HAMPTON, VA/KINGSPORT, TN – The Blue Star Media tour of the middle school-aged AAU National Championships continued as the calendar turned over into July.

Earlier we covered the 5^th Grade AAU Nationals in metropolitan Cincinnati.  This time around we stopped in the mountains of East Tennessee where the 7^th graders (heading into the 8^th grade next year) convened for some business on the basketball floor. A little more than a week later, as the older kids wrapped up part one of their July Evaluation Period, it was the 6^th graders, soon to be taking those aforementioned empty seats a grade level up, who suited up and went at it in the familiar stomping grounds of the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, Va.

Both events offered more than their share of good prospects who are already enjoying success well beyond their years. National Champions were crowned, and lifelong memories were made. Here are some of the stand out performers from each event.

AAU 7^th Grade National Championships

Aaliyah Carlock – 2022 – 5-9 – Guard/Forward – Vogues National 2022 — Lefty driver on the wing…Showed a pull up jumper but not the smoothest shot yet…Tough on the drive…Can finish with right hand too…Right handed in everything outside of basketball, but shoots a lefty jumper

Alli Carlson – 2022 – 5-5 – Point Guard – Michigan Basketball Academy — IQ and approach is strong…Patient decision maker…Flash and creativity as a passer and finisher…Knows how to create space with the jab…Vocal floor general

Allyson Fleenor – 2022 – 6-0 – Forward – Pulaski County Wolves — Puts it on the floor well for her size…Drives and finishes with a soft touch inside and on the floater…Demonstrated a nice spin back turnaround jumper…Potential to be a nice face up four…Advanced offensive game at this point

Michayla Gatewood – 2022 – 5-5 – Point Guard – NTX Lady Tar Heels Elite — Fast with the ball from the point and off the drive…Vocal on the play calls…Impressive body type and physical with the ball…Speed to spare…At times got to the basket at will

Brooke Hickman – 2022 – 6-1 – Forward – DG Warriors — Fast for her size…Really competes especially defensively…Can get good position and go to work inside…Presence in the paint on both sides of the ball…Soft touch on the finish…Next step is to continue to develop handles and feet

Abbey Kimball – 2022 – 5-7 – Point Guard/Guard – Michigan Basketball Academy — Long scorer at the guard spot…Fast push in transition…Handles are legit…Gets to basket and knocks down the deep jumper…Has some springs to rebound her own miss and go again…Keeps her head up and delivers the passes on point

Kammie Ludwig – 2022 – 5-9 – Guard/Forward – Heart of Illinois — Does a nice job getting position in high post…Likes to drive…Can stop and pop the mid range jumper…Gets up to board and has some serious hang time to finish…Plays with great energy…Runs the floor well…Takes charges

Shaniah Nunn – 2022 – 5-11 – Guard/Forward – AL Southern Starz — Athletic driver…Effective ball handler…Good passer moving the ball through a zone…Has some sudden acceleration with the ball…Gets up…Loads of potential

Cotie McMahon – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard/Forward—Dayton Lady Hoopstars — Can work inside, on the wing, and even bring the ball up…Good motor to go with some explosiveness…Big hands…Hustles to loose balls…Ran her own lay up drill on opponents at times

Jiya Perry – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard/Forward – NTX Lady Tar Heels Elite — Bouncy, athletic wing…Great size…Three point range…Good finisher inside…Can get up and pressure the ball…Smooth game…More in the tank to discover

Mila Reynolds – 2022 – 6-2 – Forward – Illinois X-Citement — Really turning the corner in some areas…Playing more aggressive on the offensive end…Foot speed at her age is an elite tool…Faces up to drive from the high post…Rim runs well…Showing growth as a player

London Salbeg-Thornton – 2022 – Post – North Tartan — Active face up post…Makes herself a big target inside…Gets good position…Nice left hand finish over the shoulder…Moves well without the ball

Jennifer Sullivan – 2022 – 5-6 – Guard – TN Lady Ballerz — Has some wheels…Steady handles in transition…Finishes up through the contact…Hits the three ball…Gets excited when her team makes a big play…Rebounds well for a guard…Playmaker

Journey Thompson – 2022 – 6-0 – Forward – WPA Bruins — Young forward finding success in several phases of the game…Works to get around in the post…Nice first step in the face up game…Handles the basketball…Boxes out and rebounds at a high rate

AAU 6^th Grade National Championships

Ashley Chea – 2023 – 5-5 – Point Guard – SGV 6 Blue — Vocal young floor general…Big time handles and a great burst on the attack…Finishes equally well with either hand…Some flash to her passing game…Sees the floor well…Pull up is good…Speed shooting the gap all day on defense

Chloe Clardy – 2023 – 5-9 – Guard/Forward – AR Dazzlers 2023 — Long and strong…Handles the ball like an older player…Uses length to challenge and intercept passes…Can shoot the three off the bounce…Still putting it all together but one to watch

Taylor Curry – 2023 – 5-7 – Guard/Forward – Illinois X-Citement — Agile driver with good size…Looks to attack from high post and short corner…Does a nice job finding a way through traffic in thepaint…Consistently grabbed the rebound and pushed the ball herself

Nevaeh Farmer – 2023 – 5-2 – Point Guard – NC Lady Ballers — Quick young PG…Some stand out ball handling…Nice change of pace and direction with the ball…Has a pull up jumper…Getting to the basket at a high rate…Finishing through some contact

Victoria Flores – 2023 – 5-8 – Point Guard/Guard – DFW Future 2023 Blue — High effort player on both sides of the ball…Good size combined with nice handles makes her a problem in transition…Soft touch on the floater as well as the mid range jumper…Scorer…Plenty of potential

Keylee Harrison – 2023 – 6-1 – Forward – Peninsula Primetime — Tough rebounder and pivots into the outlet pass…Can catch and finish…Fought for position inside defensively…Physically gifted…Above average feet…Got to foul line often throughout the event

Campbell Jewell – 2023 – 5-0 – Point Guard – Dayton Lady Hoopstars — Has a great understanding and anticipation…Type of player other teams are already trying to deny full court…Sees floor well…Leadership of a floor general…Clutch play down stretch of close games

Heaven Limon – 2023 – 5-7 – Guard – Lubbock Nitro — Blue collar young player…Does a little bit of everything…Stronger build for a guard…Knows how to use size to her advantage…Good court vision…Substance over style…Can hit the three…Plays the point spot as well…Defends and rebounds

Margo Mattes – 2023 – 5-6 – Guard – Cincy Pride — Lanky, skilled guard…Speedy and decisive with and without the ball…Slashes into the lane and finishes off two…Very fluid player, especially in transition

Kelly Mora – 2023 – 6-2 – Post – Lubbock Nitro — Big young post…Protects the paint getting a piece of a lot of shot attempts…Keeps it high and finishes….Goes up and gets the lob to score…Really nice up and under move

Lily Middlebrooks – 2023 – 5-10 – Forward – AL Southern Starz 2023 — Playing in the post at this point…Has a great understanding of how to play her position…Really sits down and fights for position inside…Can score and defend inside

Jailah Pelly – 2023 – 5-7 – Guard – St. Louis Eagles — Speedy and explosive with the ball in transition…Really wants to get out and push the ball…Athletic tools are high end…Has an aggressive approach…Still needs to develop a jump shot…Can play some PG but more of a wing guard right now

Crislynn Rose – 2023 – 5-7 – Guard/Forward – DC Queens 2023 Orange — Fast up and down the court…Moves with authority and explosion…Arsenal of handles make her hard to stop in transition…Going to get to the basket and scoring often

Ashlynn Shade – 2023 – 5-6 – Point Guard/Guard – Sky Digg Stewart — Skilled playmaker…Scores at all levels consistently…Pull up three is falling…Has an offensive arsenal that stands out

Tristen Taylor – 2023 – 5-1 – Point Guard – DC Queens 2023 Orange — Small in stature but had strong efforts throughout…Can make the team go from the point guard spot…Hard to contain…Scores often at all levels…Lightning quick with great body and ball control…Floater and step back jumper are money…Looks defenders off and finishes