With the playoffs right around the corner, it is important to take a look at some of the players to watch for this postseason. Instead of looking at the seniors, let’s take a dive into juniors and sophomores who can make a big impact in a few short weeks.
Junior Marist W Kate Harpring- Harpring is coming off an official visit to Iowa this past weekend. Iowa faithful showed how much she meant to them flooding her with messages to commit and come be a Hawkeye. Harpring is rated as the No. 1 prospect according to 247Sports Composite and the No. 2 player in the ESPNW rankings. Harpring was instrumental in helping the Marist Lady War Eagles clinch a state championship in 2023. She scored 45 points and helped Marist overcome a 12-point deficit in an overtime victory over River Ridge. It was one spectators will talk about for years to come. Her scoring prowess is what separates her from the rest. Once again she will be a player to watch this postseason especially with Marist competing in 4A this year. She can score against any defensive coverage including zone, press, traps, man, and full-court. It doesn’t matter she has seen everything at this point. Her ability to take over games and score at a high level makes Marist dangerous.
Junior Mill Creek W Isabella Ragone- She is considered one of the best players in the country and is ranked on ESPNW and 247Sports. On 247Sports Composite, she is rated as the No. 2 player in Georgia, No. 6 SF, and No. 24 player nationally. She has an elite deep ball and can create her own shot. She has offers from Duke, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Iowa, North Carolina, Northwestern, and Notre Dame. Ragone was also a nominee for McDonald’s All-American game before the finalists were announced. She has led Mill Creek to a 16-7 record and they will play top seed Buford on Wednesday night to determine who gets the top spot come playoff time.
Junior Brookwood PG Justyce McCoy- She was named Region 7-6A player of the year for the second consecutive time. McCoy turned it up a notch in 2024 on the defensive level and earned Girls Defensive player of the Year for the same region. She came up with a big performance to put the Lady Broncos back into the playoffs. She finished with 29 points, four steals, and three assists. She had another memorable performance against Meadowcread. She finished the game with 33 points, 10 steals, and seven rebounds. In that win, she also broke Brookwood’s single-season steals record, upping her total past 105. McCoy is an exceptional talent and to only a junior the sky’s the limit. Brookwood will play in 6A this postseason but have a chance thanks to their dynamic point guard.
Junior Kell G Kennedy Deese - Deese has continued to improve each year she has been under head coach Kandra Bailey. Deese finished the 2023 season on a hot streak and followed it up with a great 2024 season. She was a go-to option on offense for the Lady Longhorns. Deese is an elite three-level scorer that has taken her game to another level. She was named Region 6-4A Player of the Year for her efforts. An area of her game where she has taken another step is on the defensive side of the ball. She is a great on-ball defender who is capable of staying in front of anybody and also can defend the paint at a high level. Deese has seen an uptick in her steals and blocks this season and has continued to get better. She definitely will be a player to watch this postseason.
Sophomore Creekside PG C’India Dennis- Dennis was named Co-Region Player of the Year along with Devin Bockman She’s had a number of memorable moments this past season. Dennis recorded a triple-double finishing with 31 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. Another was her season-high 34 points to go along with 12 rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Dennis dropped a She hit double-figures in every game this past season. She was a big reason why Creekside finished its season undefeated at 25-0. She is averaging 20.1 points per game on 54% shooting and has the Lady Seminoles in contention to win a state championship. There are so many ways you can describe her, but tough, resilient, and persistent are the ones that come to mind.
Sophomore Monroe KieAundria Acree- Acree had a great breakout sophomore season finishing with 29.8 points per game on 51% shooting from the field. She also was a beast on the glass leading her team in rebounding with 14.8 per game. She also averaged 4.2 steals per game and 3.8 blocks. She led her team in all of those categories and those numbers helped her Region 1-3A Player of the Year and being named to the all-region first-team. Acree also crossed the 30-point mark 12 times this past season, including two 40 point games against Lovejoy and Cairo. She is ranked as the #24 player in the ESPN W 2026 class and is a four-star prospect, Acree is an elite two-way player and one of the best in the state.
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