Which women's basketball prospects in the 2023, 2024 and 2025 classes took their games to the next level?
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On Jasmine Davidson, a 6-1 W/F from Oregon:
Defensively, she is well beyond her peers in her instincts, positioning off the ball and on-ball prowess. It is evident that she has been in the gym with some very good teachers of the game. Her recruitment includes Stanford, Oregon, Washington State, UConn, Louisville, Oregon State, Gonzaga, Arizona State, UCLA, Cal and Utah.
F Kennedy Smith
6-foot-1
Etiwanda High School (Calif.)
Smith is as physical presence as there is in the country in her class. She has a very strong frame at the forward position with the touch and skills to garner major recruiting attention. She already has offers from UCLA, Cal, Washington State, Arizona, Rutgers and Houston.
Etiwanda has been in the top five of the SCNext rankings since it won the prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix in December, and Smith has anchored its aggressive defense. She can match up with both inside and perimeter players upon a switch. She carves out space for rebounding and attacks the glass hard.
Offensively, Smith has proven she can stretch the defense to the arc, particularly in the slot at the top of the key. She powerfully ducks in for easy post up opportunities and can put the ball on the deck for contact finishes. She can reach the next level as she refines her face-up game. Smith, who averages 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds, is similar in style to WNBA Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere.
PG Katie Fiso
6-feet
Garfield High School (Wash.)
Fiso is shifty off the bounce and has become efficient in playing in small spaces. Her moves are tight and she changes direction quickly and changes pace very well. She pushes the ball with a purpose up the floor, and she can either create a pull-up jumper for herself or set up a shot for her teammate with her crisp passing skills.
She has become adept at reading the pick-and-roll options and is now patient enough to know how to bait the defense into getting what she wants. Her 3-point shot is as efficient as ever, and defenses have to play her honestly because she can pull it off the dribble with a small window. Her quick trigger as she attacks open space makes opponents overreact, and when they do, she can drop a dime to the roller or manipulate the help to create an open spot-up jumper for one of her wings.
Defensively, Fiso uses her feel for the game and length as a major advantage. She reads schemes well off the ball, and it makes her a good help and recover defender. Averaging 22 points per game, Fiso is one of the best point guards in her class. Her offers include Washington State, Gonzaga, Harvard, Cal, USC, Oklahoma, Arizona, Utah State, Washington, Utah, Montana State, Oregon State, Boise State, Pepperdine, Penn State and UCLA.
PG Aaliyah Chavez
5-foot-9
Lubbock Monterrey High School (Texas)
Chavez is as creative with the ball as any player in the country. She has incredible ballhandling skills, floor vision and passing abilities, and she can knock down shots from deep. She plays the game with a flare and passion that makes her entertaining. Earlier this season, she had a 50-point, 14-rebound, 5-assist performance.
She plays the game with a mature savvy. She faces a myriad of defensive game plans that are physically taxing, as well as double teams and face-guard situations, yet she adapts and attacks. She is really good in the pick-and-roll and makes plays that simply take courage.
Look for an extremely competitive show-stopping summer out of Chavez. She is averaging 25.7 points, 6.7 assists, and 7.4 rebounds per game. Her offers include: Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Arkansas, Louisville, SMU, TCU and West Virginia.
