I think Payton isn’t even close to being how good she can be, and she is already a very good player! She is a long 5’9 and very athletic, probably one of the best athletes in Region 1. She glides up and down the court and is also a good jumper. She plays hard and dives on loose balls, showcasing her effort and enthusiasm to win games. She is an outstanding passer with high-level vision. She also has mastered passing one-handed and throws them on a dime to her teammates. The next step in her game is going to be her aggressiveness while looking for her own shot. She has the talent and skill to be a very good scorer, she just needs to look to score a bit more.

Payton is one of the smoothest athletes in Region 1. She seems to glide up the floor and can easily slip past defenders. Her length and athleticism make her an exceptional defender and a player with a high ceiling as a prospect. She has continued to improve her offensive skills and has become a double-figure scoring threat this season as a freshman. Payton will have an opportunity to play at the next level. I am not sure what level quite yet, that will depend on how hard she works going forward.

Hanson found her way into the starting lineup last season towards the end of the year and is a lock to start again this season. She is incredibly athletic and works very hard at her game. She picks up new concepts well and has increased her skillset this offseason. She will be an All-Region player for multiple years and will be Oak Grove’s key piece going forward.

I was most impressed with Payton on the defensive end. She is one of the best athletes in the 2029 class and was able to keep up and defend older girls on Thursday. She was really tough to get past guarding the ball and she moves incredibly well laterally, which results in her being in correct help-side positioning. She ran the floor hard after defensive rebounds and was always a threat in transition.

Payton is already a really effective high school player who is only going to get better. She moves so well out on the court and has the frame that will develop into an elite athlete. She is a great defender, particularly in the full-court. She turns her opponents back and forth and really makes it difficult to advance the ball. She has a really nice looking shot and is capable from deep. She drives to the basket hard and is able to finish through contact. Payton is only a year or two away from being Oak Grove’s best player.