Mercer’s best from the Top 250: Class of ’23 (part 2)
Looking for more coverage from the Kentucky Top 250 Expo? You have come to the right place as I continue my evaluation of the rising Juniors that attended the event held last Saturday at Midamerica Sports Complex in Louisville. …
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Continue ReadingLooking for more coverage from the Kentucky Top 250 Expo?
You have come to the right place as I continue my evaluation of the rising Juniors that attended the event held last Saturday at Midamerica Sports Complex in Louisville.
Triniti Ralston Triniti Ralston 5'7" | PG Sacred Heart | 2023 State KY
A dynamic Point Guard, Ralston is very explosive to the hole with a quick 1st step and a great crossover. Her defensive footwork is outstanding, reminding me of a lockdown Cornerback in football in that she smothers her opponent while with the ball and without it. Her Defensive presence, picking dribbler clean, and disrupting passes would make her a high-level prospect even if she had no offensive skills at all.
The #2 Ranked player and #1 Ranked Point Guard has the court vision to squeeze passes through gaps that do not appear to exist. She clearly deserves the respect she has been giving by my colleagues through the Ranking Process. I look forward to seeing her play this season for another loaded Sacred Heart team.
Natalie Gentry Natalie Gentry 5'9" | CG LaRue County | 2023 State KY
Larue County’s, Gentry has great size (5’10”) for Guard. The only thing is she is listed in our Rankings as a Power Forward. I suspect that has more to do with the needs of her team than her skill set, which is understandable for Hgh School She does have a strong post-up game and is very capable of dribbling in traffic and protecting the ball Most impressive was her ability to penetrate to pressure and hit the pull-up in the lane.
Coaches need to know this player could potentially be more valuable than our rankings express due to these skills. To make the transition towards more a perimeter-oriented role may take some coaching. Perhaps she could become a High Post Big (in the Princeton, High-Low Offense, or Swing) or a Stretch 4.
Camryn Poole Camryn Poole 5'7" | PG Whitefield Academy | 2023 State KY
An in-control floor general, Poole is fundamentally sound with a perfect-looking 3 point shot. She has a knack for mixing it up on the defensive glass and starting the break with the outlet pass.
I will definitely be seeing her Whitefield Academy team play a couple of times this season as I believe she will be more impressive in a team setting
Madison Morris Madison Morris 5'6" | SG Union County | 2023 State KY
Morris’ ball-hawking led to more than a few steals in open court followed by a layup. She is very alert on defense making her able to capitalize on the mistakes forced by teammates as well. She is always ready to scoop up the loose ball and start the break.
In transition, she has the vision to know when to hold back on the fastbreak until she spots her opportunity in the secondary break and exploits it. That kind of patience demonstrates a high BasketbalI-IQ making her dangerous in finding any opportunities for herself and teammates in the running game. See her play at Union County if you need that in a Guard.
Ka’Niah Edelen Ka’Niah Edelen 5'7" | CG Male | 2023 State KY
Edelen, a 5’5″ Combo Guard, consistently displays excellent defensive footwork in her on-ball defense. I am sure this pleases her coach a Male greatly as this was one of his best attributes as a player.
She will appear in more than enough Power Tilts this upcoming season so expect more coverage to follow.
Shaylah Redmon Shaylah Redmon 5'10" | SF Nelson County | 2023 State KY
She runs the floor but wasn’t found by any of her teammates while I was watching.
Thankfully for Redmon, Nelson County is on my radar this season. She will get another chance to shine.