RIVERSIDE, Calif.—With the seemingly unlimited expansion of the calendar of non-scholastic events there exists an endless buffet of late summer options for evaluators, media and recruiting services to choose from.  Of course, in many instances it’s the event operators who are getting fat from the gluttony and forgetting that the mainstay of any basketball diet is the players themselves.  One respected August event we’ve come to count on annually for a strong menu of talent is the Elite Girls Basketball “Elite 100”.  Even after a long spring and summer schedule it’s easy to look forward to a weekend in Southern California and a line-up of promising young talent that always includes several top tier prospects that we’ve not had the opportunity to see in action yet.

While there are always some uncommitted upperclassmen on hand the focus of the event generally revolves around that “next generation” of talent about to make some noise on the West Coast.  The class breakdown for this year’s event saw 94 of the 126 athletes on hand looking forward to graduation dates of 2020 or later.  Geographically six separate states were represented over the two days of play at Patriot High School in Riverside.  As always there were national evaluators in the gym enjoying the opportunity to see the trifecta of drills, full court action and a heaping helping of everyone’s favorite, 3 on 3.

The Elite 100 provides a big stage for some up and coming talent without exploiting already established prospects to pad the roster.  Below are some of the athletes who took advantage of their opportunity in the spotlight this past weekend.  A few of them we’ve seen before and others still are just beginning to see their game emerge and mature.  As always, we’re leaving out the heights with athletes this young due to the promise of future growth and the inability of anyone to tell the truth about how tall they actually are!!

 Caleigh Adams – 2024 – Bakersfield, California – Very young guard with lots of promise…Nice size…Decent ballskills…Overdribbles at times…Has strong moments for her age

Reina Bell – 2023 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Strong ballskills…Crossover is sharp…Quick and slashing on the attack…Accelerates off the move…Made plays on the break and in the halfcourt…Young with lots of possibilities

Taylor Bigby – 2021 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Size and length on the perimeter…Looking to create her own scoring opportunities…Stride gets her past defenders with both size and quickness…Reads the rotations as they come her way…Has no trouble working among the bigs off the drive…Text book form is there when needed from the perimeter…Size and agility make her a potential impact asset defensively in any scheme

Isuneh Brady – 2022 – San Diego, California – Plenty of size…College level frame to build upon…Lefty…Aggressive with and without the ball…Physically strong and beginning to grasp how to put it to use…Reads on the catch…Has been coached…Forward to a degree at this point on her perimeter shot but sound stroke…All the tools are there

Sage Bridges – 2020 – Victorville, California – Athletic guard…Has some length…Pushes the ball…Mixes up her attack with change of speed…Step back is there…Left hand needs to develop further…Tools

Kaitlyn Chen – 2020 – San Marino, California – The point guard you want to play with…Sees the floor and exploits cracks in the defense…Always seeing and reading…Nice size and solid build…Handles traffic well both in transition and the halfcourt…Can score it herself but always looking to set up teammates…Genuine grasp on how to make those around her better

Tatyanna Clayburne – 2021 – Gilbert, Arizona – Effective point guard who makes plays…Active with and without the ball…Always looking to improve both shots and passes…Step back creates separation for her own looks…Sees the floor…Assertive on ball defensively

Jada Davis – 2021 – San Diego, California – Lots of size and length…Very lean build at this point…Stride gets her up and down the floor efficiently…Tools are there to develop…Wingspan can be a factor defensively…Strength will need to evolve over time…Will have to be more consistently active to make the most of her potential

Vanessa De Jesus – 2020 – Valencia, California – Active and efficient combo…Good instincts on the catch…Ability to create off the drive or pull up from mid-range…Produces in a variety of ways…Makes plays in transition or out of sets…Anticipates and contests defensively…Better to play with than against

Garrisen Freeman – 2021 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Swing #2-#3…Attacks on the catch…Strong ballhandling with some length to go with it…Can develop her own looks…Eyes are up seeing both the floor and defender…Speed is deceptive and gets her deep in the paint off the break or drive…Length is an asset defensively as well

Aaliyah Gayles – 2022 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Dynamic guard…Multi-threat on any touch…Develops her own looks or improves passes off the dribble…Ball control is sharp both on penetration and passing…Elevates both around the rim and on the jumper…Solid stroke and range keeps defenders honest…Hesitation and step back both serve her well…Change of speed comes with impressive acceleration…Sees the floor in transition and can make the early entry for easy looks…Plenty of on ball defensive effort as well

Jennah Isai – 2021 – Surprise, Arizona – Continues to evolve…Adding to her depth of skills…Always looking to attack…First step is deceptively effective…Handles contact on the drive and in the paint…Ability is there to get her shot off in traffic…Form is there from the perimeter…Shot selection can have its moments on occasion…Very aware of the floor and defenders…A presence on the offensive boards…Only going to continue to advance her game

Gabriela Jaquez – 2022 – Camarillo, California – Young guard…Solid ballskills…Fluid stroke is there…Deceiving attack off the drive…Lots of potential for development…Plenty of length in legs and great size in her hands (See image)…Keep watching

Londynn Jones – 2022 – Riverside, California – Continues to impress even with just one day this time around…Quick, athletic and always attacking…Lefty with plenty of individual skills to call on…Makes plays at speed…Physically cut for size…Changes the pace of the game when the ball is in her hands…Aggressive on ball defender

Teionni McDaniel – 2020 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Athletic and strong combo guard…Ability is there to create her own looks…Quickness and acceleration with the ball…Has a maturity to her game for age…Good length defensively

Fabiana Pradier-Cole – 2021 – Scottsdale, Arizona – Lean with length…More a wing at this point…Active…Looking to make herself an option…Decent individual skills…Quick release is there…Form is sound but could use some refinement for consistency…Quick and agile defensively…Strength will come with age

Myla Scott – 2022 – Oxnard, California – Quick, athletic and attacking…Creates off penetration…Change of speed and direction are productive and mixed up well…Perimeter shot is a work in progress…Dynamic on ball defender…Productive on both ends of the floor

Judea Watkins – 2023 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Long, lean and athletic…Fluid and graceful with and without the ball…Ballskills are sharp…Ability is there to create her own opportunities off the dribble…Step back creates space for her jumper…Needs to be much more active without the ball…Tools are there to be a strong defender with focus…The possibilities are up to her

Alexis Whitfield – 2020 – Tarzana, California – Size with a solid build…Agility is surprising for size…Willing and able to put it on the floor…Ballskills are advanced for age and position…Does play upright at times…Has the tools to be a versatile #4…Will need to add a physical element to capitalize on the full extent of her potential

Kristin Williams – 2021 – El Cajon, California – Produces on offense…First instinct to categorize her as just a shooter is selling her short…Lethal form, stroke and range set up a strong attack off the dribble…No reservations about taking it into traffic despite slight build…Floater has a nice touch and high percentage finish…Understands cutting and motion without the ball…Quick release keeps the opposition honest

Salma Youngblood – 2022 – San Diego, California – Physically strong backcourt threat…Aggressive with the ball…Strong individual skills…Gets to the rim…Solid build with potential for growth…Step back covers plenty of ground to create space…Shot selection could be sharper at times…Lots of promise