Southeast Elite Showcase Fall League Session IV: Veteran Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the run-up to the 2025-26 regular season, Southeast Elite Showcase has hosted a number of showcase events featuring a number of girls and boys teams from around the state. These events have all been held in the Midlands – including one two weeks ago that took place at Ben Lippen School.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The latest event as part of the Southeast Elite Showcase Fall League took place at 5A Division 1 Lexington in the final Saturday of September. The home of the Wildcats was able to utilize two gyms – including an auxiliary gym that mostly hosted matchups involving junior varsity teams.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We at Prep Girls Hoops made the trek to Lexington for the day's festivities. Here is a look at some of the veteran guards that turned in impressive performances.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["320742"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1315036,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","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-68d88ff4865b1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">One has to expect that whenever Thomas' sneakers make contact with the basketball court that plenty of plays will be made. In many ways, the Southeast Elite Showcase is serving as a tune-up for the 2025-26 season and she is proving she is more than ready for her swan song season at defending 5A Division 1 champion Blythewood. Her scoring and rebounding may get headlines, underrated aspects of her game include how she makes plays on defense, her transition playmaking, her court awareness and how she attracts attention from defenses which can open up her teammates to make plays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["259994"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1315038,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","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-68d88ff486621"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A team getting consistency out of its marquee players is a key ingredient to winning. Blythewood consistently gets that from Williams – on both offense and defense. Defensively, Williams understands how to utilize her length which can enable her to clog up an opposing team's passing lanes. Williams stands at 5-foot-8 and primarily operates as a point guard which gives her a height advantage over her peer ones and twos. She is coming off her final go-round through the AAU ranks with [program_tooltip program_id='783909' first='Palmetto' last='76ers/A'ja Wilson Elite'] and averaged 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.2 blocks a contest last season en route to the 5A Division 1 state championship. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1320199"],"_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-68d88ff486670"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Longman is entering her junior season at 5A Division 2 Chapin – and will do so as the Eagles transition to the Terence Jones era. She saw playing time in 11 games last season for Chapin and displayed signs at the Southeast Elite Showcase that she is ready to take that next step. Winning teams typically have a reliable 3-point threat – Longman displayed she can put points on the board from long range. What makes defending shooting guards so difficult is when those like Longman switch to point guard mode and attack the basket. Longman finds herself at the right spots at the right times to make the right plays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1318763"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1320335,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","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-68d88ff4866c8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Following a 2024-25 season where Belton played in 28 games for Chapin, Belton advances into her swan song season. She adds plenty of backcourt depth for the Eagles. Belton typically plays at the two but can also find time as a two guard. One would expect shooting guards to do much of their work from behind the arc, but Belton displays that her game is one that goes past the conventional two. Defensively, she can come away with steals and create additional offensive possessions for her team. First-year Chapin coach Terence Jones will need plenty of stellar play from Belton this season given the Eagles are in one of the tougher regions in the state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1320205"],"_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-68d88ff486711"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">After competing in 25 games last season for one of the premier teams in the state in 5A Division 1 Dutch Fork, Gerald is displaying she is ready to up her game for the Silver Foxes. She is an efficient floor runner and that attribute of her game particular shows itself with how she makes plays in transition. Gerald possesses plenty of speed and quickness and has no problems drawing contact to give her and her team chances at the free throw line. She can play the role of a point or a shooting guard. The defense Gerald plays can also lead to additional offensive possessions for her team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->