2021 8th Grade Division "Breakout Players" #DuelStateAllStars

 

KENNEDY WALTERS

I'm always searching, always looking and watching many players for the first time, or getting a really good look at those who I've seen in a different setting is one of the reasons why I consider myself among the best to evaluate, no sleight of hand nonsense because your club team has a certain logo or who isn't showing you how to play the passing lane, take away the baseline, follow your shot, it goes on and on because I've been there with muy own daughter, I know the BS that's involved in this so when I am COVERING an event, I try and look at as many players as possible and at the Duel States All-Star games, I have identified probably 75% of the over 200 players there, many are already locked in at the next level, some at #BCS, many at #D1 but the main thing is "keep working' because your status can change at the blink of an eye, here are some of those BREAKOUT PERFORMERS 

Yaniska Mestre-G (ATL Dream) creates her shot under pressure, deceptive first step allowed her to attack and finish and she showed the "floata" 

Tiara Williams-G (ATL Dream) attacks the rim strongly, finishes the same way, this includes after contact and played solid on-ball defense 

Peyton Dolan-G (Dallas Wings) rebounds well, understands positioning and did a good job battling taller players for the ball, ran the floor well

Tieasia Todd-PG (Dallas Wings) SWB means "speed with ball" and when you add she was under control and hit teammates on the money going coast to coast...

Raylen Kernell-G/F (Dallas Wings) also did a good job blocking out for rebounds, on both ends of the floor and she also finished on putbacks

Kennedy Walters-PG (Dallas Wings) poised and under control, heady point guard that controls the tempo and saw the floor, creates her shot under pressure

Jamie Walker-G (Dallas Wings) uses her athleticism nicely, explodes off the dribble while attacking the basket, and finished, "floata" included 

Meredith Legard-G (Fever) played solid defense, outrebounded taller players, handled the ball in the open court, and knocked the outside shot down 

MiaGrace Delahoz-G (Las Vegas Aces) attacks the basket strongly from a variety of angles, finished after contact, played solid defense

Staci Pettie-SF (Lynx) uses her body well, shows signs of being able to overpower on the inside as she finishes with players hanging on her. also rebounded well

Tatum Howlingwater-G (Mystics) rebounded on both ends and handled the ball coast to coast after grabbing it on the offensive end, attacks and finishes

Gavyn Robinson-PG (Mystics) understands how to control the tempo, sees the floor yet she's an explosive scorer either attacking the basket or knocking down the outside shot

Kandace Barnett-G (Storm) long and athletic is the base if you haven't been paying attention and she makes the defense pay by attacking and finishing acrobatically and plays the passing lane

Taryn Jacobs-PF (Storm) also long and athletic, creates her shot under pressure to attack the basket and finish or show the jumper, very good form on release 

Abbie Martin-G (Storm) does a good job handling the ball under pressure as well as creating her shot, also under pressure and showed she could drop the mid to long-range

Christina Ybarra-P (Storm) uses her body well inside the paint, finishes strong after contact, this includes on putbacks and rebounds on both ends 

2021 7th Grade Division "Breakout Players" #DuelStateAllStars

 

LILY KING

Just like in 5th/6th Grade Division, I saw an abundance of talented players in the 7th Grade Division and I broke some of them down already in pt 1  as well as pt 2 and here are some other talented players from the 2026 class I had a chance to catch

Lily King -G/F (Baylor) active on both ends of the court, does a good job at creating her shot as well as taking defenders off the dribble and finishing 

Ka'Mauri Miller-G (UT Arlington) good athleticism, used it nicely on both ends but her pressure on defense was really good, well so was her attacking strongly and finishing after contact

Aundrea Walter-G (Dallas Baptist) attacks the rim strongly, plays the passing lane well, and can handle the ball in the open court. Also sees the floor and knocks midrange down

Jazelle Scott-G (Dallas Baptist) created her shot to attack or drop the jumper, uses her athleticism well, and also showed she could finish after contact

Dawson Doggett-G (Dallas Baptist) mixed it up nicely on the offensive end by attacking or knocking down jumper which she got off by creating her shot and hit the long-range

Skylar Hicks-G (Dallas Baptist) athleticism stood out on both ends, initially with the pressure on ball defense however attacking the rim with a nice first step was equally impressive

Savannah Reynolds-G (North Texas) created and dropped the long ball multiple times and also took defenders off the dribble and saw the floor

Anna Carroll-SF (North Texas) attacks and finishes with power, after contact and also did a good job rebounding on both ends of the floor as well as defending strongly 

Alaysia Brown-F (North Texas) long and athletic is the base and her upside is nice but she played the passing lane, attacked and finished after contact, and did a good job on defense

Whitney Smith-G (UT Arlington) SWB, speed with ball, and her first step is devastating as she gets wherever she wants and scores after contact but she also can knock mid to long-range down

Mea Ginn-G (Paul Quinn) finished strongly throughout the event after the lick included but her athleticism and power stood out as well, even on the defensive end

Janaiya Rogers-G (Paul Quinn) athletic ability showed from the opening tip as she played "on ball" defense right off the top and her ability to create her shot to attack or take the jumper

BreAnna Breland-G (Paul Quinn) very athletic and two things immediately stood out on her ability to create her shot, a legitimate jumper, and some acrobatic finishes by attacking the rim

Amber Ellis-F (SMU) uses her strength nicely, understands positioning to get rebounds and she finished on putbacks as well as taking defenders to the basket 

Jamari Milton-PG (SMU) she's athletic and understands how to control tempo so she can attack and dish or see the floor in the set but she finishes so well, after contact

CeMaria Kelly-G (SMU) an athletic nightmare as she's basically a track star that can PLAY basketball and in the open court, you can almost forget about stopping her and amazing upside is an understatement

Simone Pryor-PG (TCU) athletic guard that attacks the rim strongly, nice pull-up jumper but her ballhandling and seeing the floor was nice, so was the pressure she applies on defense 

Hayden Walker-G (TWU) attacked strongly and finished after contact, showed she could handle the ball under pressure as well as create her shot from outside 

Ameyah Brown-G (TWU) handles the ball well, with either hand, while being defended but she also did a good job at seeing the floor and hitting teammates. Good upside 

HC Harding-SG (UT Arlington) very active on defense and showed good timing with her numerous blocked shots yet she also creates a legitimate pull-up jumper that was dropping 

Paige Willaims-G (UT Arlington) athleticism galore as she attacks the rim from, well everywhere but she also can create her shot and showed she could knock both the mid and long-range down, repeatedly 

2021 5th/6th Grade Division "Breakout Players" #DuelStateAllStars

AMIRA HARRISON

 I already dropped Tip Sheets on the guards and those who were not guards but always remember, talent is everywhere and it's not what you do, it's who do it against so here are some other players that caught my eye at the Duel State All-Star Games in the 5th/6th Grade Division 

2027

Maleah Nwankwoala-F (Paris JC) size, power, and upside and let me change that to POWER because she sent some messages loud and clear so rebounding and finishing was definitely a huge plus

Sofia Read-G (Paris JC) attacks the rim from every angle, did a good job of not only finishing but finishing after contact

Mariah Connally-G (Trinity Valley JC) uses her athleticism nicely, plays under control, and showed she could defend baseline to baseline 

Savannah Hoskins-PG (Trinity Valley JC) heady point guard that doesn't force plays, understands how to run the offense, and showed she could drop the long ball

Kinsley McClaughlin-G (Tyler JC) understands how to get to the rim multiple ways and finish strong. Also showed she could create her shot

Savannah Switch-PG (Tyler JC) comprehension of the game is ahead of her years, she can slow it down or she can push it, either way, she sees the floor, and with her ballhandling and shooting, watch out

2028

Karsyn Elison-G (Paris JC) handled the ball well, especially under pressure, and showed she could attack and finish or dish

Jordyn Richardson-PG (Temple JC) plenty of upside yet she already understands how to control the tempo and see the floor but her timing and defense really stood out

Cheyenne Capps-PG (Weatherford JC) athletic and has a deceptive first step which enables her to go by defenders almost at will 

Lexi Ewen-P (Weatherford JC) long and athletic, hopefully, you were paying attention when I said that's the base and her upside is really good because she understands the simple things, like keeping the ball high and blocking out so be ready

Amira Harrison-PG (Weatherford JC) her poise just amazed me when I caught her initially, she has the making of a big-time PG, she handles the ball, handles the pressure, and gets the job done