The Midwest Showdown in Mason, Ohio, provided a smorgasbord of talent from a field of 144 teams featuring players from the 2013 to 2016 classes. The lineup included teams from as far east as West Virginia and the Carolinas and the southern states of Georgia and Tennessee. Top tier talent, diverse styles of play and some some promising young prospects provided a preview for an exciting July evaluation period.
Players Play
The young ladies that arrived in Ohio with national credentials did not disappoint. Here are just a few players that confirmed their status and demonstrated continued improvement in their game.
Brielle Blair * 6’1 * F * 2014 * FBC Southeast Black – With her college ready body, this polished forward is showing more and more that she is capable of playing the three as well. In the post she has a quick catch and quick shot release and keeps the ball high without fear of defenders.
Kelsey Mitchell * 5’8 * G * 2014 * All Ohio – When a game is on the line and you need a bucket from half court and in, Mitchell is the player for the job. Mitchell’s ball handling continues to improve and well as her already quick shot release from anywhere past half court. She will always have that scorer’s mentality and continues to add dimensions to her offensive game.
Antania Hayes * 6’1 * F/G * 2013 * MI Crossover – Being the first one down the court on every possession is no easy task, unless you are Hayes. Her athleticism is the obvious best aspect of her game, but she has shown improvement in her 12 feet in game and her ball handling off a rebound or in transition.
Asia Durr * 5’11 * PG * 2015 * GA Pistols Elite – One of the most impressive point guards Memorial Day weekend, she is amazingly mature, both with her physical ability and in basketball IQ. Durr proved she can score at will inside the 3 point line or make the quick transition pass for the easy basket. Look for a breakout summer from this youngster as the Pistols rely on her heavily and give her a platform to perform.
I Love Surprises!
With the three game guarantee in pool play, and diving directly into tournament play, the tournament allowed everyone the opportunity to see players several times. These hoopers proved they deserve some recognition for their efforts.
Allazia Blockton * 6’0 * G/F * 2015 * WI Playground – A true power forward at an early age, Blockton has the ability to attack the rim from the wing or in transition. Her solid frame and willingness to take contact leaves is reliable yet there’s still room for her to improve her outside shot and finesse game outside of the paint.
Khadaizha Sanders * 5’4 * PG * 2016 * Baylor Basketball – Sanders is going to be another great point guard from the state of Indiana. Initially her athleticism and blocking a post player’s shot grabbed my attention, but as I watched more she also knocked down two 3 pointers with ease and drove the paint to make several solid dishes to her teammates. If a point guard is among your needs for in the 2016 class, jump on this kid quickly!
China Dow * 5’9 * G * 2013 * KY Premier – A lot of people already know about Dow and for good reason, the combo guard is a player. Her approach to her offensive game is “like a bull in a China shop.” Her first step is one of the quickest and most powerful in the class and there’s a little “flavor” to her game with some great ball handling skills. Dow could be a real steal with her continued improvement in the consistency of her outside shot.
Championships Monday
The drive from Mason, OH to Lexington, KY was well worth it as Championship Monday at the Wildcat Memorial Tournament was one of the most competitive games of the weekend.
Florida Essence Purple and Midwest Elite Platinum squared off in the early afternoon after semifinal wins earlier in the day over the KC Select and Pure Sweat respectively. From tip off, it looked to be another Essence show staring Iesha Small (5’11 * G * 2013) as she attacked the lane and glided to the rim time after time early in the half. Midwest Elite fought back with solid post play from Jacqui Grant (6’1 * F * 2013) who didn’t back down from physical play inside and was also able to step out of the paint and knock down short jumpers. Also making an impact for the Elite was Gabrielle Ortiz (2014). The 5’7 point guard showed great skill with both ball control and tempo. With Essence turning up the heat she also offered up an example of how to come off any screen and knock down 3’s and 2’s with ease.
With the game going back and forth in the second half, Essence threw their full court press at the Elite. With the front line of Faith Woodard (6’2 * F/G * 2013) and Erica Young (6’3 * F * 2013), size, reach and athleticism provided the Essence some easy baskets down the stretch.
While Brandy Montgomery (5’10 * G * 2013) and Iesha Small controlled the offense for Essence, the Elite leaned on some unstoppable reverse post moves of Olivia Jakubicek (6’0 * F * 2013)as well as some critical offensive rebound conversions. In the end, the Elite had an opportunity to tie the 2-point game, but could only get up a desperation 3-point attempt that was off the mark. Essence walked off as 2012 Wildcat Memorial Champions in an exciting and competitive game.
