West Tennessee has strong girls' freshman class

image and article from The Jackson Sun

Chloe Moore is one of the main ball-handlers for Greenfield. She plays more on the perimeter and can knock down outside shots.

Many thought that this year's senior class was the strongest freshman class three years ago to come through West Tennessee in a while.

But this year's freshman class has eight players that are already giving their teams significant minutes and some are in starting roles.

That freshman class three years ago included University School of Jackson's Anna Jones, Chester County's Paige Pipkin, Trinity Christian Academy's Brynne Lytle and Bruceton's Shominique Pearson.

Three of those players have set the all-time scoring record at their school. Three of them have scored over 2,000 points in their career. Two of them have signed scholarships to play on the NCAA Division I level.

This group of freshman has the ability to surpass that.

So who are these eight players that could take West Tennessee girls basketball to a new level (in alphabetical order)?

 • Tess Darby (Greenfield) has the ability to be an explosive scorer, and she has already scored 30 or more points on multiple occasions, including a 31-point performance against Union City on Tuesday.

She is also a strong presence in the post. She has helped the Lady Yellowjackets to a 21-3 record on the season with a 14-1 mark in 14-A play as they try to close in on the No. 1 seed.

• Emily Jones (USJ) is the younger sister of senior Anna Jones, and she has the potential to be as good as her sister.

Emily Jones has adapted well to her role on the team and works to be an additional scorer to take the pressure off of her sister.

She has the same body type as her sister, so she can play multiple positions on the court. She has helped USJ to a 22-2 record on the season with a 9-0 record in district play as the Lady Bruins are close to securing the No. 1 seed.

Macey Lee (TCA) is the younger sister of junior Savannah Lee, who holds the school record for rebounds.

Macey Lee is a different player than her sister, as she is a perimeter player that can drive to the basket.

Lee had success on the middle school level, and it has quickly transferred over to the high school level this year.

TCA is 18-6 on the season with an 8-1 mark in 15-A play as the Lady Lions try to earn the No. 1 seed.

• Chloe Moore (Greenfield) is the second Lady Yellowjacket on this list, but her play is different from Darby.

Moore is one of the main ball handlers for Greenfield, having already entered the starting lineup.

She plays more on the perimeter and can knock down outside shots. She also played a key role in the Lady Yellowjackets' successful season.

•Yasmine Pankey (Crockett County) has stepped right into a starting role for the Lady Cavaliers this season. She isn't going to be a top scorer every game, but she brings consistency on the court, especially on the defensive end.

Pankey brings athleticism to the court that helps Crockett County get up and down the court.

Crockett County is 15-8 on the season with a 4-3 record in 13-AA play to sit in third place.

• Mikayla Peterson (Clarksburg) averaged over 12 points as an eighth-grader on the varsity team, and she has improved on that as a freshmen.

Peterson is one of four freshmen that start for the Lady Rockets, but she is the leader of the group.

Even with a young team, Clarksburg is 9-16 on the season with a 7-5 mark in 13-A play to sit in fifth place.

• Kyla Taylor (Lexington) has stepped onto the court for the Lady Tigers that started the season inexperienced, and she has become a go-to player.

She can go off for 20-25 points per game, and at times she has recorded double-digit rebounds.

Lexington is 13-10 on the season with a 4-3 record in 14-AA play to sit in a tie for third.

• Kyla Wade-Warren (McNairy Central) is averaging around a double-double for the Lady Bobcats. She has stepped right into a long line of strong post players that have played for Jerry Lott.

Wade-Warren has improved as the season has gone on and become stronger around the rim.

McNairy Central is 9-12 on the season.

Those are the top eight freshmen in the area, but there are three others that should be mentioned also that are showing potential with Dresden's Tinley Winn, Bradford's Dezerai White and Westview's Alexis Callins.