Top Prospects of the Month
The final month of regular season basketball has been a good one as sleepers and stars alike have shined down the stretch. Here’s a look at some of the best prospects I saw in January.
2020 6-0 C Aaliyah Foxx-Rome – Alexander
With her size and strength, Aaliyah Foxx-Rome is one of the best available posts left in Georgia in the 2020 class. The powerful post shot puts 41-4 and uses that strength to move opponents out of the way. She is a great rebounder and has enough post moves inside to score at an efficient clip.
2022 6-0 G Sydney Bowles Sydney Bowles 6'1" | CG Woodward Academy | 2022 State #17 Nation GA – Woodward Academy
The numbers don’t lie for the sophomore sensation. Bowles averages 25.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 5.1 steals. Bowles is the epitome of a big guard and has the ability to play any position on the floor. She has a great scoring touch highlighted by her jump shot. Her explosiveness and ability to consistently get to the rim are her only two areas of improvement needed for her already advanced offensive repertoire.
2022 5-7 SG Catherine Alben – Grayson
Athleticism and aggressiveness are hallmarks of Catherine Alben’s game. Her motor covers up any areas of rawness allowing her to impact the game on both ends of the court, averaging 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.3 steals. She excels at attacking the basket and will improve as she polishes her game particularly her outside shot.
2023 5-9 PG Elle Blatchford Elle Blatchford 5'11" | PG Sequoyah | 2023 State GA – Sequoyah
Blatchford’s IQ and skill set is mature beyond her years. The freshman is long and is a playmaker on both offense and defense. Getting to the basket, the eurostep is Blatchford’s most effective move. She’s a creative passer and does a good job both of kicking out to shooters and dumping to posts when she gets too deep. She’s averaging 10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.5 steals. She had a career-high 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals last week against Class 3A No. 1 Johnson-Savannah.
2020 5-6 PG Azonya Austin Azonya Austin 5'7" | PG North Cobb | 2020 State GA – North Cobb – Alabama A&M
The engine that makes North Cobb go, Azonya Austin Azonya Austin 5'7" | PG North Cobb | 2020 State GA is an active guard that does a little bit of everything for her shorthanded team. Playing the full 32 minutes every game on a team that plays just five players, Austin is a quick guard that can score the ball on multiple levels while still taking the time to get her teammates involved. The future Alabama A&M Bulldog recorded 23 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals at The Sandy’s Spiel Showcase earlier in the month.
2021 5-10 W Ashuntee Weems Ashuntee Weems 5'10" | CG Douglass | 2021 State GA – Douglass
Long, athletic and energetic, Ashuntee Weems Ashuntee Weems 5'10" | CG Douglass | 2021 State GA has stepped to the forefront headlining Class 2A No. 1 Douglass this season. Her defensive pressure on-ball and in the passing lanes leads to transition opportunities where she thrives. Continuing to improve the consistency of her outside shot will help determine her offensive ceiling, but her stat sheet stuffing ways makes her an invaluable commodity. She went for 27 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks at The Sandy’s Spiel Showcase.
2020 6-3 C Christabel Ezumah Christabel Ezumah 6'3" | C Lanier | 2020 State GA – Lanier
Back from an ACL tear which stunted her recruitment soon after the end of last season, Christabel Ezumah Christabel Ezumah 6'3" | C Lanier | 2020 State GA has returned to providing game-altering defense. Her offensive skill set is still progressing. She has shown the ability in the past to rebound and start her own fast breaks. Her offense mainly comes on putbacks. She’s a stalwart defensively and can block shots without fouling. The high academic post tallied 13 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals and 4 blocks at The Sandy’s Spiel Showcase.
2020 5-6 G Dasia Wyatt – Bowdon
A track and field standout, Dasia Wyatt is a high motor difference maker at the Class A-Public level. Her athleticism and aggressiveness are her best traits. She overwhelms most competition with her speed and quickness. She is a pure slasher on offense and exclusively goes left. She’s a very limited threat from outside of the paint but makes up for her bounded range with her defensive effort. She poured in 21 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals in Bowdon’s win over Darlington, outdueling Bucknell-signee Caroline Dingler Caroline Dingler 5'10" | CG Darlington | 2020 State GA .
2023 5-6 PG Crystal Henderson Crystal Henderson 5'6" | PG Kell | 2023 State GA – Kell
Holding the ability to flip a game’s momentum in the blink of an eye, freshman Crystal Henderson Crystal Henderson 5'6" | PG Kell | 2023 State GA is among Georgia’s best 2023s. Henderson is a lethal shooter that can catch fire in a second. Her quickness with the ball makes her a tough cover and she’s a great passer on the move.
[player_tooltip player_id="154582" first="Crystal" last="Henderson"] defends [player_tooltip player_id="118100" first="De'Mauri" last="Flournoy"]2021 5-7 PG De’Mauri Flournoy De’Mauri Flournoy 5'7" | PG Carrollton | 2021 State #69 Nation GA – Carrollton
With High Major offers in tow, De’Mauri Flournoy De’Mauri Flournoy 5'7" | PG Carrollton | 2021 State #69 Nation GA is a big-time gamer that brings a fierceness on the court. Flournoy plays bigger than her size, willing to rebound, defend and of course create offense for the Trojans. Flournoy scores the ball on all three levels. She can extend the defense beyond the three-point line and when she does, she’s crafty enough to get into the defense where she can convert contested floaters all while hanging in the air. Flournoy is accepting of defensive challenges and is an overall strong floor leader.
2023 5-9 F Alexcia Murphy Alexcia Murphy 5'10" | SF Troup County | 2023 State GA – Troup County
A versatile combo-forward, Alexica Murphy has a nose for the ball and attacks it relentlessly. She’s a well-built strong inside presence. She can attack the rim from the wing and draw fouls. Murphy has good defensive instincts and is a sneaky-good shot blocker.
2021 5-7 CG KeKe Turner KeKe Turner 5'7" | CG Cedartown | 2021 State GA – Cedartown
KeKe Turner KeKe Turner 5'7" | CG Cedartown | 2021 State GA plays hard. She’s an athletic and aggressive guard that turns defense into offense. She’s a willing on-ball defender. Turner likes to get downhill when attacking the basket. To be able to play at the next level, she will need to work hard on her left hand. Turner has a overall good makeup and a tough mindset on the court.