2023 Rankings: Top 5
Each year there is a new group of freshman entering high school basketball looking to make their mark. With multiple playing levels now in Georgia, including Freshman, Sub-Varsity, and Varsity teams, it is an uphill climb to get to the…
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Continue ReadingEach year there is a new group of freshman entering high school basketball looking to make their mark. With multiple playing levels now in Georgia, including Freshman, Sub-Varsity, and Varsity teams, it is an uphill climb to get to the big stage of varsity basketball. Many prospects go through this process while getting better individually and learning the game. Getting bigger, faster, and stronger helps in that process and eventually they emerge in their sophomore or junior year.
However, there are some prospects that walk into high school with the ability to make an immediate impact. The future is bright for all of the players on this list. Here are the top five prospects from our 2023 class.
Courtney Ogden Courtney Ogden 6'1" | SF Westminster School | 2023 State #7 Nation GA | 6’0″ | SG | Westminster
Ogden is a big guard with a scorers mentality. She has decent athleticism with a high skill level. She can dominate on the offensive end and cause match up problems for other perimeter players. She loves to play with an uptempo style looking to push the ball in transition on every touch. She can create her own shot from anywhere on the floor using dribble moves and has the length to elevate over most defenders and get good looks at the rim. Her ability to finish at the rim in traffic and through contact is impressive for a young player. She has room to improve on the defensive side of the ball but I believe she will be much improved as she continues her journey.
Photo courtesy of Cone Photography.Diana Collins | 5’11″ | CG | Brookwood
Collins brought athleticism and a high basketball IQ to Brookwood in her first season. She showed an ability to play both guard positions effectively with little to no drop off in her ability to impact the game. She has a quick first step with a very fundamentally sound game. Her confidence continued to grow over the course of the season and led to great performances in many big games. She seemed to always have an answer when her team needed one. She is a very good defender as well. She can guard both bigger and smaller shifty guards with her long arms and good lateral quickness.
Essence Cody Essence Cody 6'3" | C Valdosta | 2023 State #19 Nation GA | 6’3 | PF | Valdosta
Cody is going to be a big time post player in Georgia basketball. She has basketball in her genes and is a natural at the game. In addition to very good athleticism she has already begun to show great footwork on the interior with a few post moves to counter defenders. She has good strength and can be aggressive, when she chooses, bullying other post defenders. As she continues to build on her range she will become even more of a high value. She is a good defender well around the post area and times up blocks well and has rim protector potential. She hits the glass hard on both ends and pursues the ball outside of her area.
Crystal Henderson Crystal Henderson 5'6" | PG Kell | 2023 State GA | 5’6″ | PG | Kell
Henderson is a point guard that also knows how to put the ball in the basket. Her ball-handling is very advanced and pairing that with her high basketball IQ, you can imagine the opportunities to score she creates for herself and her teammates. The most impressive part of her game is her range. She can shoot the three-point shot from well behind the arc with consistency. She led her team from the point guard position to a 32-1 record with the only loss coming in the state championship game. She has that high energy on the floor that is infectious. When watching her play, you will see deep threes, acrobatic finishes, and great passes.
Taniya McGowan Taniya McGowan 5'10" | SF Archer | 2023 State GA | 5’10″ | SG | Archer
McGowan is one of my favorites in this class. She has a fluid game that comes across as completely effortless. She can score at every level. She reads defenders very well and uses counter dribble moves to get by them for layups or create space for her jumper. She is a strong finisher at the rim and can shoot the three. She has great size and could fill that small forward/wing position with ease. She is one of the more versatile prospects in this class because she can defend and play in the interior when the situation calls for it.