Video highlights from 2017 PassThaBall #HoopAHolics

There's nothing like seeing young talented players coming up and although I only caught glimpses of Florida State vs Texas yesterday, two of their biggest stars were called can't misses and I even gave them nicknames before they even played middle school basketball. Florida State's AJ Alix (The Real Deal) and Texas' Brooke McCarty ( The Chosen One) and although the nickname I gave my own daughter, Daddy's Baby, had nothing to do with her showing great hands and reflexes slapping the  nurse after she slapped her wrist to get blood the day she was born but I knew things would fall into place

As you can see from the picture, there were plenty of players and let me through an amendment that there were plenty of VERY TALENTED PLAYERS so later today, I'm dropping a huge Tip Sheet but here's a TIP, everyone in attendance got evaluated and will be on Twitter so you can follow me and check that out @girlzprepreport  while the Tip Sheet itself will be on girlzprepreport.com but check out some f the highlights below from the "Mixed Tape Queen" herself and stay tuned

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

2022 Iyanna McCown on fire over the weekend #GPRUnderTheRadar

Sometimes I'm just in the right place at the right time and when I first caught Iyanna McCown she was only in the 4th grade and she definitely left a lasting impression. I've seen the talented 2020 player in numerous setting and yes she has attended the PassThaBall HoopAHolics camp however over the weekend, she was doing a little something different, helping lead her MS squad to the championship game, in which they won, as she averaged over 17 ppg in the 3 games including the game winner

2021 Raven Adams proving me RIGHT AGAIN #GPRUnderTheRadar

What better way than to close out a trip from the Dallas area covering PassThaBall's #HoopAHolics than talk about one of it's previous stars who's already impressing coaches at the next level. Raven Adams caught my eye even before HoopAHolics , I guess the 4th or 5th grade and I generally knack for observing young talent , well I ain't been wrong yet, and let me say this, with Adams, te streak continues as the Ridgepoint HS freshman is starting her HS career off with a bang, so lets take a peek

Cy Ranch wins 2017 Katy Phillips 66 Tournament

Cy Ranch has and continues to be one of the areas top teams and the started off being ranked the #2 in the state by TABC however I knew they lost a lot, I knew there would be a different look and I also knew that other teams were pretty good as well and the main thing is you had to be the best team on the floor that particular game and keep in mind the Mustangs have already lost a couple of game this season, one to defending state champion Duncanville in the Texas Invitational and one to Katy a couple of weeks ago, I don't think there's a deeper team in the Houston area and they would have to be the favorites on paper but trust me, this is the widest open I have ever seen the region and as many as twelve could conceivably get hot at the right time and make a run

When you talk about getting hot at the right time, you got plenty go to players, Jayla Buster signed with South Alabama, she brings so much heat on both ends and she just came off an All Tournament performance in that Texas Invitational event plus the inside performance from Kween Jean just keeps getting better but those two seniors along with fellow senior Mariah Thomas understand what it will take to back to state and if anyone truly understands it's Tournament MVP D'Asia Thomas who knows and has always known #sizedontmatter "if you can play" and :the game has and always will start at the the one" and she is putting on performance after performance flirting with double and triple doubles all season. Shira Patton and Shadiya Thomas rounded out the All Tournament players for the Mustangs and they are both a couple of the best sophomores in Texas so the nucleus as well as talented players from off the bench will make them hard to beat, but again, anything can happen

2019 Claire Hale opening up season strong for Brandeis HS #GPRUnderTheRadar

I remember driving to a tournament to see Claire Hale play and in the previous game she had suffered a minor injury which was somewhat noticeable and before the game I told her that if she couldn't play, don't worry because I'd catch her another time and her response was " no, I'm playing" and play she did going off for a triple double and that's how the story starts. Well actually it doesn't because I had seen her play the previous season but the jump she made in that short time was tremendous

Now the talented junior is showing even more improvement for Brandeis HS starting the season off powerful with several double-doubles already including a 19/11 in a district opener against a very talented Stephens squad so @ClaireHale_12 is completing the next level package in more ways than one since not only is she excelling on the court but in the classroom as well and to top it off, she plays in the violin in the school orchestra and with that, I'll close with "stay tuned"

2021 Gracee Smith opens up HS career with a bang #GPRUnderTheRadar

First look at Gracee Smith was was short one however when you're as good as I am, i guess the phrase "It doesn't take me long" certainly would apply to this because when you comprehend the game and have skills at a young age, things just fall into place. Over this past club season, Smith moved to a team a little close to her home in Arcadia Missouri, the SE Dynasty and although I didn't catch up with her personally, the video on the 2021 Under The Radar player spoke volumes as I could definitely see the improvement

Last night the Arcadia High freshman opened up her varsity career, flirting with a triple double as she dropped 23 points, pulled down seven rebounds and passed out eight assists but trust me, this young lady is nowhere near the finished product and that falls right back to the comprehension and skills statement I mad to open this up. I'll be keeping a close on eye on this young lady over her career as she has all the tools to do some pretty big things 

Cy Ranch takes 3rd in 2017 Texas Invitational Gold

First of all, let me say this, I make my decisions and predictions as well as player evaluations on what I see and it's not that I don't respect what other people see or write, it's more of the fact that I don't care because we all see  different things and I'm usually right or close to it, without any agenda so I'll start off with the defending R3 champ Cy Ranch

Their only loss this year has been to back to back state champions Duncanville who is simply looking like they're on course for a three-peat however lets not jump ahead, I'll get a better look next month when I cover Sandra Meadows and Spring Creek just for fun but can the Mustangs be stopped? Well they are explosive, D'Asia Collins is flirting with triple doubles already this season and she definitely has proven she is one of the top PG's in the state and the game does start at the one

Jala Buster was simply a BEAST all tournament and for that, she made, well All Tournament but this team has so many players that can step up and make things happen and you're definitely going to need that down the stretch. Two of their wins against R3 opponents were narrow, 1 against Seven Lakes and 3 against Clear Springs so who knows what will happen in February. I know Westside is still missing their post, I know Langham Creek definitely can create some problems but the biggest problems could come from either  Atascocita or Hightower  who finished 1-2 in the FBISD event

I'll catch Cy Ranch tomorrow at Katy and on Tuesday I'm pulling a double as Klein Oak will be at Jersey Village at 11:30 then I'll catch Ridgepoint at Katy Taylor at 1pm so things will start to shape up really soon and this might be one of the most wide open races to see who heads to Austin, my bad, Vegas, wait that's where my babies team is going, San Antonio, I got it now but the biggest question is DO YOU GET IT :) Action coming at ya

2017 HoopAHolics bringing more excitement

Always remember it's now what you do, it's who you do it against and to amend that a tad, it's also who you do it in front of, providing they are really looking at you and more importantly that they truly know what they're looking at. I know that there is so much out there on social media that it can be mind boggling to say the least but much of what you read, have been told or truly believe is probably not true as far as being evaluated and having a chance to play at the next level but one thing is true, so many players have came through PassThaBall events at a young age that I knew were on the right course for the next level and beyond

I encourage parents to use the search bars on here and on my website to check out the archives on talented players I caught,many at a young age and many only once or twice that I knew had it and I base what I see on what I've seen because there has truly been some heat placed in front of me to see over my 20 some odd years of watching girl's basketball and if you are a player, I suggest you check out this years event which will be held in Irving TX

Here's a link to some of the stories and players that have participated  HoopAHolics and here is a link for you to sign up to this amazing event being held on December 10th so REGISTER NOW

Diamond In The Rough 2021 Tip Sheet

MARISSA TELL (HAYNESVILLE HS)

There was a pretty impressive group of incoming freshmen on hand for PassThaBall's Diamond In The Rough and since this was an NCAA Certified event nicely attended by various college coaches across the country, many of these young ladies definitely raised some eyebrows. I always stress the importance of being "seen" in a variety of settings by those who are actually watching and believe me, I'm definitely watching everyone and when you travel from Haynesville Louisiana like Marissa Tell did, she simply blew me away at Prime Time Nationals, you know you're in for something special and this group definitely was that

Kenadee Winfrey-5'10 guard (Canyon) prototype big guard that can shoot the ball from all over the court but her ability to get to the basket was definitely a plus. Rebounds and defends, long and athletic plus nowhere near the finished product

Bailey Harris-5'8 guard (Wiley) handles ball well under pressure, sees floor and definitely understands the game. Showed she could create shot and hit it consistently

Kayla Glover-5'4 guard (Desoto) been watching this young lady for 4 or 5 years and even at an early age, you knew she was going to bring it. Gets to the rim with ease and can score outside, strong and athletic, loves to defend baseline to baseline

Kendall McGruder-5'8 guard (South Grand Prairie) she's one of those players that just makes things happen and can take a game over multiple ways, either by setting her teammates up for easy baskets or just doing it herself. Huge upside and her explosiveness ....

Masa Al -Noubani- 5'3 guard (Carroll) showed she could the ball well, understands who to get the ball to and when to get it to them but her first step is a monster and she's shown me this numerous times. Gets to basket effortlessly at times for baskets

Jordyn Newsome- 5'8 guard ( MacArthur) showed me so much in a short span that I was even more sold that when I saw her a few years ago. Athletic and gets to the basket at will from all over, finishes with contact, can hit the mid to long range but she plays the passing lane to a tee and defends

Kelsey Boyette- 5'8 guard (Carroll) caught her over the club season for the first time and during the numerous times I watcher her, I saw improvement each time. Definitely showed several signs in this environment, poised under pressure and understands the game

Jordyn Sowell-5'8 forward (Carroll) strong body, loves contact, giving and taking and finishes strong after taking it. Pressure defender that can wear opponent down, rebounds well for her size against bigger opponents

Marissa Tell-5'11 guard (Haynesville) one of the top young prospects I've seen from Louisiana, long and athletic, already "gets it" and with her size and athleticism there is no telling where she'll land. Can score from midrange, slice to the basket from the wing and post up underneath

Paulina Porter- 5'9 guard ( Flower Mound) she can definitely overpower defenders with her strength, understands how to create and finish strong with contact or hit the shot from outside. Rebounds and defends well

Haley Allen- 5'6 forward ( Lewisville) good athleticism, can defend " however you want it" on perimeter, under the basket or baseline to baseline. Good energy, showed she can score in traffic plus rebounds well

Trinity White - 5'9 guard (McKinney) "powerful" fits for numerous reasons. Strong body enables her to do many things, she loves the contact and with her ability to set defenders up already, she keeps them guessing because she can face the basket and score or take the lick for and ones

Check out the video below and PassThaBall events coming up HERE

Westside showing signs of being a sleeper

One thing I know about Westside no matter what type of squad they suit up, they're going play baseline to baseline from start to finish and to be honest, this is a very scrappy squad that could make a run. Kayla Pilson, Jordan Lewis, Shanna Petty, Yasmine Aragunjo and Jessica Soders  get the ball going, pun intended , and the return of 6'4 Fatou Samb will definitely have them in the hunt. The lost a close one to Katy in the SBISD Championship however I can't wait to see this squad at full strength and I'll catch them this Thursday in the Texas Invitational

I'll also get another look at this talented young lady, Aldine's Cherilyn Williams, a very talented unsigned senior that I hadn't seen, smh for a number of reasons including players being hid in the summer but live and learn folks and I'll catch her in the AISD Tournament on Friday

Katy wins #SBISD

Definitely loved what I saw on opening day from Katy when they played Cy Woods and even though Cate Reece was still playing volleyball, Cy Woods was a test and after the Tigers defeated Westside for the SBISD championship, another huge test has been passed as they are preparing for a tough district run with some heavy hitters early

Cassidy Howard and Savannah May are two of the talented juniors on the squad, they control the tempo and simply make things happen. Howard's explosiveness to the rim as well as ability to drop the long ball from, well Katy and both made all tournament squad. I'll make sure in catch them again in what's shaping up to be a sending message Katy ISD event coming up soon

Green and Pantherettes eyeing state trifecta but first Texas Invitational

When you talk about young players I called early, add Zarielle Green to the list of those who I said were not only "can't miss" prospects but peep this, through her progression over the years there have been games where she truly didn't miss going off numerous times in front of me.

Fast forward, I guess six years later, the Tennessee signee and her talented Duncanville teammates are heading down here for one of the states top events, the Texas Invitational and I'll be there all day Thursday, Friday I'm checking out  Aldine ISD and I'll close it out at FBISD on Saturday so stay tuned as the defending back to back state champs try to make it three in a row

SCHEDULE

Desoto sending early message winning Lady Gander Tournament

I made a special trip out to Baytown for a couple of reasons, first Desoto was in town, well closer than than Dallas, and I had to see a couple of young ladies who I've been watching since I guess the 6th or 7th grade, cousins Kia and Kayla White, both SMU signees and a couple of the top players in the state of Texas and secondly, I'm trying to make my rounds to see just who has a shot at representing each region as well as making a run for the state championship and believe me the Eagles definitely have the nucleus to soar providing they stay healthy

Kayla & Kia, pictured above, made the all tournament squad, both are explosive scorers that can take over games. Brielle Woods is a talented guard that makes things happen, got to the rim with ease numerous times and saw the floor, Ash'a Thompson punishes on the inside, I'd have to say she s among the top sophomores in the state but the show that Bria Patterson is putting legitimizes her as one of the state's top juniors. The bench has several talented players including Celeste Moore, another young lady I've been watching forever as well as freshman sensation Kayla Glover. The upside of junior Achai Arop tells me something as well and when you look at he fact the roster has her listed at 76 inches, well do the math but one of the key tests will be they have to go through defending state champion Duncanville, who I'll catch this week as well as many other talented teams in their region capable of winning it all

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 !!!!!!

'21 Peyton Andrews progression has me speechless #GPRUnderTheRadar

I finally had a chance to watch Peyton Andrews highlight video from the summer and 2 minutes into it I knew 140 characters wouldn't do it justice. When I first saw Peyton, I guess what impressed me most was that she was a big that could should the ;long ball however after not settling for just being a back to the basket player, she has elevated her game to handle the ball in the open floor as well as take defenders off the dribble but I really like is her ability to get into the paint and score with either hand, love the spin and finishing with the left. Oh yeah, she can still let it fly from deep but adding everything I said as well as the floater and even more importantly, playing the passing lanes and seeing the floor continues to elevate her stock

ASA invading HoopersRUs September 2nd

The connection with many of the young ladies who play with ASA dates back to almost 10 years ago when my daughter first got to Texas A&M and I remember a whole lot of little kids that were so full of energy but I never gave it a second thought as to "future" basketball stars. Ironically a few years later I saw many of those young ladies playing for TWELVE which had several talented players from the the Brazos Valley area including Treece and Precious Daily and when they came up to me and gave me a hug, it took me a minute to realize these were the same players so I knew I had to check their games out and believe me I wasn't disappointed

Over the years I've had a chance to watch their multiple squads and although the name has been changed , the game hasn't as these young ladies keep getting better throughout the organization so I'm happy to see that not only the Daily sisters, but Darby Hurley, Hannah Matthews and D'Asia White will be on hand for the HoopersRUs event coming on September 2nd. All five of these young ladies have been featured on one of my Tip Sheets in the past, most recently Matthews after Prime Time Nationals but like I tell people and always remember I don't say things with data and common sense, talent is EVERYWHERE if you know what you're looking at

September 2nd at MI-3 will be hot and believe me when I say, EVERY player in attendance will be EVALUATED and one of my new saying is "you need to pay ATTENTION and not just PAY so  sign up before registration closes

HoopersRUs Registration 

Team Pink Phenom 2022 sending message @ Prime Time Nationals #7thGrade

Anytime I can catch Team Pink Phenom 2022, I'm going to do so for a number of reasons which include no matter what camp I've been associated with, they always make that drive with a whole lot of talented players and I simply love watching them get after it. Aunisty Smith mentioned she loved this picture, well her wish is definitely my command after the performance she put on. Talk about continuing to elevate your game, this young lady is on the verge of #BEAST status as she simply won't let you outwork her and that in itself is a throwback kind of things cause you can't teach heart, nor effort and combine the skill set she's showing, well let me just LOCK her in

Jerrika Mahonn is a talented guard that can create her shot or take defenders off the dribble, she brings so much to the table . Cayanna Stanley also attacks the basket and finishes with contact plus she can shoot the long ball and when you talk about attacking the basket Hiatiana Releford simply brings it. She can handle the ball coast to coast under pressure and with her athleticism and quickness, she's can do a whole lot of different things, all well but to top it off, she defends and rebounds and speaking of rebounds, for them to make a run like they made with inside threat Sydni Smith, who was out with an injury, tells you something about this squad that simply played their hearts out in the quarterfinals losing to eventual champion Oklahoma Swish Blue by 3 but they fought back to win 5th Place

Carrigan Hill is already doing "unreal" things and has been for a while, she's made a few of my Tip Sheets and she was LOCKED in the first time I saw her. When you're explosive with the ball and I mean under pressure and you can down mid, long whatever range there is, well everything will fall into place and trust me, it definitely is. Carizma Nelson shot the ball well in the tournament while Deonie Delousier brought heat on defense and let me say this, my first look at Brooklyn Fisher left a lasting impression. She gets to the basket whenever she wants against whoever she wants and finishes strong but she also defends and can  shoot the ball from the outside

Arkansas Dazzlers 2022 finish 2nd @ 2017 Prime Time Nationals

I know people say they know folks that what I do and I come back with a smart remark letting them know they are truly wrong but either you get it or you will down the road but let me say this, sometimes I really wish I had a clone, I've mentioned this several times because I knew two things, I couldn't be in multiple places for the various divisions at Prime Time Nationals for the championships of each group and I also knew that the 7th Grade would definitely be one I would want to catch

The Arkansas Dazzlers have just about everything from each position, 6'4 Amauri Williams is definitely going to keep her mailbox full, maybe starting now because I remember sending stuff out on another almost 6'4 player from Oklahoma, Kartelyn Levings, while she was heading to the 7th Grade and I think she's in everyone's Top 10 Nationally but again, I know what I'm looking at and with Williams strength, mobility as well as hands and footwork, it's a done deal plus she rebounds and finishes. Kalayna King does a little of everything, nothing like an early "freestyle" but she's long, attacks and can hit the midrange

Chloe Cardy is athletic, gets to the rim and finishes while Gabby Anderson's heat had me looking for water. She too is athletic, brings it baseline to baseline but this team is simply solid. Jaiden Thomas mixes it up well, scores and defends and is showing she can create her shot in tight squeezes, that's always good and what's even better is the upside of Josie Williams who is very talented, the lone 2023 on this 2022 squad who's already showing a variety of offensive weapons

Don't turn your back on Karsen Roach, trust me she can shoot the lights out and when you have multiple players that can just extend the defense to almost mid court, hey I can't make this stuff up Emma Rehm can shoot the three, Ava Knoedl can shoot the the three, I got so pumped I wanted let some fly but again I knew it would be a good championship game, I knew it would go down to the wire and I also KNOW that this is a very talented young squad that will keep getting better