Aniya Gooden continued her strong play on the big stage, finishing with 10 points, 5 steals, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds in Blanche Ely’s semifinal victory over St. Petersburg. The sophomore has made major contributions throughout this year, including a standout performance at the Tampa Bay Christmas tournament. Gooden has continued that momentum deep into the postseason. Gooden is a three-level scorer and very instinctive on the court. In the State Semifinal game, her defensive instincts and ability to create turnovers helped fuel Blanche Ely’s transition offense.

Aniyah rises in the rankings thanks to her all-around impact and high-energy play. A sophomore guard, she scores efficiently from all three levels, knocking down threes, hitting multiple mid-range jumpers, and attacking the rim with purpose. Her speed and quickness allow her to control the pace of the game, create opportunities for herself, and get to the rim in transition. On the defensive end, she uses her quickness and active hands to cut off angles, generate deflections, and rack up steals—even against elite competition. With smooth handles, a reliable deep shot, and relentless effort on both ends, Aniyah continues to separate herself as a rising star in the 2028 class.

Aniyah Gooden Aniyah Gooden 5'8" | PG Blanche Ely | 2028 State FL was a standout in every sense on Day 2 of the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational. In the game observed, Gooden scored 18, including 3 three-pointers, and multiple mid-range shots and drives to the rim. Scoring was just part of her game. The sophomore guard plays with so much energy that it rubs off. She is fast and has the ability to control the pace of the game. Gooden also excelled on the defensive end of the floor. She used her speed to cut off angles and prevent drives to the rim – even against elite opponents. Gooden was very impressive and the fact that she is only a sophomore made her performance even more special.

Aniyah is one of the best 2028’s in South Florida but is still flying under the radar with the amount of skill she possesses. She’s an efficient shooter and scorer from all three levels, and she’s active on the defensive end to come up with deflections and steals. Her game will continue to evolve and pop onto more college’s radars soon enough.

Aniyah was the best player on the court when I saw her play in Georgia. She showed off some smooth handles and could shoot it from deep with nice form. Her quickness allowed her to get to the rim on offense, but also helped her a ton of defense. AG got a few steals using that speed and had very active hands on defense. She’ll be a name to watch in South Florida after a strong Freshman season and a strong start this spring.