Though it is early in the season so far, there is a freshman who has clearly shown she is a rising talent to watch out for here in North Carolina. 2027 Lila Kelly has that “it” factor and is showing that she is going to be a force in the years to come. Though it is early in the season, Kelly is posting strong numbers with 20+ppg, over five rebounds, three assists, and racking up the steals early on for Forsyth Country Day.
At the Lady Top 80, she stood out as a young player to watch, one who is active and can make her presence felt as a finisher and scorer, one who can make plays in a variety of ways and levels, and uses her size to her advantage.' To dive more into her game, here is her evaluation from the camp not long ago.
Lady Top 80 Evaluation:
“She’s a smart, skilled, high-motor forward/post prospect who already possesses an excellent nose for the ball. Kelly is a quality finisher and perimeter shooter with an understanding of how to take what the defense is giving her. She rebounds at a high volume, passes well for her size, and runs the floor well in transition. Kelly defends the post effectively and blocks shots regularly. Next in her development process is working to get stronger, as it would allow her to become a more physically imposing player on both ends of the floor. Coach Dillard on Kelly: “Lila is very coachable. She offers great hustle and displays a really good feel for the game. Lila shoots the ball well and is very active as a defender. She’s a rebounding machine that boxes out and uses her length around the basket. Going forward, I would like to see her work on having a next-play mentality and not worrying about a miscue on the previous possession.” Kelly made a lasting impression during her time at camp and will be one to monitor over the foreseeable future.
It is clearly early in the season, but this freshman is one that I would highly recommend watching more, as she already holds offers early on and that list should only continue.
