Midseason Watchlist Class of II-A: Best Shooters

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Many players in the Class of II-A in Tennessee are having remarkable shooting seasons. With that, here are five of the best perimeter shooters thus far in this class in girls' high school hoops.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Erin Spurgeon","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Notre Dame High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69793bf6f2ad1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Erin Spurgeon from Notre Dame High School has been lethal in shooting from distance all year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spurgeon, in 22 recorded games, has 58 made threes and is shooting 39% from the three-point line. This effective shooting has led to some impressive box scores from the junior throughout the season. This includes a game against Central-Wise High School. Spurgeon in the contest had 28 points with 18 of her points coming from six made threes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spurgeon's ability to quickly set her feet makes her a great catch-and-shoot shooter. If one of her shots goes down, her release sometimes gets faster, allowing her to get her jump shot off before defense closes in. This skill is also a big part of making her a great catch-and-shoot shooter, and does not affect her accuracy whatsoever.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["513240"],"_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-69793bf6f2b86"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Middle Tennessee Christian senior [player_tooltip player_id='513240' first='Anna' last='Clay Shirley'] is having a great offensive year overall, including the likes of her high-level perimeter shooting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shirley, this season in 18 logged games, has 44 made threes and is shooting 38% from beyond the long line. It is clear that this far into her high school hoops career, Shirley does not get phased by big moments. This was seen when she played against one of the best teams in the state, Bradley Central, no less than two weeks ago.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Despite her team getting a loss, Shirley played well. In the contest, she made four threes. A couple of these threes were off of the dribble, and one of her makes was from the top of the key, well off the line. Shirley's three-point game is by no means one-dimensional.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["780456"],"_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-69793bf6f2bfc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Teammate of Shirley, [player_tooltip player_id='780456' first='Jules' last='Ferrell'], is also having an extremely impressive shooting season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ferrell leads MTCHs in points per game, averaging 20.1. Within her versatile offensive game is a reliable three-point jumper. From distance this year, she has 40 makes and is shooting 40% from three.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ferrell has had a number of big offensive games. This includes a game against Nashville Christian High School, where she made five threes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Along with her jumper, Ferrell is also an elite perimeter defender. She has the ability to read what players are going to do. Many times, it feels she is already making her way to intercept a pass before it even leaves the hand of an opposing player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1234139"],"_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-69793bf6f2c71"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sharpshooting specialist [player_tooltip player_id='1234139' first='Callie' last='McCormick'], out of Notre Dame High School, is lighting it up from beyond the arc this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McCormick this season has 62 made threes in 23 logged games. Also, out of these contest there are only two instances where she jogged off the floor without a made three to her name.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McCormick's best game of the year shooting wise came against Mercy High School. In the contest, she made eight threes. McCormick's main trait that helps lead to big outings like this is being unnereved. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Few shots are bad shots for McCormick from beyond the arc, and she knows it. With this mindset, she does not pass many good looks down from three. This leads to the stats she had against Mercy and forces opposing players to stay close to her, which then opens up the floor for her teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["821641"],"_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-69793bf6f2cf9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The number one player in the class of 2027, [player_tooltip player_id='821641' first='Haylen' last='Ayers'], has many layers to her game, with a shot from distance being one of them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ayers, in 17 recorded games, has 35 made threes and is shooting 37% on these shots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ayers three level scoring ability at 6'1", paired also with the ability dribble like a natural point guard, puts opposing defenders in a tough spot. Adding a knockdown jumper to this, there are games where she becomes borderline unguardable. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Her shooting ability was on display in a game against Nashville Community Illinois. Ayers had 26 points in the contest, including four three-pointers. Her threes in this game came in variety, including a dribble move that made an opposing player fall. After this move, Ayers, who was in the paint, stepped out and made a three-pointer seamlessly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is just one moment where Ayers showed she is a lethal shooter and one of the best players in the class of 2027.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->