PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Lincoln Financial Field wasn’t the only place to be in Philadelphia this past Sunday. While the Eagles and the Seahawks may have had the football focus of America it was the Blue star Elite High School Invitational that had the attention of the girls basketball recruiting landscape.
For the 13th consecutive season the event kicked off the new year with one of the highest regarded single day showcases on the scholastic calendar. Despite a distinct regional flavor to the roster of programs, national caliber teams and players are a constant drawing both college coaches and media year after year. Once again 32 teams took the floor for eight games each in the Jim Munn and Nancy Dougherty memorial brackets. The District of Columbia and six different states were represented while over 75 college recruiters caught the action courtside at Jefferson University.
Below you can check out the game by game results in both divisions followed by a look at some of the standouts on hand for the 13th annual Blue Star Elite Invitational.
Complete evaluations were challenging while making an effort to see some of the action on both floors throughout the day. No doubt we missed some impressive play while on the opposite floor and we saw athletes at either their best or their worst without seeing the other side of things given the limited time.
Add in the caveat of shooting photos at the same time and we’ll just say we were there start to finish and saw plenty of impressive play. What we missed we’ll look forward to seeing again somewhere down the road.
Destiny Adams – 2021 – 6-2 – Forward/Wing – Manchester – Versatile swing player…Effective both on the perimeter as well as on the block…Ballskills allow her to exploit bigger opponents while size and strength do the same against smaller defenders…Not hesitant to mix things up…Holds her ground versus physical play…Assertive on the boards
Alexzeya Brooks – 2021 – 5-9 – Guard – Westtown – Physically strong guard…Combines sound ballskills with attacking mentality…Good first step…Step back works for her…Form and stroke are solid…Aggressive on the ball defensively…Could react quicker on the weakside
Paris Clark – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – Long Island Lutheran – Confidence continues to build and add to her attack…Ballskills are refined and quick…Crossover and hesitation are exceptional…Pushing the ball at opportunity…Looking for her own opportunities more often…Becoming more of an option without the ball in her hands…Spots up with range
Aalyah Del Rosario – 2023 – 6-6 – Post – Trenton Catholic – Well known prospect is leaner and more aggressive…Wanting the ball and creating her own looks on the catch…Aware of her skill set and what to call upon at what point…Goes up aggressively…Can finish with defenders hanging on her…Running the floor harder and with more consistency…Physically strong on the boards
Christina Dalce – 2021 – 6-2 – Forward – Rutgers Prep – Continues advancement…Athletic…Aggressive…
Looking for her own opportunities on the catch…Attacks quickly…Without the ball she plays with awareness and makes herself an option with little standing…Mobile in traffic…Goes up with contact…Plays with plenty of effort
Sophia Diehl – 2021 – 6-1 – Forward – Roland Park – As noted previously, active with and without the ball…Knows what she’s looking for on the cut…Looking for her own options more and more…Needs to embrace contact a bit…Can finish at the rim and efficiently on mid-range looks…Added strength will be an asset on the glass and defensively
Maggie Doogan – 2023 – 5-11 – Forward/Post – Deceptive speed…Gets up and down the floor…Size and frame are there…Good tools and solid skill set…Nice form…Has been coached…Left hand needs some work
Azzi Fudd – 2021 – 5-11 – Guard – St. John’s College – She’s back!!…Long awaited return from knee…Stroke and form still smooth and fluid…Some shots came up short as legs get their lift back…Comfort came later in game with more attacking off the dribble…Fourth quarter made key shots including winning free throws…Her best??…Of course not…yet!!…Smart approach by those around her
Maria Gakdeng – 2021 – 6-3 – Forward/Post – New Hope – Strong moments are increasing in frequency…Still needs to find the consistency that will allow her to be an impact player…Length and vertical are allowing her to make plays on both ends against all levels…Refinement will make that happen more often…Plays she does make are eye catching and proof they can become habit
Hannah Hidalgo – 2023 – 5-5 – Point Guard – Paul VI (NJ) – Small but dynamic young point guard…Well established already…Slight build at this point…Sharp and refined ballskills…Hesitation is effective…Stepback creates separation…Shot consistency will be essential to keep defenders honest…Quick and competitively on the defensive end
Katie Hill – 2021 – 6-1 – Wing/Sm.Fwd – St. John Vianney – Aggressive on the wing…Active both with and without the ball…Deceiving strength and a willingness to use it…Blue collar approach to her attack…Effort is there on both ends of the floor on every possession…Defends but still can an get on the boards
Diamond Johnson – 2020 – 5-4 – Point Guard – Neumann-Goretti – Continues to be scholastic basketball’s high powered punch…Ability to create and convert is on its own level…Perimeter shot is a true jumper with both range and a quick release…Ability to develop and improve looks off the dribble is uphill battle for any defender…Slithers through traffic and gets off looks among the bigs…Dynamic scorer
Simone Lewis – 2023 – 6-0 – Forward – Georgetown Visitation…Young forward…Has some rough edges to skills but makes some plays…Good length…Can finish among traffic…Crashes the glass…Plays with effort
Mir McLean – 2020 – 5-10 – Forward – Roland Park – Showing more and more diversity…Working efficiently away from the rim as well as down low…Seeing the floor and sharing the ball effectively…Aggressive interior play is still her calling card…Vertical sets her apart from the crowd…Going up with confidence and authority…Possibilities on defense are endless…Dominant force on the glass
Tallyah Medina – 2020 – 6-0 – Forward – Bethlehem Catholic – Nice skills at the forward spot…Can work low or on the perimeter…Confidence is there…Can post up or attack of the dribble…Knows how to make plays…Smart
Olivia Miles – 2021 – 5-11 – Point Guard – Blair Academy – Prolific playmaker continues to make options for herself and teammates better…Instinctual passing sets her apart from the crowd…Found the range to keep the opposition honest and closing out…Controls the pace of the game from make, miss and turnover…Ability to finish is there for herself as is productive interior passing…Challenged defensively by match up with Diamond Johnson
Lucy Olson – 2021 – 5-9 – Combo – Spring-Ford – Decent length in the backcourt…Leaner build at this point…Potential to grow…Agile and active on both ends of the floor…Cuts hard and with intent…Can spot up with range…Deceiving body control on the drive among traffic…Didn’t back down from contact…Additional strength would be an asset
KiKi Rice – 2022 – 6-0 – Point Guard – Sidwell Friends – Adding highlights to already impressive resume…Scoring effectively and in multiple ways…Confidence is there from deep as well as on the pull up…Gets to the rim in transition…Forcing defenders to make early decisions…Keeps both on ball and weakside defenders honest with range…Elite advancements
Eleanor Robinson – 2021 – 5-9 – Guard – Paul VI (NJ) – Athletic guard…Tools to create her own options…Effective on the drive but can spot up…Left hand needs attention…Elevates well off penetration and on the glass…Has the lateral speed to be a stopper on the defensive end
Ava Sciolla – 2022 – 5-11 – Wing/Guard – Pennsbury – Nice size and solid build on the perimeter…Works to make herself an option…methodical but effective in getting herself into the paint and to the rim…Can finish low but has both a mid-range jumper and a jump hook…Patient and willing to share it off the drive…Footspeed on the defensive end needs some agility work to help contain some match-ups she’ll face down the road
Madison Scott – 2020 – 6-2 – Wing/Forward – Bishop McNamara – Continues to add to elite game…Showed quicker and more effective penetration on the catch…Elevating above defenders on the release…Converting in both transition and from turnovers…Defense was taken to a new level…Reads, reactions and agility allowed her to take away opponent options time and again…Multiple blocks came out of the air
Sydni Scott – 2022 – 5-8 – Point Guard – Cardinal O’Hara – Dynamic athlete at the point…Speed and quickness with the ball in her hands…Acceleration of each move leaves defenders standing…Can control the pace of the game…Tools are there to be an impact on ball defender
Kaylene Smikle – 2022 – 6-0 – Forward/Wing – Long Island Lutheran – Scoring in different ways…Showed some good body control inside among the bigs…Spots up with range…Wanting the ball more with success…Handles contact effectively…Could be an assertive defender
Fadima Tall – 2023 – 6-0 – Forward – Georgetown Visitation – Nice size and strength for age…Has shown the ability to be productive both inside and out…Wants the ball and plays with the confidence of an upperclassman…Handled some physical play…Effort is there on the boards…Just scratching the surface
Kourtney Wilson – 2022 – 5-9 – Wing – Bethlehem Catholic – Wiry built wing…Possesses some individual skills…Gets into traffic with good quickness and speed…Shot has a push motion to it right now…Aggressive defender on the ball
