Monday, December 31, 2018

When they were under TWELVE #AI18


Had to dig deep into the archives for this one but I've been knowing many of these talented players from the Bryan/College Station for a very long time, keep in mind my daughter was a freshman at Texas A&M in 2007 and many of these players were at numerous games over the years, Precious and Treece Daily (Mexia) Darby Hurley (A&M Consolidated) Ziggy Richards (Rudder) Rebekah Hailey and Alexys King (College Station) in fact King was actually a ball girl and her energy told me even before she played she would make a lot of noise over the years

Precious wasn't on that original team, she's a freshman but her along with now sophomores Sissy Thompson and Nay Johnson (College Station) showed me a lot really quickly on the younger team but this was a trip I had to make because with the exception of Hailey, the others are seniors so here we go quickly as College Station won Aggieland Invitational, Rudder came in 2nd and A&M Consolidated finished 6th

Alexys King -straw that stirs the drink, can score in droves in fact she scored double digits in the second half of three of the games I caught during the event but her ability to do it in the flow as well as shoot the long ball and score off the dribble makes her one of the top UNSIGNED players in Texas

Rebekah Hailey-just keeps adding to her impressive offensive repertoire. The long ball was already there but she's creating her own shot, under pressure and mixing it up nicely and watching her go C2C countless times with the stop and pop ....

Trece Daily -size doesn't matter when you can play and boy did she play. Took the game over down the stretch against Graham with clutch assists and baskets not to mention was ice from the free throw line

Ziggy Richards- helped Rudder pull off huge upset against Hendrickson who was ranked #1 by TABC in 6A. Richards has hit some big shots but none bigger than her basket stopping a late Hendrickson run

Darby Hurley-does so many things that don't show up in the box score but don't get it twisted, off the dribble, mid to long range, she puts the ball in the basket however she gets key rebounds and assists and made several huge defensive stops to help them finish strong in the event

Saturday, December 29, 2018

All BCS Final set for Aggieland Invitational #AI18

I didn't know which Aggieland Invitational semifinal game I wanted to catch but I hadn't seen Rudder, I knew several players on the squad and they were facing the  TABC #1 ranked squad, Pflugerville Hendrickson but the main reason was it was cold and I didn't feel like driving 10 minutes away and Rudder had already lost to the same squad by almost 40 to Hendrickson earlier this season but always remember the game is played on the court

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In the other semifinal, how about about College Station, down 42-18 with 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter against Rockwall, close out the game with a 40-8 run for the victory and am I surprised, absolutely not because after seeing this squad earlier this season, I stated that when you have multiple long ball shooters like they have as well as a team that can apply heat they are capable of, you never say never and when I say something, it's not just to fill up space

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Since it is an all BCS final, I'm hanging around for the championship which should be interesting to say the least

Friday, December 28, 2018

Aggieland Invitatioinal opens and closes on day 1 with excitement

Plenty of star power to open up Aggieland Invitational to start my day off and it definitely was impressive to see 5 different players from College Station to drop the long ball including Alexys King who had near a triple double as they advance to the quarterfinals in the D1 division against Wylie at 12:30 and the winner of that game will play the Manvel vs Rockwall winner tonight at 6:30
On the other side of the bracket, A&M Consolidated with some impressive wins, Darby Hurley filling up the stat sheet including this pass my great photographer caught of her threading the needle to Cierra Gilbert for a basket. Gilbert also helped save the gave with an offensive rebound and put back then a defensive rebound to help them advance to the quarterfinals against TABC RANKED #1  6A Hendrickson whose loaded with firepower including soph Zoe Nelson one of the top players in Texas and Mikayla Woods who came up HUGE down the stretch  and her scoring and stealing  helped them hang on


In the D2  Division, Mexia held on as Treece Daily and her younger sister Precious proved #sizedontmatter when you can play. Treece was ice from the line down the stretch taking the game over during the last 2 minutes while Precious free throw helped put more frosting on the ice. They run into The Village who will be without 6'3 Jada Malone, one of the top freshmen in the country but still have sharpshooter Aiken Semones and Tymverlin Criswell who had the move of the day on opening day as she split two defenders and spun on another, in one motion for the finish 

Check out Roy Report as well as @BCSSportsevents for updated info 

Monday, December 24, 2018

'20 Cheyanne Bonilla on a tear with Eastlake

One of my favorite sayings is "talent is everywhere" and I truly started saying this almost 15 years ago when Texas players were being overlooked for a variety of reasons but more on that later. Texas is a very large state and sometimes certain areas are still being overlooked however over the years I've made it a point to catch as much and as many as I possibly could, it also helps that I sort of know what I'm looking at and Cheyanne Bonilla caught my eye a couple of years ago.


The 2020 guard has started off this season with a bang, to say the least, with Eastlake HS in El Paso helping lead her squad to a 2nd place finish  (Frankiln Tournament) and a 3rd place finish (Levelland Tournament) being selected to the All Tournament squad at both events. Bonilla was truly on fire in the latter event, averaging over 24 ppg during the 5 games and she also went over the 1000 point mark for her career. More will be coming on this talented young lady @CheyanneBonill1 

Friday, December 21, 2018

More from @passthaball #Super60

So many times I catch players that just leave me somewhat speechless that initial time I actually see them play and I know they're on the right track for big things. Alanna Goosby was one of those players, I caught her the week before PassThaBall's #Super60 at the Match Up City Invitational where some pretty talented MS players got to go head to head against some talented MS players and I can't emphasize how important it is to push yourselves at a very young age because this stuff has a tendency of (a) giving you a false impression on where you REALLY are and (b)showing you where you need to be and I truly keep being amazed when folks come and until that someone has their 3rd through 6th grade daughter ranked such and such because it's nonsense for the most part.
Kennedy Chappell was also one of the standouts at Match Up City Classic, I've seen her several times and one thing I always say that I look for is progression and she definitely showed me that and some. Parents and players, I'm not just blowing smoke when I tell you something, as a parent, coach and evaluator, I've been through this and it doesn't take me a "hunnid" times to know what I'm looking at, my daughter plays at the highest level, WNBA, won a National Championship at Texas A&M and had over 100 D1 offers and I've also helped hundreds of players, directly or indirectly, move on to the next level, before this social media explosion and nonsense that many of you are buying into and it's truly sad so my Christmas gift to you is to  let you know to not get caught up in the frivolous nonsense that is running abundant on the girl's side and I'll be tweeting out the rest of the players from #Super60 over the weekend

Match Up City recap

Super 60 part 1

Monday, December 17, 2018

San Antonio Lady Hoops shine @passthaball #Super60


Many of you just popped on the scene and don't have anything to reference back and often depend on advice from those who shouldn't be giving it. I remember arguing the case that Texas talent was as good as any and this 15 years ago and one of the "heavy hitters" told me they could evaluate with their eyes clothes and my response was, I believe because evidently YOU AIN'T LOOKING !!!!
I make it a point to watch everyone at this stage, I've seen several players just excel and blow up in a span of six months to a year so watching kids over and over showing things that impress me is always a plus and the San Antonio Lady Hoops is definitely a must catch team for me. Emery Black and Layla Conley grabbed my attention immediately, Aysia Proctor was out during that initial encounter however when I saw her I already knew and all three of those young ladies made the opening Tip Sheet

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2024

Abby Smith- you can't teach some thing on the court, fight and never quitting because she is a battler, she showed it on both ends but rebounding and not afraid to go after lose balls was pretty neat for me to see because it's a base. Nice shot, good upside

Calyssa Sevier-another think you can't teach is BB-IQ and when you can think the game, you're in the game, trust me on that. Good job at creating for herself and teammates, made the right plays and passes and showed she could score

Maddison McKinnon- the more I see her, the more she shows me and initially she was doing damage in the open court however since then, I'm really liking her ability t get out of jams while creating her shot and that pull-up definitely is nice to see

Saturday, December 15, 2018

'23 Amarachi Kimpson SMOOVE as ever @passthaball #Super60


I don't care what the setting is, Amarachi Kimpson has just left me speechless and her mindset and work ethic stood out tremendously 3 years ago when I was thinking, oh boy, trouble is coming and when I say that I mean on the court because she's definitely hard to handle, especially in the open court because that extra gear can leave you standing or the hesitation but mark my word, this young lady is a DEFINITE #BCSLock and I truly expect big things from her, sort of like this flashback with that impressive pull-up making it look easy at the buzzer, YOU CAN'T TEACH THAT !!!!!!

GAME WINNER 


Younger sister Shiloh is making a name for herself, she too was a standout during the event read more

Catch the part 1 RECAP from PassThaBall #Super60 right here

HUB making noise, loud, yet clear @passthaball #Super60

HANNAH CARR,  RANIYAH HUNT , KAYLINN KEMP, SHILOH KIMPSON 

This picture is going to be very special in oh, 2024 and 2025 because all of these young ladies will be on their way to playing at the next level and what they've shown me in a short span of time has me sold. I caught Hannah Carr a couple of years ago and the best way to describe what she's becoming is in a photo


Google Photos put that together but the COLOR just POPS right out like she's doing exploding on the court and when you talk about exploding, she and Kaylinn Kemp just keep blowing up and those two were on PASSTHABALL #Super60 Tip Sheet read more


Raniyah Hunt- HUB- that "never takes a play off" mentality and her desire captivated me last season when I first saw her because "she keeps coming at you" and now I see things coming together in other ways. Her poise and leadership stands out, she handles the ball under pressure and is understanding how to not only run a team but create for herself and her teammates giving them easy looks. Huge upside because you can't teach FIRE and DESIRE

Shiloh Kimpson -HUB- there is no telling where she'll land at the next level. She absorbs the game and implements on the court, her athleticism and body control makes her a mismatch waiting to happen, that first step is deadly and she understands how to score from many different angles. Nice stop and pop in transition as well as has range which only get deeper as she gets stronger but one of the best compliments I saw her make was "she gets it watching her sister"

Thursday, December 13, 2018

SA Islander star Claire Hale makes her next level decision


I remember the first time I saw the San Antonio Islanders play almost six years ago; there was something about that squad that kept me glued to them. They simply played within themselves , played great team oriented ball and played with a very high basketball IQ  and this also helped them knock off some of the “sneaker” squads along the way but the skill and talent across the board made them a must see team for me to catch. Fast forward to a new breed and one of the standouts that simply captivated me was Claire Hale who just played the game the same way over and over and continued to show progression each year




Hale could always shoot the long ball, well it got deeper over the years, her ability to create off the dribble as well as attack the basket for buckets also got better and her defense and rebounding also took off but what impressed me even more was she learned how to get hers in the flow or just take over when she had too and her unselfishness and ability to make her teammates better was huge as far as her growth.  Her Brandeis High School team is off to a 13-2 start and could definitely be a problem in playoffs and she has definitely made a major impact during her career there



After weighing her options and opportunities, Hale has decided to play for Trinity at the next level and the Tigers are definitely receiving a great student-athlete so I asked her what sold her on them and Hale said “Trinity is a perennial powerhouse in women’s basketball and I was drawn to that. My family and I  had a chance to meet with the coaches several times and she really connected with Coach Cam and Coach Shotland” . She also added “In September I  got to play some pick-up ball with the team and just loved it. Then when I found out that Trinity is the top ranked academic university in Texas I was very intrigued.”  She also stated   “I’m drawn to their STEM programs so when Coach Cam recently offered a spot on the team she felt like she had found a home.  I had several great offers from really good schools, but Trinity is home for now”

Monday, December 3, 2018

Sister Sister acts show up and out at Pass Tha Ball's #MatchUpCity

MADDIE & JUSTICE CARLTON

PassThaBall's Match Up City Invitational put together a package of talented teams who brought heat for me to check out and I can't emphasize something I always stress, talent is everywhere but I stress a lot of things such as, it's not what you do, it's who you do it against which was I also included "and who you do it in front of" plus always remember, if I don't have a roster, I have no clue on you are so it was great to see several sisters going off during the event and here's a recap

Maddie Carlton (Nike Cy Fair Elite 2026) only a 5th grader and a shade under her 6'1 sister should sum it up. Great instincts at a young age, good timing enables her to block and (or) alter shot, runs floor, rebounds and finishes

Justice Carlton (Nike Cy Fair Elite 2024 Red (COOP) powerful inside moves, finishes with players hanging on her and her upside is just wherever she wants to take it. Scores in the paint or facing the basket, nice hands and footwork, left me speechless at times

TWINS ERIKKA & ERIANNA GOODEN 

Erikka Gooden (OLBE) very athletic, attacks nicely from wing and finishes strong. Anticipates on defense and rebounds well on both ends. Nice pull-up in transition and also runs the floor very well after rebounding to finish on other end

Erianna Gooden (OLBE) loves to create contact and is an and one waiting to happen. Gets to the basket whenever she wants, good hesitation in the open floor and throws bullets on the money from end of the court to another and she defends

SHILOH & AMARACHI KIMPSON


Shiloh Kimpson (HUB 2025) every time I see this young lady she brings it and keeps adding more to her already impressive game. Nice first step, attacks hard, midrange is way ahead of her years but what is the icing on the cake that she sees the floor and plays the passing lanes

Amarachi Kimpson (Pro Skills) her BB-IQ is off the charts, better than some off to play at the next level right now. The stop and pop, mid to long range, stutter step, whatever you want offensively, she has it gift wrapped already. She understands how to create for herself and her teammates already and she also knows how to take over or get it in the flow

AMINA & NISAA MUHAMMAD


Amina Muhammad is one of the top freshmen in Texas, she stars for one of the top HS teams in Texas, Desoto and I guess she caught my eye around her sisters age with athleticism, blocking shots, rebounding and defending but she's becoming a nightmare to deal with on both ends PERIOD

Nisaa Muhammad (NTX Tarheeels 2024) already has the acronym SMH going in my head. She handles the ball under pressure and zig zags coast to coast effortlessly, attacks from wherever she wants and has a nice pull-up. Oh yeah, she plays the passing lane

I'll drop another Tip Sheet on my website, stay tuned Girlz Prep Report 

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Katy Classic opening day Tip Sheet

I tried to catch as many teams and players as I could on opening day and as usual, I did a fantastic job because I don't have to look at something a thousand times to know what I'm looking at, my record speaks for itself, on and OFF the court and trust me, one of the things I'm always looking for is progression so here are some of the standouts

Morgan Hill ( Cy Creek) long and athletic, wingspan around 6'3 and elevates over defenders. Runs the floor, rebounds and defends but she's also giving the Cougars offense that will help in the long run

Kayla Brigance (Cy Falls) throwback mentality as she battles for everything on both ends. You don't see some of the intangibles she brings to the table that don't show up on stat sheet a lot anymore

Shadiya Thomas (Cy Ranch) explosive scorer who can be a nightmare to defend. Deceptive first step as well as the ability to create mid to long range jumper and she defends

Cassidy Howard (Katy Tigers) #sizedontmatter that is when you can play and Howard is back. Always could shoot the long ball, midrange keeps getting better as well as her ability to run a team

Alleah Dallas (Kempner) #sizedoesmatter when you can play, college ready body, athletic, rebounds on both ends and can score in the paint or facing the basket

Emily Dogbatse (Klein Collins) one of those very athletic players that can play basketball but her upside is scary. She attacks relentlessly, converts after contact but that mid to long range is creating issues

Kaley Perkins (Langham Creek) one of those "I've been watching like forever players" and with her size and length, she is showing signs of being a dominant scorer, that long range, 10-15 footer or just posting up, it's coming together

Heaven Rice (Mayde Creek) no beans needed for Rice, athletic scorer that defends sums it up but it doesn't because she has added a little something to her game every season

Kamill Rangel (Morton Ranch) I love players that can create their shot under pressure and she definitely can do that plus she has a picture perfect jumper. Strong body, attacks and finishes

Paris Parmer (San Angelo) mid to long range, off the dribble, whatever it takes, her offensive arsenal was one of the most impressive on opening day and this also shows #talentiseverywhere

Haley Wesley (Spring) double-double waiting to happen, strong body, can score with her back to the basket as well as facing it, 3 or 4 threes on opening day as well as double digit rebounds, she does that on both ends, paints a picture

Semifinals set for Katy Classic

I navigated between Seven Lakes and Tompkins on opening day of the Katy Classic and caught many of the teams, but I actually missed a couple from out of town that are in the semifinals, Colleyville Heritage and Kileen Ellison. Heritage will battle defending R-3 champ Cy Creek while Ellison has Langham Creek

The Cougars have that sensational sophomore backcourt I've been raving about since they were in elementary school, Rori Harmon and Kyndall Hunter, two BCS LOCKS, something I also called them a very long time ago, as well as the inside presence from soph Taylor Jackson as well as junior Morgan Hill who will be on the Tip Sheet when I get back

I love this picture as it appears Briley Perkins is waving her performing magic but as magically as she and fellow senior Dyani Robinson have been over the years, they pulled off a big win against Cy Ranch to get here, I still believe the Mustangs are one of the teams that can make run and they go at it again TUESDAY against the Lobos at Ranch. Kaley Perkins has taken her game to another level while Atlantis White continues to offer another scoring option but the one of the X factors has to be frosh Saija Cleveland

High flying Cy Ranch star Shira Patton, defensive nightmare to hold Shadiya Thomas and powerful Riane Burton are very talented juniors and believe me they definitely are in this, especially when you factor in several other pieces like Haleen Harris who was out but will be back for that Tuesday "rematch" against Langham. I'm torn somewhat because Cy Creek is at Jersey Village on Tuesday so depending on logistics, mine, will determine where I'll be but these are definitely games of the week