CHARLOTTE, N.C.—While the NCAA programs are getting their feet wet after several weeks of practice, their high school counterparts have just laced up their shoes and began work in preparation for the tip off of the 2016 season.  To get a handle on just where they stand nothing works better than a controlled scrimmage day and not many settings are more conducive than the one at Providence Day School.  For the 10^th consecutive year Coach Josh Springer and his staff hosted the Providence Day Super Scrimmage bringing together 24 teams including an impressive TRC Academy team from north of the border in Canada.  Three courts were in action all day long offering each team three separate match-ups to evaluate, correct, tweak and learn.  There was a large contingent of recruiters on hand as well as all of the major recruiting services.

While basketball this early in the preseason can be less than textbook and frustrating for players and coaches alike, there were still plenty of possibilities on display throughout the day.  Here are some of the individuals who provided a glimpse of some of the good things to come this year.

It seems we’ve been watching Janelle Bailey from host Providence Day since she picked up a ball.  The staple of her game has been and continues to be the incremental advancement of her skill set.  Looking leaner and stronger, the 6-4 post has always been a presence down low but now in her senior season she’s working much more effective from up high and is much more adept at making decisions off her reads.  On the attack she’s getting lower and is mixing up the physical aspect of her play with some deceiving agility off the drive.  To the dismay of opponents Bailey is still getting out and running the floor both in the trail spot or getting out in front of the ball.  As always there’s still refinement to be had and consistency to chase in finishing but the North Carolina bound standout is primed for exclamation point on her scholastic career.

While Providence Day has always had the luxury of depth, this year’s roster has considerably more youth to challenge Coach Springer and his aging process.  Point guard Kennedy Boyd should help limit some of the gray hair for the Charger’s mentor with added confidence in her attacking mentality.  The 5-6 junior is creating more options for both herself and her teammates.  She’s getting to the rim with an impressive first step as well as a difficult to resist hesitation move.  In the halfcourt Boyd navigates traffic effectively and is demonstrating a sharp awareness of both helpside defenders as well as evolving passing options.  There were some speedbumps against a stout full court defensive effort from TRC Academy but she and her teammates bounced back well in the day’s third scrimmage.  While already established Boyd could be ready to take things to the next level.

With Canadian National Team opportunities on her resume’, 6-2 TRC Academy post Hailey Brown has plenty of well-honed experience to utilize as the Michigan bound senior enters her final campaign.  With both size and strength, Brown is a physical presence on both ends of the floor.  Don’t be fooled by the low block assumption as she’s capable and willing to step away from the post and remain productive.  A good touch follows her out to the perimeter but a narrow base could lead to some inconsistency somewhere along the line.  On the catch down low she has a strong repertoire of post moves and is quick to read and attack.  Brown is Big-10 ready offering up physical play both defensively as well as clearing space to get on the glass.

We’ve seen Maya Caldwell along the way and it’s still hard not to look forward to her play at the next level when the senior guard moves on to the University of Georgia next season.  While currently playing the point for Davidson Day School she’s more suited to work at the off guard spot receiving entry passes rather than making them.  On the catch she can create both shots and passes plus has the athleticism to challenge either quicker or stronger defenders.  Caldwell can be efficient at the top but it tends to make her less aggressive in looking for her own options and leads to her settling for the pull up at times.  At 5-10 she’s got the size to be a headache for the opposition and adding in an explosive and lengthy first step is the kind of thing that can keep the helpside working overtime.  Defensively her length and footspeed combine to make her a lethal on ball defender when she turns up the heat.  She contained plenty of penetration among a collection of smaller, ultra-quick guards on hand Saturday.

One of the most impressive passers in the gym has already chosen to play her college ball with her feet at the next level.  At least Claudia Dickey of the Charlotte Latin School will be utilizing her hands and vision in goal as she moves on to the University of North Carolina soccer program following her 2018 graduation.  While Dickey only played in two of Latin’s three scrimmages, she was a dominant presence on the floor making plays for her teammates as well as herself.  Few players at either the high school or collegiate level see the floor the way this 5-9 combo does.  Defenders need to be on their toes from baseline to baseline as the future Tar Heel goalkeeper is just as likely to enter the ball from 50 feet away as she is from 15.  Off the drive she delivers the ball with instinctual passing that improves options for her teammates while drawing defenders her way.  Dickey can finish efficiently herself but appears to be just as content sharing the ball.  Physically strong, she can also offer up plenty of productivity on the defensive end of the floor as well.

Easily the most talked about performance of the day came from TRC Academy guard / wing Makayla Ennis.  Just a sophomore, the lengthy 5-10 Ennis has speed, quickness and agility that makes an impact on both ends.  Offensively, she can get to the rim and make plays both converting her own options or delivering the ball to open teammates as the rotations come.  Ennis has a pull up that is tough to defend with the elevation she gets on her release.  While not a point guard, she is capable of pushing the ball in transition and makes good reads in number situations.  Even more impressive is her ability to impact the game defensively.  It’s hard to imagine any coach who wouldn’t love to have her on the front of almost any full court defensive scheme.  Lots of touches led to lots of opponent’s turnovers and plenty of conversion points.  The tools are there for her to decide what level she wants to play at…all the potential is there.

If you’re looking for the kind of point guard that simply can get to the rim at will, then Shaniya Jones will cut your search real short.  One look at the Wesleyan Christian point guard attacking either in the halfcourt or transition and you know the ball is in good hands.  Calling her creative with the ball would be a tremendous understatement.  The 5-7 junior has a depth of individual skills that will get even the best on ball defender coming out of her stance or lunging at empty air.  Jones mixes both speed and direction to keep match-ups guessing and doesn’t lose sight of teammates or rotations in the process.  While walking the edge of over dribbling, she’s not allowing defenders to double or putting her own teammates to sleep while she goes to work.  She can finish in traffic and handles contact well when she gets deep in the paint.  While a capable scorer, the point will be home for her at the next level.  Word on the street is that she may be under recruited to a degree at this point.  Worth a second look or a first no matter what level you’re at.

While the numbers and productivity might not bear it out from her Saturday performance, Maleeah Langstaff had the evaluators taking notice of the possibilities that lie in front of the Carolina Day School junior.  Of course part of that had to do with folks believing she was a freshman teammate as indicated on the roster.  None the less, long and lean at 5-9, she’s got the speed, quickness and assertiveness that coaches love on the perimeter in the college game.  All of her movement is with a purpose and has a fluidity to it that’s eye catching.  While more a wing or #2, she can put it on the floor on the break or in the halfcourt to create shots or improve passing angles.  The perimeter shot is a work in progress but the basic form is sound and will be critical in keeping defenders honest over her last two scholastic seasons.  That same length and athleticism makes her a strong defender both on and off the ball.  She sees the floor from the weakside and anticipates well both one and two passes away.

Stronger guards are becoming more and more of a commodity in the eyes of recruiters and players like Demi Washington fit the bill quite comfortably.  The 5-10 Heritage sophomore has a solid build that combines with some young but developing skills to make her a threat any time she has the ball.  Working as an off guard, she’s quick to attack on the catch and mixes up a change of speed and change of direction to get her deep into the paint.  Once there, she handles contact well and has no reservations about taking it up among the trees.  Off the drive the step back is there as is a reliable pull up that works efficiently from almost any range.  She works on the defensive end but will need to focus on keeping her feet moving and active to avoid being driven on or cut over.

Players that can “create their own” are becoming more commonplace in recruiting circles but every now and then you still find one that sets themselves apart to a degree.  Freedom’s Ariyana Williams has lots of tools to keep her defender guessing while looking for a defensive crack to exploit.  Williams likes working on opponents both with fakes and jabs as well as ballskills when she puts it on the floor.  The 5-8 guard, headed to East Carolina, mixes up her speed and has the acceleration to blow past defenders who react to her hesitation.  The jumper has form and appears to also come with range; however consistency will be critical to remain a threat to any opposition closing out with a cushion.  Assertive on ball defensively, Williams can turn ball handlers when she chooses to.  The quickness is there for her to get off further on the weakside of the floor and still have time to recover on skips or reversals.

MOMENTS

Halei Gillis – 2017 – 6-3 – Post – Carolina Day School – Solid build with size…Active…Plays with plenty of effort…Not afraid of contact…Deceiving agility…Posts up hard…Has a build for the weight room…Fordham commit

Rinnah Green – 2018 – 5-8 – Guard – Butler – Athletic guard…Nice build for size…Attacking…Form is there on shot…Individual skills are sound…Fluid

Taya Hanson – 2018 – 5-10 – Wing – TRC Academy – Some size on the perimeter…Solid build with strength…Ball skills are sound but not a guard at this point…Active…Runs the floor…Pull up is there…Makes plays

Andi Levitz – 2020 – 5-4 – Point Guard – Providence Day School – Small but skilled…Both ballhandling and passing are sharp…Sets up her attack…Reads…Can spot up with range

Jada Logan – 2019 – 5-7 – Point Guard – R-S Central – Solid ball skills…Pushes it at opportunity…Can get herself to the rim…Passing is there

Osha Makerson – 2019 – 5-4 – Point Guard – East Rutherford – Small but very quick…Strong Ballskills…Createss one on one…Passes off the dribble in transition…Change of speed

Lashonda Monk – 2017 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Southwest Guilford – Athletic and strong…Crossover is there…Gets deep…Always on the attack…Assertive on ball

Ciara Moore – 2019 – 5-8 – Combo – Northwood Temple – Athletic and quick…Assertive with the ball in her hands…Looking to attack…Quick release with a touch…On ball defensive effort is there

Ariana Nance – 2017 – 5-9 – Guard – Rocky River…Athletic guard…Has speed and vertical…Form is there…Had moments…Allows last play to impact the next

Lindsay Noonan – 2020 – 5-5 – Point Guard – Charlotte Christian – Scrappy…Sound skills…Understands the game…Plays with effort on both ends

Lorelei Roper – 2018 – 6-1 – Forward – Charlotte Catholic – Has been coached…Some size…Solid build…Active both ends…Could be more assertive

Amira Williams – 2019 – 5-9 – Guard – West Forsyth – Long, wiry build…Individual skills…Has speed and quickness…Low release on shot…Defends…Critical year for determining potential

Makayla Williams – 2018 – 5-8 – Guard – Wesleyan Christian – Active guard…Lots of effort…Can create off the dribble…Strong on ball defender…Sees the floor from the weakside

Arielle Wilson – 2018 – 6-6 – Post – Northwood Temple – Lots of height and length…Has some fluidity…Puts it on the floor too often…Has moments but remains a project in progress…Everything needs to become a reaction rather than a thought