TORONTO, Ontario—While Washington seems hell bound to lock up our southern border, things to the north are still wide open and basketball continues to be the one import / export industry that grows without panic echoing from the hallowed halls across D.C. The third annual BallN Across Borders War Games (formerly Across Border Global Games) moved northeast to Toronto this year to the campus of Crestwood Prep for an expanded lineup of Canada versus United States invitational games.

The first of five contests Saturday highlighted the “Futures” followed by freshmen through senior class games over the course of the day.  On display were a bright future of underclass prospects as well as plenty of talent signed, sealed and delivered for arrival on campus next fall.  Athletes from 20 different states and provinces (17/3) were selected to participate and defend the flag of their respective native land. The schedule featured two additional underclass games over last year’s three game schedule.  Below are the results of each of the contests as well as the respective MVPs for each game.

RESULTS

Futures Game – United States 84  Canada 81

USA MVP – Jasmine Brown   Canada MVP – Teija Sta Maria

Freshman Game – United States 59  Canada 50

USA MVP – Ta’Niya Latson.  Canada MVP – Dominique Ennis

Sophomore Game – United States 66  Canada 65

USA MVP – Mia Moore   Canada MVP – Shyanne Day-Wilson

Junior Game – Canada 78  United States 75 – (2OT)

Canada MVP – Aaliyah Edwards   USA MVP – Treasure Hunt

Seniors Select Game – United States 70  Canada 56

USA MVP – Jayla Hemingway   Canada MVP – Ahriahna Grizzle

As with a lot of our coverage in settings like this, our focus tends to be more towards those players on the horizon of the game.  With four games of underclassmen, we had plenty of window shopping to do with both known prospects and unknown recruits looking to make a splash early in the spring / summer club season.  Included in that group were 10 alums of the highly regarded Blue Star 30 rosters which is now entering its fourth summer.  The senior game ran well past it’s scheduled start but you can see the results and Most Valuable Players above.  Below are some of the underclass standouts that caught our eye in Toronto Saturday.

Destiny Agubata – Futures Game – 5-8 – Guard – Moreno Valley California – Athletic on the perimeter…Plays with confidence for age…Slashes to the rim…Can spot up with sound form…Touch is still evolving…Good length on the defensive end of the floor…Got on the glass

Se’Quoia Almond – Sophomore Game – 5-5 – Point Guard – Memphis, Tennessee – Speed and quickness plus…Showing tremendous growth in choices on penetration…Still gets caught in the air on occasion…Mixes her attack well…Sees the floor in transition…Individual skills beginning to help her set up options for teammates more consistently

Jasmine Brown . Futures Game – 5-9 – Wing/Guard – Chicago, Illinois – Quick and athletic…Solid build serves her well in traffic…Shot fake and drive is productive…Quick on the catch…Makes herself an option with work off the ball…Active and assertive defensively…MVP Futures Game

Nevaeh Brown – Junior Game – 5-6 – Point Guard – Concord, North Carolina – Small, but active and quick…Hesitation and change of speed set up her attack…Can get to the rim or pull up…Elevation is impressive on shots for her size…Active on ball defender

Chaniya Clark – Sophomore Game – 6-2 – Post – Fort Myers, Florida – Plenty of size and strength…Can obtain and hold her position…Knows what options she’s looking for…Demonstrated 10 – 12 foot range…Pulled in some errant passes effectively…Plenty of tools, potential and possibilities

Essence Cody – Freshmen Game – 6-3 – Forward/Post – Valdosta, Georgia – Size, frame and strength for age…Aggressively posts up…Understands angels and sealing defenders…Can use her physical tools to create and hold space…Knows what she’s looking for…Occasional thought rather than reaction but normal for age

Breya Cunningham – Futures Game – 6-3 – Post – San Diego, California – Impressive size and frame for age…Works for position…Handles contact better each time out…Cuts block to block…Using her body to protect the ball…Got on the boards well…Had some moments…Tools

Shyanne Day-Wilson – Sophomore Game – 5-5 – Point Guard – Toronto, Ontario – Refined ballskills…Combine with elite speed and quickness to create both shots and passes…Mixes speed and direction like an artist…Jumper is there as well as her pull up…Just needs some more consistency…Goes to the floater a bit often off penetration…MVP Sophomore Game

Rebecca Demeke – Junior Game – 5-10 – Guard – Toronto, Ontario – Wiry on the wing…Has some length…Gets out in transition almost every possession…Has some tools…Can create her own shot…Odd hitch in it but has some effectiveness…Plays with intensity

Aaliyah Edwards – Junior Game – 6-2 – Forward – Kingston, Ontario – Dominant force at the #4…Plays with a standard setting intensity…Got a little out of control at times but still managed to be productive…Produced off the drive from the trail spot but also posted and finished with tremendous efficiency…Willing to get in a stance and defend anyone and any position on the floor…Relentlessly attacks the glass…Forces her own teammates to “up” their games…Elite…MVP Junior Game

Dominique Ennis – Freshmen Game – 5-7 – Point Guard – Brampton, Ontario – Lean build at the point…More speed and quickness than first impression…Always looking to attack…Goes left but left hand needs sharpening…Lateral speed on defense is impressive…Strength will come with age…Freshmen Game MVP

O’Mariah Gordon – Sophomore Game – 5-6 – Point Guard – Bradenton, Florida – Taking command of the floor from the tip…Creates her own looks off the dribble but is seeing teammates options at the same time…Keeping her dribble on the stepback and embarrassing defenders…Has definitely added depth and sharpening to her skill set

Jordy Griggs – Futures Game – 6-0 – Wing – Moreno Valley, California – Active young player both with and without the ball…The ability is there to slash and create to a degree…Length and agility provide impact defensively…Plenty of tools and possibilities in place

Mallorie Haines – Sophomore Game – 5-10 – Guard – Charlotte, North Carolina – Adding depth to her game…Started slow, finished strong…Shot and range continue to keep defenders honest…Looking to create more off the dribble than in the past…Consistency beginning to show…Lots of effort in making herself available…Defense is evolving…Continues to play with focus

Madison Hayes – Junior Game – 5-11 – Guard – Ooltewah, Tennessee – Makes plays again and again on both ends of the floor…Can create her own looks or improve those of her teammates…Will force some shots at times still…Battles…No hesitancy about contact…Literally attacks the boards…The player you want to play with not against

Treasure Hunt – Junior Game – 6-0 – Wing – Chattanooga, Tennessee – Evolving confidence…Wanting the ball in critical situations…Scoring in multiple ways…Not simply settling for jumpers any more…Going to the rim with authority…Creating separation to get her options in traffic…Strong but smooth…Weakside defense could use some Starbucks…Junior Game MVP

Lemyah Hylton – Freshmen Game – 5-10 – Wing – Mississauga, Ontario – Lean and athletic…Smooth and fluid with the ball…Can create and improve options…Nice, fluid stroke…Showed some range some…Made plays in transition and halfcourt

Tineya Hylton – Sophomore Game – 5-6 – Guard – Toronto, Ontario – Small but with quickness…Smooth and fluid ballskills at speed…Can get to the rim and make the challenging pass…Understands defenders and puts a nice touch on her passes…Can push the ball in transition…Active on ball defender but could do more on the weakside

Kayley Joseph-Bernard – Freshmen Game – 5-11 – Wing – Milton, Ontario – Wiry build…Decent athleticism…Potential to grow is there…Upright at times but can attack off the dribble…Connected from the perimeter but needs to smooth out her shot…Had some key moments

Ta’Niya Latson – Freshmen Game – 5-9 – Guard – Atlanta, Georgia – Quiet maturity…Active but smooth and fluid in her attack…Utilizes strength and quickness…Explosive first step…Brings energy to the floor…Elevates on both pull up and perimeter jumpers…Handles contact around the rim…Makes the players around her better…Freshmen Game MVP

LaTasha Lattimore – Sophomore Game – 6-4 – Forward – Toronto, Ontario – Continues to add to and refine her play…Mixing up interior and perimeter options more efficiently…Keeping defenders guessing…Exhibiting patience she didn’t show six months back…Ultra effective from the trail spot in transition…Making sound choices as to when to put it on the floor

Rhian Lawrence – Futures Game – 5-2 – Point Guard – Durham, North Carolina – Attacking mentality…Pushes the ball at opportunity…Delivers the ball off penetration as the rotations come her way…Quickness serves her well on both ends…Focused on ball defender

Kaydan Lawson – Junior Game – 6-0 – Guard/Wing – Cleveland, Ohio – Depth to ballskills challenges defenders…Tools are there to work the perimeter or take bigger opponents down by penetration…Form and release are sound…Works hard with and without the ball to be an option…Occasionally has her mind made up before the catch/read…Added strength makes her a difficult match up at any level

Eylia Love – Junior Game – 6-1 – Wing/Forward – Olathe, Oklahoma – Nice length…Adding strength but still on the lean side…Not afraid to mix things up however…Can post…slithers past defenders to get shots off in traffic…Fluid up and down the floor and on any cuts…Challenging match up with both size and agility…Established yet just scratching the surface

Mia Moore – Sophomore Game – 5-9 – Guard – Alpharetta, Georgia – Makes plays on both ends…Always looking to attack…Efficient ballskills help her get deep into the paint…Mixing her speed with the ball well…Has a relentless approach…Aggressive on the ball defensively…Quick hands and feet help her get stops…MVP Sophomore Game

Milana Nenadic – Futures Game – 6-3 – Post – Kitchener, Ontario – Nice size, frame and build…Deceptive agility…Works with and without the ball…Efficient down low and from the perimeter…Range and touch are there given time…One and two dribble drive…Works on the defensive end…Inserts herself into the action…Watch closely

Cassandre Prosper – Futures Game – 6-0 – Guard – Rosamere, Quebec – Nice size and length in the backcourt…Solid athleticism…Strong ballskills…Upright at times…Can slash and make plays in traffic…Got up on the offensive glass…Showed effort on defense…Lots of possibilities

Sania Richardson – Futures Game – 5-1 – Point Guard – Ada, Oklahoma – Strong command of the ball…Sharp individual skills at this point…Plenty of acceleration is there off the catch or out of a move…Creates shots and passes…Hesitation move…Showed some range

Merissah Russell – Juniors Game – 6-1 – Guard – Ottawa, Ontario – Continues to show elite play…Mixing up interior game with perimeter looks…Looked to take over in critical spots…Size and strength make her tough to defend off the drive…Perimeter shot keeps opponents honest…Adds a depth of defensive possibilities…Demonstrated effort on both ends even in an All Star game…Louisville verbal

Lazaria Spearman – Freshmen Game – 6-3 – Forward – Dacula, Georgia – Big…Long and active…Wingspan is there with decent hands…Goes up strong on the catch…Understands what she’s trying to do…Deceptively quick for size…Any limits will be set by her

Teija Sta Maria – Futures Game – 5-2 – Point Guard – Vaughn, Ontario – Slight build at the point…Nice speed and quickness with the ball…Mixes direction and pace well for age…Crossover is sharp…Pull up is there…Good form as well from deeper…Makes sound choices…Sets up teammates – Futures MVP

Samantha Wagner – Freshmen Game – 6-1 – Wing/Forward – San Antonio, Texas – Had moments…Seemed to be looking more at her mid-range options this event…Settled more than attacked…Newly added size and strength are assets and being used well…Active and aggressive rebounding on both ends

JuJu Watkins – Freshmen Game – 6-0 – Wing/Guard – Los Angeles, California – Added depth is looking sharper and sharper…Decisions on the wing are coming quicker and with more clarity…Range forces tighter close outs…Mixed her attack more efficiently this time out…Defensive versatility is showing more and more

Jada Williams – Freshmen Game – 5-6 – Point Guard – Kansas City, Missouri – Dynamic attack…Continues to get to the rim at will…Change of speed sets up the crossover…Getting defenders out of their stance…Passing choices are sharper and better timed on penetration…Showing much more assertiveness on the defensive end of the floor

Serah Williams – Freshmen Game – 6-3 – Post – Ajax, Ontario – Lean build but lots of length already…Lots of potential to grow…Can put it on the floor…One and two dribble drive are in place…Needs to be more active without the ball…Wingspan is an asset defensively