Deere was tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best player who sits at 6’4” from the start of the game and honestly, I can’t imagine receiving that job. The player she was guarding not only has the height, but she can extend out and really do a little bit of everything, so the fact that Deere kept battling it out despite her running all over the court was very impressive to me. Deere also got things going offensively in the 2nd half. She scored 8 second half points and finished the game with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, and 1 assist. Honestly, what stood out to me the most went beyond that though, it was the leadership she showed when her team was facing adversity.

Bella climbs from 44th overall up to 32nd and could still move higher before all is said and done. One of my picks for a possible breakout player in 2024, Deere is primed for a big season.

I’ve been advocating for Deere for the last year since she stood out to me at our PGH Top 150 last fall. With Whitney Lind moved on to college, Bella has to be ready for a bigger role if the Lady Jags want any chance to repeat as regional champs. Deere can provide a solid inside presence on offense in addition to being a good rebounder. She doesn’t have to replicate Lind’s overall impact on the game but Bella needs to make big strides now that she has much more opportunity.

Cooper is still loaded with talent but someone has to help replace Whitney Lind. If I’m coaching the Lady Jags, I’m looking no further than Bella Deere Bella Deere 6'1" | PF Cooper | 2024 State KY . With more opportunity, the 6’0 Deere can replace a lot of the production they got from Lind, especially as a rebounder. Bella is a solid post player who is ready for more time at the 4 and 5 spots after waiting her turn the last couple of seasons.

I really could put Deere in the guard or forward articles because she has a lot of versatility in her game. Good length and she uses it well to make things hard defensively. Does a great job recognizing mismatches and would post up in those scenarios. Finished well inside, but also showed her strength as a shooter by knocking down shots all over the floor. Also drove gaps, drew help, and made the right reads.

Deere and Gardner have a lot of similarities as players. Both are 6 foot forwards and play really hard. Bella’s game and skill set is not as developed as Gardner yet but her upside is seriously high thanks to her size and athleticism. Cooper has a giant hole to fill with Whitney Lind Whitney Lind 6'1" | PF Cooper | 2023 State KY gone and Deere has the tools to help fill that spot.

Deere was one of our standouts at our PGH Top 250 back in September and moves into the rankings in this update. With great size and the ability to move well, Bella has a real chance to be a nice D2 or NAIA player at the scholarship level. Her best basketball is ahead of her and she could be a difference maker in a loaded 9th region this year.

Deere made an impression as a Rim Runner by sprinting the court for a couple of layups. Her speed was impressive and she made excellent cuts to get open for a short jumper in the lane on a baseline inbounds play that looked like an actual play. But with the 250 being more or less a pick-up game you have to know it was just her basketball IQ and that of the Inbounder. At the time, I think I was actually convinced it was a play.

looking through her school stats from last season, Deere would have made 31% of her three-point shots if she had just made two more of them. That suggests she is going to be an excellent shooter if she continues to put in the work. Her athleticism is excellent, she is long fast, and sleek, but probably needs to keep hitting the weights to really elevate her game and her attractiveness to Coacehs seeking her type of player.

Bella is one of those players who is just solid in every aspect of her game. She does a little bit of everything for her team. Deere isn’t going to make the flashy plays that others do but she checks a lot of boxes and looks like the kind of player who makes a big impact at the D2/NAIA level in college.