Sunday, April 29, 2018

Flight Reid vs Team Pink Phenom cross state MS battle #HeartOfTexas

Nothing like seeing young talented players that "I" know bring the "it" factor that will take many of them not only to be stars in HS but at the next level and some beyond that so the 8th grade spotlight game for me was Flight Reid (Arkansas) vs Team Pink Phenom 2022 (Oklahoma) who I've had a chance to watch numerous times but more on them in a minute. Caroline Lyles has all of the tools that will take her a long way, she understands the game, plays hard and is aggressive so that combined with athleticism and ability to score as well as rebound just tells me a lot. Carson Coulter and Mika Scott play the passing lane well, both are athletic but Coulter's floater and Scott's range . I love 6'0 Kaleigh Thompson's upside, she too plays the passing lane and is long and athletic which is always a plus. Solid squad all the way around, Taylor Hernandez, Hailey Tunnell and Olivia Allen are all heady players that make plays, while watching Sydni Adams in the open court change of direction, or zig zagging in the half court for baskets still has me dizzy


Takyla Pitts is athletic, rebounds on  both ends and scores with either hand plus she's just under the magic number of 6'0, you'll understand why that number is magic down the road while Sydni Smith is at that magic number and continues to make shots disappear coming her way, strong body and clears the board plus she is becoming a terror inside offensively. They say honesty is the best policy, but so is Aunisty Smith and I saw that last year when she went completely off against a very talented OK Swish squad and how did I phrase it, she's on the verge of becoming a BEAST, well she's over the verge read more

Some things you can't teach, fight and desire, not to be confused with some who desire to fight for no apparent reason but this young lady has just elevated her game as she picks her spots nicely. She's a terror on the inside but a nice pull-up and expanded range has done nothing but add to what she brings to the table which is almost set to a tee as she follows her shots and her teammates, dives on the floor and she definitely has #D1Lock stamped on her but she ain't done, trust me.. Deonie DeLouiser is an athletic guard that brings heat, both ways, as she attacks and defends well.


Hiatiani Releford , smh is all I can do sometimes but the acronym fits in a good way because I love throwback players, she too went off last year and is still going off. I can't emphasize enough about playing hard and battling, she rebounds strong, finishes strong, jumps , well look at above picture and she goes after everything and is scoring with both hands as well. Cayanna Stanley continues to do what she does and that's bring an arsenal of offensive weapons, attacking, long ball, midrange and although I missed talented Jerrika Mahonn on this trip, she knows how to put the ball in the basket many way, the phrase don't be SHOOK by Brooke ties in nicely as Brooke Robertson as she she has a very nice hesitation, creates under pressure and finishes with a floater among other ways


Speaking of finishing, how about Carrigan Hill whose poise under pressure is becoming more and more of a factor as she continues to do things that simply have me wondering how high she'll land but this game winning three sort of tells you that big things are coming other than her being on the 2018 Heart of Texas Tip Sheet, this young lady just continues to amaze me