MURFREESBORO, Tenn.—Quite a few people will argue that one of the best parts of the Thanksgiving Day meal is ultimately the leftovers enjoyed the next couple of days.  The weekend following Thursday’s annual feast is highlighted by second helpings, turkey sandwiches and…of course…basketball.  For the eighth consecutive year the Tennessee Turkey Jamm provided a setting for established teams and players as well as some promising newcomers to serve notice on the upcoming schedule in front of them.  Five states were represented among the 22 team line-up that took the floor Friday and Saturday on the campus of Blackman High School in Murfreesboro.

As always we’re highlighting some of the standout performers as well as some of the prospects who demonstrated the potential that keeps the college coaches coming back for more.  Like a turkey dinner there were a few games and efforts that might make one reach for the Tums or Rolaids but when all was said and done there was plenty of great basketball to be thankful for by the players, coaches and fans alike.

Elizabeth Balogun – 2018 – 6-0 – Guard – Hamilton Heights – Athletic with size on the perimeter…Gets to the rim at will…Uses the body while penetrating…Slashes in traffic…Can handle contact…Reads her defender on the catch…Individual skills…Fluid stroke…Assertive on ball defender…Good lateral speed

Katie Blackmon – 2018 – 6-1 – Post – Olive Branch – Solid, strong and deceiving…Not afraid of mixing things up…Has some sound post moves to call on…Can finish with contact…Cuts aggressively without the ball…Major presence on the boards…Gets the ball out to trigger the break

Vanessa Blagmon – 2017 – 5-8 – Guard – Norcross – South Florida signee…Talented guard with strong ball skills…Can improve both shots and passes off the dribble…Uses a change of speed and direction consistently and effectively…Efficient passer off the bounce…Plays with awareness of the floor…Step back creates plenty of separation…Smooth form and stroke

Endya Buford – 2020 – 5-6 – Guard – Olive Branch – Ballhandling and passing are already strong…Lots of speed with the ball in her hands…First step…Passing off penetration is instinctive…Lots of awareness…Young with lots of promise

Kamilla Cardosa – 2020 – 6-5 – Post – Hamilton Heights – All the tools…Great size and frame…Plays with effort and focus…Runs the floor…Tremendous stride and agility…Keeps it high on the catch and the rebound…Understands positioning down low…Aware of her options and what she’s looking for…Cuts hard and with intent…Understands the game…Passing within the halfcourt is strong…Quick and down floor outlets trigger the break…Sees the court defensively…Top tier in any class…Sky is the limit

Maya Dodson – 2017 – 6-1 – Forward – St. Francis – Stanford signee – Had moments on a tough night…Played more away from the rim than in the past…Took it off the drive several times…Length of first step challenges any defender…Was cold but the form was there on the mid-range…Elevated on release…Defensive presence…Got on the glass

Finess Dickson – 2017 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Homewood Flossmoor – Quick and penetrating…Lefty…Slashes…Hesitation move is effective…Forces defensive rotations…Pushes the ball from makes, misses and turnover…Active defender

Nadia Green – 2017 – 5-9 – Guard – Homewood Flossmoor – Missouri signee…Strong guard with lots of tools…Plenty of experience to call upon…Can spot up but has a narrow base…Works on her defender with shot and pass fakes…Can be an imposing physical match up for opponents…Needs to find her consistency…Has the basketball and physical tools to transition easily to the next level…Up to her

Madison Griggs – 2019 – 5-8 – Guard – Houston – Nice ballhandling and passing…Can create off the dribble…Change of speed serves her well…Passing in transition is strong…Pull up is there…Has both touch and range…Lean build but still an active defender

Jada Guinn – 2019 – 5-7 – Guard – Oak Ridge – Athletic, wiry guard…Ballhandling is sound…Lots of speed and quickness with the ball…Crossover and hesitation are there…Narrow base but nice touch…Good lateral speed on the ball defensively

Destiny Harden – 2017 – 6-0 – Guard – Morgan Park – West Virginia signee – Strong with length on the perimeter…Has a depth of individual skills…Attacks on the catch…Can dish the ball inside off the drive…Vertical allows her to work among the bigs on penetration…Lost without the ball at times…Explosive and can cover ground on both ends

Jayla Hemingway – 2019 – 5-10 – Guard – Houston – Athletic and strong guard…Plays with a low center of gravity…Solid base on the catch…First step is quick…Goes both directions but must finish better left…Awareness and passing are in place…Active without the ball…Works to be an option…Good on the glass from the perimeter

Zaire Hicks – 2017 – 5-7 – Point Guard – White Station – Tennessee-Martin signee…Small, strong and quick at the point…Penetrates and handles the contact well…Has plenty of speed with the ball…Sets up her attack with multiple fakes…Acceleration is there on the catch…Goes both ways…Nice stroke both from the perimeter and off the pull up

Natori Hill – 2019 – 5-10 – Guard – Mays – Lots of athleticism…Plays upright at times but can create her own options…Lefthander…Turns the corner hard getting to the rim…Works well in traffic…See opportunities on the catch both in transition or off and entry pass

Kasiyahna Kushkituah – 2017 – 6-3 – Post – St. Francis – Tennessee signee – Put in a lot of work down low…Posted hard…Made herself available…Reads defenders…Goes up strong…Touch is still evolving but coming along…Handles the contact…Made it to the line multiple times but struggled…Got on the boards…Lots of effort defensively for position

Tehya Lyons – 2018 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Norcross – Lefty…Hesitation is strong…Lots of speed with the ball…Sees the floor on the break and in the halfcourt…Floater has a soft touch…Nice touch on the ball

Taylor Mason – 2017 – 5-9 – Guard – Norcross – Miami signee…Athletic and aggressive…Physically strong…Creates both shots and passes off the dribble…Gets deep into the paint…Can navigate among the bigs…Pull up is there if needed…Active without the ball…Passes well in transition…Aggressive defender…Makes plays at both ends of the floor

Jazmine Massengill – 2018 – 6-0 – Point Guard – Hamilton Heights – Size, athleticism and skills at the point…Has command of the floor from makes, misses and turnovers…Makes impact plays at speed…Hesitation and crossover are sharp…Accelerates off the move…First step is lengthy and quick…Attacking mentality on virtually every possession…Perimeter shot is there…Strong on ball and weakside defender…Anticipates…Quick hands defensively

Brittni Moore – 2018 – 5-9 – Guard – White Station – Strong guard with lots of tools…Aggressive with and without the ball…Can slash to the rim…Works hard to be a factor…Pull up has promise…Perimeter is off the shoulder to a degree…Gets on the boards as a guard…Makes plays

Yo’Myris Morris – 2018 – 6-1 – Forward – North Little Rock – Solid size and build…Active and has the ability to run the floor…Some ballhandling is in place…Quick to attack on the catch…Can finish and has a mid-range touch…Agility is impressive for size…Could utilize her physical strength more defensively

Taylor Robinson – 2018 – 5-9 – Guard – Bolingbrook – Attacking guard…Physically strong and quick…Delivers the ball off the drive as rotations come…Jumper is there on the perimeter as well as the pull up…Elevates on the shot…Strong lower body makes her an effective defender

Karli Seay – 2017 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Homewood Flossmoor – Attacks…Quick and assertive with the ball…First step gives her options…Can work in traffic on the break or off the drive…Anticipates defensively

Gabby Smith – 2018 – 5-10 – Guard – Bolingbrook – Plays off the dribble…Good ball skills…Can spot up…Reads defenders efficiently…Leaves you wanting more…Promise is there

Jahari Smith – 2018 – 6-2 – Forward – Bolingbrook – Size…Build…Athleticism…Just coming into her own…Plays with effort…Runs the floor with the guards…Finishes consistently around the rim…Needs to be stronger defensively…Keep watching

Amariah Stanard – 2019 – 6-1 – Forward – Tucker – Lean with length with athleticism…Active with and without the ball…Can create some off the drive…Hesitation is there…Will post at times…Has an awareness…Tools to be a factor many ways defensively

Kamiyah Street – 2017 – 5-5 – Point Guard – Mays – Uncommitted…Dynamic and creative…Can dominate the game at times…Both quick and explosive…Acceleration with the ball is exceptional…Strong shot fake and drive…Speed and quickness offset a lack of size…Crossover…Step back…High arching floater…Active on the defensive end…Takes risks but makes plays…Could be a steal

Nichel Tampa – 2017 – 5-6 – Point Guard – St. Francis – Western Kentucky signee…Small but athletic at the point…Constantly attacking at speed…Pushes the ball…Looking to exploit breakdowns in transition defense…Change of pace and change of direction are mixed in well…Maintains her dribble to re-attack as needed…Strong interior passing…Assertive on ball defensively…Reads the floor from the weakside

Myah Taylor – 2017 – 5-8 – Point Guard – Olive Branch – Mississippi State signee…Strong ball skills allow her to improve both passing and shooting options…Pushes the ball at opportunity…First step is quick…Hesitation move draws defenders out of stance…Kicks it ahead in transition…Set up her passes with both fakes and her eyes…Pull up is there…Lots of effort on defense…Anticipates well in full court defensive scenarios

Kennady Tucker – 2018 – 5-10 – Guard – North Little Rock – Athletic with some size on the perimeter…Looking to create her own off the dribble…Smooth and fluid with the ball…Individual skills are there to get her deep in the paint again and again…Touch is there…Measured in her play at times defensively…Lots of possibilities

Mahogany Vaught – 2018 – 5-7 – Combo – Olive Branch – Wiry build…Penetrator…Shot fake is effective…Can get to the rim or utilize the pull up…Fluid in all of her movement…Weak hand??…Active defender

Jnaya Walker – 2017 – 6-0 – Guard – Bolingbrook – Illinois signee…Size and skills on the perimeter…Develops her looks and can get to the rim…Deceivingly strong with the ball…Fluid with and without…Makes plays when they’re needed…Works on the defensive end…Needs to stay low on the weakside