can react. However, Baskerville is far from simply a finesse player.   She is completely comfortable getting into the paint and doing the dirty work around the basket. Additionally, her strength and physicality allow her to operate effectively from the post.   When necessary, Baskerville can use that physical advantage to take over stretches of a game. Still, what makes her especially enjoyable to watch is how complete her game already appears.   There are very few situations on the floor where Baskerville looks uncomfortable. Already polished, her game should only become sharper throughout her senior season.   Then, she will take that college-ready skill set to Winston-Salem and begin the next chapter at Wake Forest.    These five make basketball worth watching, and its a privilege to cover them. Their final high school season deserves to be enjoyed before the next chapter begins.

Senior year is the last hurrah. It is the final opportunity to shine and prove you deserve another look. For some, it is also the final chance to earn that scholarship and extend their basketball career.