A Thief In The Night- Midseason Edition

Brandon Tinnon February 5, 2021 @ 10:18 AM

Passion. Pride. Determination. To be a lockdown defender in this state, you have to be willing to sacrifice yourself. You have to have a knack for this skill. You have to anticipate, have good judgment, and then strike when the time comes. In Tennessee, we have some talented girls who strike like” a thief in the night.” Stealing balls and getting deflections, creating momentum shifters, these girls are on top of their defensive game every night. Everyone wants to get the glory when they score, but it’s doing the dirty work that leads to that offensive possession. To be a good defender, you have to have the will. You have to be able to force your opponent into an uncomfortable situation, that you can capitalize on for your team. The girls on this list are some of the top lockdown defenders in this state. They are going to give you 32 minutes of havoc each time they step on the court. If you are one of their opponents reading this list, lace up your sneakers a little tighter, because it’s going to be a long night. Here are some notable lockdown defenders in the state of Tennessee.   [player_tooltip player_id="245173" first="Tori" last="Rutherford"] (Sr, Grainger)- This 5’8 frame combo guard is a good on-ball defender. She does a great job being able to get her hands in the passing lanes to create deflections. She constantly has her head on a swivel and can swoop in to back tip any ball. Though she starts a lot of fast breaks that lead towards easy buckets in transition, Tori can shoot the ball at a high clip in the half-court from all levels. Look for her to be the catalyst for her team as they make a run deep into the district tournament. Jamia Simmons (Jr. Fulton)- This 5’5 guard is scrappy. She has quick hands and has a great feel for the game. Her tenacious effort allows her team to lock you down full court. Jamia is always jumping lanes (aggressively and smart), diving on the floor, and going the extra mile to create extra possessions for her ball club. [player_tooltip player_id="245224" first="Zyion" last="Shannon"]- (Jr., Stewarts Creek)- 5’7 and quick as a cat, this combo guard is going to make you feel her presence one way or another. She brings to the table a complete game on both ends on the floor. Zyion has great footwork, that allows her to guard the full length of the floor. She knows when to strike and poke the ball out, and has the ability to grab the ball and go. She is a finisher on the offensive side of the ball, with the ability to shoot the ball at a high clip from all three levels of the floor. She is a gym rat who works on her smooth release frequently. Look for Zyion to make some noise throughout the rest of her playing career. Sammy Taylor (Fr. Fulton)- 5’9 guard who plays the game with speed and quickness, Sammy is making a name for herself early on in her high school career. She is a tenacious defender who sees the floor well. Her length allows her to play the passing lanes aggressively and start transition buckets. Sammy is almost averaging a double-double every night for her team. She stays on the boards no matter what end of the floor she is on. She is crafty with the ball in her hands and can shoot the ball well. Look for her to have an impressive HS career moving forward. Talyia Cawthon (Jr., Jackson Southside)- She’s a hustler. 5’4 and physical, this combo guard absolutely loves defense. She is going to get up in you the full length of the floor. If she is playing off the ball, Talyia anticipates well and can jump the passing lanes. She may be short, but she is scrappy and will lock down your best ball handler. Her hands are quick, which leads to deflections and steals leading to transition buckets. Talyia doesn’t look for excuses when playing this game. She is passionate and does the little things that help her team go. Friend or foe, she is going to bring GRIT and DETERMINATION every night the ball tips off.