Diamond In The Rough MS Tip Sheet

One thing you can always count on from a PassThaBall event is catching some up and coming talent as well as established stars with many players on the verge of breaking out and I'm going to break the Tip Sheets down from the Diamond In The Rough Event because the three players above fit everything I mentioned her events cover. When I first saw Jazzy Owens, Madison Cockrell and Breanna Davis,  felt like these young ladies were on the verge of breaking out, the talented trio of 7th graders showed me something different each time I saw them play and I knew they were all up and coming talents that were on the verge of breaking out. As the season progressed, the more I watched them in different settings and at the All Star game PassThaBall held in Houston,  I said they were all D1 locks however the performance these young ladies gave at the #DIR let me add I've thrown away the key because there is no telling how high these talented guards can go at the next level

Madison Cockrell-explosive first step, attacks basket from every angle and finishes strong with contact. Nice midrange game and can shoot the long ball but ability to create shot against taller and older players while shooting with accuracy during event told me even more about this young ladies ability and future

Jazzy Owens- plays passing lanes to perfection, loves to take defenders off dribble and is able to finish strong with either hand. Shoots the ball well from all over the court, loves the pressure and wants to take "the shot" in crunch time. Tenacious defender baseline to baseline but her body control on the offensive end is ahead of her years

Breanna Davis- did some things the first time I saw her that left me speechless and I think I tweeted "poised beyond her years" but she loves the physicality, either giving or taking and she can overpower from the guard spot now. Understands the simple things to a tee as well as the heard ones but that explosive jumper keeps shining from every imaginable spot

I'll drop the HS version over the next couple of days, until them enjoy the video by clicking here  and don't forget to sign up for Hoop-A-Holics December 10th, early bird registration going on now

Register for HoopAHolics

D'Asia Collins starts season off with a bang and makes her decision

I simply love watching players that just have that certain “it” factor and you just know things will fall into pace for them. I guess the first time I saw D’Asia Collins was when she around 8 or 9 running the one and her BB-IQ as well as ability to comprehend things on the court told me she was going to make her mark and after continuing to progress and truly showing “size don’t matter” she helped lead Cy Ranch to their first state championship trip and finishing 2nd last season. This season, they’re off to a 2-0 start as they prepare for the Texas Invitational, one of the top events in the state and a possible rematch against state champ Duncanville.

So far Collins has filled up the stat sheet, opening with a double double against Dekaney, 12 points and 11 assists, and 2 rebounds shy of a triple double plus she added 5 steals and 3 blocks. Then she went completely off in a nail biter against Seven Lakes, scoring 24, which included 3-5 from NBA range but even more importantly than any of that is that she signed with the University of West Florida and after weeks of going over offers, I asked what made her choose UWF and Collins said “It was a very tough decision. I visited and spoke with numerous schools and really enjoyed talking with the coaches and some of the players that I met at those schools.”

Collins also added “They all treated me like I was their number one priority. Each school discussed how I could help them win the conference all 4 years and leave my mark on the university. West Florida was different they talked about how I could help take them over the top from their Elite 8 finish and help them win a National Championship. Winning the conference is important and something I plan to do each year, but having the opportunity to win a National Championship is something all college athletes dream of and I believe that UWF will provide that opportunity. “

One thing I know about this young lady, no matter what the situation is, no matter what setting I’ve seen her, even at college camps talking basketball and impressing college players with her knowledge and skill set at a very early age, Collins will get it done

2017 The Academy Player Development Camp

When you have Chuck McCowan and Marcus Peoples throwing an event, I'm definitely going to try and make it because I truly love teachers and those who are able to break things down where players can comprehend what's being taught, not a lot of that going on contrary to popular belief, and the game has been hurt in the area because of it. Some might have other opinions however mine are the only ones that matter in this case because I've been doing this since last century so I kind of might know what I'm talking about for numerous reasons

Let me start off with the incoming freshmen group of young ladies, many of which have already sold me early.

2021

Timberlyn Criswell's athleticism and ability to score multiple ways has always been something to see but her defense has gotten better and she's hard to handle period.
Kamari Portalis can stop and pop or drop long range, finishes strong with contact and just brings heat baseline to baseline and her upside is nowhere near the finished product
Kyndall Hunter is in the background but she's also one of the top guards in the state, right now, and I called her a BCS lock years ago, whenever I'm wrong about a player please let me know but she can just take over a game whenever she wants
Aiken Semones has benefited from a growth spurt , her strongest asset years ago was shooting the long ball however improved ball handling,defense & ability to see the floor, well progression is showing
Haleen Harris has made one of the biggest jumps over the past two seasons, this young lady never takes a play off, loves to defend and is scoring from outside as well as attacking basket
Jada Malone also keeps getting better. Got her feet wet playing against much older girls on the circuit and saying she held her own would be an understatement. She's 6'3, great hands and footwork but her ball handling and outside shooting as well as rebounding and finishing will have her on many college short lists
Sammy Meyers nice pull up, creates well under pressure and definitely understands the game. Love her energy and upside and having a talented older sister helps as well
Riyah Francis talk about opening my eyes on initial sighting, she has good size, already around or over the magic number of 6'0 but her athleticism and energy are great signs plus her shot is fluid and she definitely has some tools to work with

MS

Let me throw this one at you, R'Mani Taylor, another player I said was a BCS lock years ago, could start on many HS varsity squads right now and to be honest, probably make every squad in the area. Poised beyond her years, I've mentioned that as well, she's a player with the "it" factor that has some things in her repertoire you just can't teach. Loved this group of players, Farren Wright, Crishelle Washington, Trinity Santasiero and Jazmyn Williams are showing signs of being among the top 2022 players in the area while Mackenzie Johnson is a 2023 that amazed with the fact that she just started playing and grasping the the concept early

HS

Savannah Smith's strength enables her to overpower guards, on both ends, love her ability to create and pull-up jumper. She's smooth and defends well
Jordan Williams definitely showed me she could get after it. Anticipates passes, vocal on the floor handles the ball under pressure as well and can score
Jaidyn Fontinette I loved that athleticism when I caught her during club season, she slices from every angle for baskets and can shoot the jumper as well as defend
Jaida Herndon consistently has been one of area's best kept secrets, backs down against no one, rebounds and finishes strong but her perimeter defense has taken off as well as ability to face basket for buckets

2018 Reagan Heun makes decision #GPRUnderTheRadar

I’ve said this over and over throughout the years I’ve been covering and evaluating girls’ basketball players and it stands solid time after time, “college coaches love big guards that can shoot the ball “so the first time I saw Reagan Heun in the 8th grade, I definitely knew she had the potential to play at the next level and where she’d land would be based on her progression. Over the years of watching her play, I noticed she always added something and her ability to shoot the ball was never a problem but when her “catching and shooting” with consistency started taking off, as well as her attacking the basket and defense , I knew she would have options galore and that she did so after the past few weeks of narrowing her decision down, she chose North Dakota State University and I asked her why and  she said “the reason I chose NDSU was because the second I stepped onto campus I felt at home. The team and staff are amazing and I can't wait to be a part of this program” Well said by the talented young lady and here are some flashbacks of articles and Tip Sheets she’s made over the years

HEUN

2018 Kia White decides on next level #GPRUnderTheRadar

Kia White is another one of those young ladies I had a chance on catching in middle school that just got “it” early and by that I mean “comprehension of the game”  I saw that desire in her every time she stepped on the floor, no matter what the score was, who she played against or whatever , attitude, demeanor and performance never changed and when you lay it all out there over and over, continue to progress on the floor and excel both on the court and in the classroom, you know things will definitely fall into place

Her performance at Desoto HS, which is in one of, if not the toughest, districts in the state this decade as well as on the circuit with DFW Elite, she impressed more than me as college offers started to pour in and recently after the last viewing period a couple of weeks ago, she picked up an addition four offers before deciding on SMU so my question to her was what made her choose the Mustangs and she said “I chose SMU because Coach Mays reminds me so much of Coach Robinson and Coach Creel, who are two of the best coaches I've ever had. They pushed me to reach new levels, and I believe Coach Mays and his staff can do the same. Also, looking at the other 2018 commits, there is a lot of talent coming in, and I believe we have the potential to do great things at SMU.”

She is definitely correct because the Mustangs do have plenty of talent coming in, including Kia’s talented cousin and Desoto teammate Kayla White, and Kia’s addition is another huge piece to their puzzle

Final All Star game @ #I45Shootout had a little of everything

Sometimes I get lucky on pictures so to capture three of the four incoming freshmen that played in the PassThaBall I-45 Shootout finale was great, at least for me. Aiken Semones and Raven Adams have both impressed me sine I guess 4th grade when I first saw them play, Semones was dangerous from long range early and a growth spurt has truly added more to her game as she's adjusting to the one. Adams was explosive even back then, ball handling and scoring were in her repertoire but her mindset was always years ahead and the progression from both of these two has been something  to see as they keep adding to their games. Hadn't seen Jermia Green, well actually I had, but she left a lasting impression with her play on both ends and when I saw Jasmine Shavers score about 10 points in 2 minutes earlier in the season, playing up against a tough team, I was sold however I had already seen her a couple of years ago with another squad yet she had a huge growth spurt and is definitely going to be hard to handle

Never could get a roster from some of these teams, for whatever reasons yet when my daughter tells me to check out a player, I jump on that and Laila Blair is simply amazing. Her ability to catch and shoot, explosive first step and just one of those players that finds various ways to put the ball in the basket has her a definite mid to BCS lock. Club teammates Elyssa Coleman and Chanielyn Galloway both have size and athleticism, I used the search bar and saw I had written about them with a previous team  a while back but even I forget faces I see once or twice but with their performances, as well as '21 Green, I see why they made noise on the circuit. Salem Diaz was a bright spot from the HoopAHolics Camp that also played in the All Star game, love her upside and Arianna Sturdivant was another pleasant surprise

Been watching Dasha McMillan for a minute and she definitely keeps adding to her game M'Kayla Malone and Mikayla Green both showed they could put up numbers quickly and efficiently. Zaria Johnson has so many tools to go along with her size and athletic ability, watched her make jumps from last season to this season and throughout the club ball scene and another threesome that played club ball together, Kirsten Beasley, Brianna Cloud and Kayla Cobb all showed up. Beasley left me speechless at times at the Tyrone Johnson Showcase, Cloud just brings it every play but I love progression and over the years, she definitely adds more which has me closing with someone I've been watching what seems like forever. Cobb was one of those players that could shoot the long ball early but watching her add multiple ways to score, ball-handling under pressure and poise were all impressive but what has truly impressed me even more is the heat she's bring on defense and that is how I'll close this out

Opening game at #I45Shootout sets the stage

One thing I've always enjoyed is watching the up and coming talented players and I definitely have a knack for noticing the "can't misses" and those who have next level potential and contrary to rumor, I haven't been wrong yet so if I say it, I usually print it and with a 2nd grade education, the use of the search bars on here or my website sort of solidifies what I've said and how it's played out. The opening All Star game at PassThaBall's I-45 Shootout definitely had an abundance of college players, most of which still have middle school eligibility left. The Pro Skills trio pictured above from the Metroplex area, Madison Cockrell , Jazzy Owens and Bre Davis certainly caught my eye a few months ago and the progression they continue to make has me sold. My first good look at another young lady from up north, Jerzie Bryant was definitely a good one and the growth from yet another young star from the Dallas area, both height and game, Nyah Wilson left me speechless at times

San Antonio area was also represented with both Sammie Wagner and Gabby Nunez who were a couple of the standouts at the HoopersRUs Camp the day before so I already knew what to expect and to say I was more than pleased would be an understatement. Ja'Shelle Johnson, also from San Antonio, dazzled me with spin moves and step backs as well as an array of ways to score but the talent from Houston was alive and kicking. Aarianna Masters continues to elevate her game, defense sold me early but she's showing more while A'Leah Franklin and Nyahh Threatt have also added even more to their impressive repertoire of finding ways to score but this game definitely was loaded with next level players galore and set the stage for the rest of the day and more time, if I say it, it will happen and the hunger I've seen in these young ladies tell me "una vez mas" #RightAgain

I called Ashlon Jackson one of the top players nationally in the class of 2022 two years ago, that's a done deal folks and she just does so many things at this age you can't teach and with her having another growth spurt and showing she can play multiple positions make her hard to handle. Amani Bartlett was a pleasant surprise when I saw her earlier this season, she's over the magic number of 6'0 and is now showing signs of being able to dominate inside. R'Mani Taylor sold me as a 5th grader, her range is unlimited, great BB-IQ and something else that can't be taught, poise definitely has her "in the mix" nationally. Janae Tucker put on an impressive performance playing up, she's an explosive scorer that understands how to put the ball in the basket multiple ways and what can I say about Dalanna Carter that I haven't said. After seeing what she did over the weekend, in this setting, against this type of competition and being one of the youngest players there, her ceiling is unlimited 

Flashback on #I45Shootout stars

Elizabeth Scott, Mackenzie Green, Jasmine Smith and Amanda Ferry

There is nothing more refreshing than watching talented players, especially at an early age and when you have the ability to recognize the ones who will be among the top players down the road like I do, well that certainly gives me pleasure and enjoyment and when you look at the names over the years starting with my own daughter, common sense should kick in but the girl's game has definitely changed, both on and off the court

The Truong twins 

Seeing these six young ladies, all from 2019 with the exception of 2018 Jasmine Smith definitely gave me a boost as I saw many in the 5th and 6th grade and just knew they were not only headed to the next level but were legitimate #D1Locks and as usual I was on point so I was certainly pleased at the hard work and progression these young ladies have put in. For the novice, usually you can enter a players name in te search bar and providing I spelled it correctly, voila, magically things appear but I'll drop a Tip Sheet on PassThaBall's #I45Shootout soon

Taylor Thomas 

NCAA Certified Diamond In The Rough September 23rd

This is an individual showcase that will be held during the viewing period on September 23rd, Saturday night, from 6:30-9:30 and of course it will be off the chain as several heavy hitters are on board and you can be too by registering

REGISTER 

2018 Kayla White makes her decision #GPRUnderTheRadar

So many times I see players at an early age that just have “it” and you know something special will develop through the process and Kayla White was definitely one of those players. I don’t remember exactly what grade she was in, I could use the search bar on either of my sites but I’m thinking it was between her sixth  and seventh grade years. This young lady had poise and talent even then and her ability to simply take over a game, against older talented players at that age, sold me. White’s progression over the years continued where she has stars at Desoto High School and the GPR Under The Radar phenom simply took her game to a different level with DFW Elite EYBL over this season, after scaring defenders at “BOO” Williams, she continued her torrid scoring and defending at Nike Tournament of Champions and Nike Nationals where several of the top BCS programs had a chance to witness what I’ve been saying for years, this young lady is LEGIT.

Not only is White a talented basketball player, she’s also a high academic student and a member of the National Honor Society so I knew she made her decision on where she’d play college ball on a number of things and when asked what chose her to stay close to home, she said “I chose SMU because I fell in love with the coaching staff, the campus, academics, and players. I loved the enthusiasm in Coach Travis Mayes' voice when he talked about his vision for SMU women's basketball. I felt his passion and wanted to be a part of the reemergence of SMU women's basketball.”

White also wants to be part of something big that’s coming  and told me “ They are on the rise, and he and his staff are constructing something very special with the 2017 and 2018 incoming recruiting classes. I just felt a connection and felt like this was the perfect time and place for me to come in to a program and start my own legacy, here in my own hometown. PONY UP! “ There you have it !!!!!!