LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Most folks consider last week’s bevy of Martin Luther King tournaments to be the figurative “end” to the tournament season that began back during the Thanksgiving holidays. Traditionally teams now move into the twice a week league play mode leading up to their respective state playoff scenarios later in February. Those following the girls basketball landscape know that these days the Raatz Fence/O’Shea’s Basketball Classic has extended that tournament schedule another week and has done so for the past 10 years. This past weekend the 11th edition of the event raised the bar once again for Mercy Academy Coach Keith Baisch and his staff with one of the strongest rosters of talent ever for the weekend.

The two day event featured 18 teams from six different states including almost half of the ranked teams in the host Bluegrass State. Add in out of state visitors like Hamilton Heights and Riverdale from Tennessee, Pickerington Central and Rogers out of Ohio, Incarnate Word from Missouri, West Virginia’s St. Joe’s and Montini Catholic down from Illinois and it was almost impossible not to see an athlete or two who could put a smile on the face of any recruiter.

Friday’s schedule featured four games while Saturday’s full day had a nine contest lineup beginning with a 9 a.m. tip and culminating with a 9 p.m. finale. While thoroughbreds are considered royalty in horse country, it’s the workhorse that you count on to get the hard work done. Today we offer up evaluations of just some the players who went to work in Louisville last weekend.

Nila Blackford – 2019 – 6-1 – Forward – duPont Manual – College ready size, build and frame…Smooth and fluid on the move…Power player…Dropstep serves her well to the baseline and the middle…Pull-up has a good touch and efficiency…Handled a box and one to a degree…Goes up with authority…A presence on the boards…A college strength coach’s dream

KiKi Britzmann – 2019 – 6-0 – Forward – Incarnate Word – Small forward…Frame is there with a solid build…Good strength for size…Smart instinctual interior play…Aggressive attacking the rim…Can finish with contact…Plays with awareness…Plenty of effort on both ends

Cameron Browning – 2019 – 6-1 – Forward/Post – Louisville Male – Physically strong and aggressive on the interior…Attacks on the catch…Goes up in traffic…Finishes with confidence…15 footer is there…One and two dribble drive…Gets on the glass…Makes herself an option

Brianna Byers – 2023 – 5-10 – Wing/Forward – George Rogers Clark – Impressive 8th grader playing varsity…Physically strong with some size…Some ballhandling is in place…Aggressive first step…Pushes the ball at times…Decent passing moments…Watch very closely

Shelby Calhoun – 2020 – 5-10 – Guard- Christian Academy – Established guard…Challenging weekend…Had moments…Can slash and create…Vertical is there around the rim…Stepback is in place from deep on the perimeter…Needs to make herself an option more often without the ball…Consistency will be key

Kamilla Cardoso – 2020 – 6-8 – Post – Hamilton Heights – Class of her own…Physical tools are matched by effort…Build and frame are proportionate to height…Runs the floor with the guards…Spatial awareness allows her finish on the catch…Keeps it high and beyond the opposition…Sees the floor on the catch…Skips to the weakside when rotations come…Could take her game to a level only a few have reached

Taylor Charles – 2022 – 6-2 – Forward/Wing – Montini Catholic – Athletic build with plenty of length for age…Smooth and fluid in all of her movement…Can create some options off the dribble…Length of stride helps her cover the floor…Wingspan is an asset defensively…Had some “freshman” moments but handled the much needed coaching and responded…World of potential

Kristen Clemons – 2020 – 6-0 – Post – Sacred Heart – Some size with a good frame…Active in working for position…Mechanical at times but knows what she’s looking for…Uses her body…Spin moves are there off defenders…Patient at times…Works

Zia Cooke – 2019 – 5-9 – Guard – Toledo Rogers – McDonald’s All-American showed why…Carried the load in a 23 point comeback…Produces off penetration and from the perimeter…Leading younger players more…Very much in command of the floor…Patient…Can set up teammates and deliver the ball…Showing college intangibles already

Tiarra East – 2021 – 5-10 – Wing – Butler – Young with nice size on the wing…Good speed and quickness…Active on the catch…Floater comes with good vertical and release…Looks to attack…Aggressive defensively…Only going to get better

Jasmine Elder – 2019 – 5-7 – Guard – Butler – Athletic guard…Skills to play both the point and off guard…Good strength…Vertical is there for size…Crossover is effective…Stepback creates separation…Floater worked for her…Floor awareness on both ends…Assertive on the ball

Madison Greene – 2019 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Pickerington Central – Taking command of the floor…Made good choices with pace and attack when trailing…Diversity is always there in her attack…Penetrating to the rim or pulling up…Quick release on jumper…Difficult match up for opposition

Whitney Hay – 2020 – 6-0 – Guard – Elizabethtown – Combination of size and skills…Nice length on the perimeter…Attacking mentality…Looking to up the pace…Assertive with the ball in her hands…Gets deep into the paint…Can finish with contact…Nice touch from the perimeter…Narrow base on her shot however…Got on the glass at times…Tools

Aislynn Hayes – 2019 – 5-8 – Guard – Riverdale – Dynamic guard…Applies speed and quickness to all aspects of her play…Gets out in transition like an Olympic sprinter…Touch and range force honest close outs by defenders…First step makes them pay…Can get to the rim quicker than defensive help can rotate…Quick hands and feet on the defensive end of the floor…Impact effort

Treasure Hunt – 2020 – 6-1 – Guard/Wing – Hamilton Heights – Finding more consistency…Became more aggressive is creating her looks…Range and touch are top tier…Produced off the dribble and the cut…Has the size and strength on the perimeter…Gets on the boards at times…Can be much more of an impact…Limits are up to her

Taziah Jenks – 2020 – 6-1 – Wing – Mercy Academy – Continues to advance skills and game…More and more confident off the dribble…Getting to the rim and making good choices with pull ups and passing…Accelerating more effectively challenging defenders to recover…Length helps cover the floor both offensively and defensively…Strength is coming but more will be needed…Setting herself apart

Mikayla Kinnard – 2019 – 6-0 – Guard/Wing – Eastern – Size and strength on the perimeter…Ballskills are there to develop her own options…Turns the corner hard off ball screens…Pushes it herself at opportunity…Plenty of speed with the ball in the hands…Pull up is there…Can get to the rim

Arina Khlopkova – 2019 – 6-0 – Wing – Christian Academy – Wing…Decent size and athleticism…Has some individual skills…Upright off the dribble at times…Can post up some with smaller defenders…Stroke is there on jumper…Has versatility

Destinee Marshall – 2020 – 5-5 – Point Guard – Sacred Heart – Small but wiry built guard…Plenty of speed and quickness…Pushes the ball at opportunity…Mixes up her attack…Acceleration off the move…Jumper is there

Jaya McClure – 2022 – 5-4 – Point Guard – Christian Academy – Small, slight and promising…Wiry athletic build…Quick on the catch…Has speed with the ball…Mixes up her attack…Penetrates…Floater is there

Maliya Perry – 2019 – 6-0 – Wing – Pickerington Central – Continues to advance both play and confidence each time out…Mixing up her speed and attack more…Looking to the fallaway more and more…Scoring in a variety of ways…Length will allow her to take smaller perimeter defenders down low…Gets out in transition…Can handle it on the break on occasion…Has an enthusiasm to her game

Emily Ralph – 2019 – 5-3 – Point Guard – Bullitt East – Small but impressively productive…Ballhandling and passing are sharp…Reads and understands the floor…Always attacking…Plays with no fear…Floater works…Penetrates and delivers on rotations…Makes plays at speed…Has a good stroke and range

Madison Royal-Davis – 2021 – 5-11 – Guard – Toledo Rogers – Finally showing some more of that potential…Was a factor in both transition and sets…Got out in the lanes…No fear going into traffic…Got off the floor to finish…Strength will need to come…Looking forward to seeing more

Maddie Scherr – 2020 – 5-11 – Guard – Ryle – Highly regarded…Limited play with foul situation…Carless fouls magnified bad calls…Still had moments…Stroke, form and range are elite…Fluid release on any shot…More active without the ball than in the past…Elevates well for size…Looking to make impact beyond just scoring…Possibilities will be fun to see through end of the year and summer

Lauren Schwartz – 2019 – 5-11 – Guard – Ryle – Skilled and efficient guard…Reads defenders on the catch…Sound ballhandling allows her to get into traffic…Narrow base but decent form…Fluid and active without the ball…Produced results

Paige Shy – 2019 – 5-11 – Wing/Guard – St. Joseph Central – Nice size on the wing…Solid build…Skills and IQ are there…Knows how to make herself an option…Understands where her looks should come from…Stroke, form and range are exceptional…A threat on the catch or off the dribble…Active without the ball…Anticipates off the ball defensively

Hope Sivori – 2020 – 5-4 – Point Guard – Mercy Academy – Confident and productive point guard…Stroke and range keeps defenders honest and closing out…Can improve options for herself and teammates…Passing choices had a moment or two…Competitor

Nyah Smith – 2019 – 5-5 – Point Guard – DuPont Manual – Impressive improvements…Consistency on the perimeter is advanced…Playing with confidence…Ballhandling and passing are solid…Making good choices…Quick laterally on the defensive end of the floor…Made some plays

Nicole Stephens – 2020 – 5-5 – Point Guard – Pickerington Central – Strong outing…Looking to penetrate more…Got out in transition…Made herself an option on the break or in the halfcourt…Playing off guard with strong point guard teammate…Aggressive on ball defender

Kynidi Striverson – 2022 – 5-7 – Point Guard – Louisville Male – Promising prospect at the point…Good speed with the ball in her hands…Sharp vision and passing…Can spot up…Form and range are there…Plenty of possibilities

Sophia Sullivan – 2022 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Montini Catholic – Young point guard…Nice skills and concepts…Lefthander…Attacks and sets up both shots and passes…Good shot and ball fakes…Quick release is there however shot is out in front to a degree…Advanced for age…Watch

Ellie Taylor – 2020 – 5-9 – Guard – Active both with and without the ball…Hesitation move is in place…Strong passing off penetration…Good feel for defenders going to the rim…Sound form on the shot

Lexie Taylor – 2020 – 5-10 – Forward – Bullitt East – Deceptive and efficient…Can finish around the rim even in traffic…Touch is there from mid-range out to the perimeter…Plays smart and within her capabilities…Got on the boards

Saniah Tyler – 2022 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Incarnate Word – Physically strong at the point…Speed and quickness to spare…Explosive first step…Form and range are there on the jumper…Good vision…Good instincts for her age…Aggressive on ball defender…Willing to get on the floor or mix things up

Marisa Warren – 2019 – 5-8 – Combo – Incarnate Word – Left hander…Deceptively quick…Picks her spots…Attacking mentality…Can create her own looks or improve those of others…Interior passing is sharp…Three point range and consistency is there…Makes plays both in transition or the halfcourt…Assertive defensively