The Franklin High School girls basketball team may be losing a McDonald's All-American in Diamond Miller, but they won't have to wait long for their next mega recruit to emerge. While the winter of 2019 saw Miller score her way to a McDonald's All-American selection, the summer months will serve as a coming out party for Franklin's next big thing. 

 

Christina Midgette @LadyMambaBBall1 may consider herself a point guard, but she's aware of the fact that she looks more like a small forward, and she isn't shy about addressing her versatility on the court. Standing 5'11 after her freshman season, Midgette is the big guard that coaches so desperately covet at the college level. Her long arms allow her to drop dimes over the top of helpless defenders in the half-court, and her equally long legs allow her to stay ahead of the pack in transition. 

 

She's already a three-level scorer. Though she's capable behind the three-point line, she does most of her damage attacking the basket. She cites her mid-range pull-up as one of her offensive strengths, but her skillfully ambidextrous touch around the basket stands out most when watching her on film. 

 

With her freshman season at Franklin in the books, Midgette (ranked as the #21 player in the Class of 2022 by World Exposure Report) will now move on to representing New Jersey club powerhouse Team Miller  during the spring and summer. 

 

This weekend, Midgette will lead Team Miller  2021 (@TeamMiller2021) at the Atlantic City Showcase at the Atlantic City Convention Center in New Jersey. Midgette hopes to show college coaches an improved defensive tenacity to go along with her polished offensive game. 

 

"Something I've been working on since my high school season is improving my defense...being able to lock up one on one," said Midgette during a phone interview. "My goal is to be able to defend the best offensive guards (in the country) without getting beat."

 

It's a lofty aspiration for the precocious young competitor, but her physical gifts make the idea of defensive dominance seem very obtainable. 

 

After Atlantic City, Midgette will take on an even bigger challenge as she attempts to represent her country at the trials for the USA U16 Women's National Team. It will surely be a defining moment in Midgette's career thus far, but she was noticeably excited when asked about the upcoming test.

 

"I'm really excited about the experience. There's going to be a lot of people for me to learn from," said Midgette. "I'm hoping to make the team, but even if I don't, there will be so many things I will be able to take back and use to get better."

 

With a summer schedule packed with opportunities for exposure, the only thing certain for Christina is that she's on her way to becoming a household name in recruiting circles. As she looks to separate herself from the rest of the top prospects in her class, she hopes her thirst for knowledge is what puts her on another level. "I'm eager to learn whether it's on the court, in the classroom, or in film."

 

There's not too many high school freshmen talking with reporters about their eagerness to watch film, but that's who Midgette is -- a kid who has already stated that academics will play a major role in her college decision and a point guard who listed making her teammates look good as a goal for herself while in Atlantic City. 

   

At first glance, Christina Midgette seems to have all the physical tools to be successful as a student-athlete. After a closer look, she seems to also have the intangibles of a future star player at the college level.