Louisville, KY – We wrap up our coverage of the first half of the July recruiting cycle with a recap of our annual trip Kentucky for the Run For the Roses and Battle in the Boro.  The Kentucky Expo Center once more hosted the massive back to back undertaking hosting a multitude of teams for both events from across the country as well half of the Nike EYBL during the Roses prior to their moving on to Chicago for last week’s finals.  As always we saw plenty of talented prospects both young and old as well as established and under the radar. Below you’ll find some of the performances that caught our eye during either of the two events

RUN 4 THE ROSES

Lauren Betts – 2022 – 6-7 – Post – Colorado Premier 17 EYBL – Pro frame already…Shoots the 15ft jumper forcing closeouts…Strong, zippy passes…Flashed hard versus the press to provide reversal…Soft hands…Goes up and cuffs the ball

Kaitlyn Chen – 2020 – 5-9 – Point Guard – Cal Storm Team Taurasi 17 EYBL – Floor general and leader at the point…Smart player…Making the heads up plays on both sides of the ball…Deceptive vertical…Can score at all three levels

Melannie Daley – 2021 – 5-10 – Point Guard – Empire State Basketball Club 2021 Nick – Has some glide with the ball…Will break some ankles…Cuts hard without the ball…Likes the pull up and runners in the mid-range…Keeps her eyes up and head moving in the open court…Finds open teammates

Brooke Demetre – 2021 – 6-3 – Guard – Cal Stars NIKE 17 EYBL – Tools to play at the highest level…Threat to knock down three’s…Willing rebounder…Natural scorer off the catch or off the bounce…Posts up smaller opponents…Does what it takes to win

Jamaih Gregory – 2023 – 5-10 – Guard/Forward – Team Nard Celtics Henderson – Strong rebounder with leaping ability…Hangs with elite competition utilizing her athleticism…Can go coast to coast…Right hand drive is the preferred method…Potential is boundless

Aziaha James – 2021 – 5-11 – Guard – Boo Williams 17 EYBL – Goes through the legs into a nice step back three…Beautiful lefty stroke…Doesn’t stop moving on the court…Active with and without the ball…Some size on the perimeter

Raven Johnson – 2021 – 5-9 – Point Guard – FBC United Hunt UAA – Distributes the ball…Covers lots of ground with speed and quickness…Has continued to physically mature and grow her game…Stop and pop three ball is effective…Knows how to run a team

Sahara Jones – 2020 – 6-1 – Guard/Forward – ProSkills 17 EYBL – High end athlete…Nice length…Will post some…At her best when she’s slashing to the rim…Draws contact often…Hustles after loose balls…Offensive rebounding is a strength…Still room to grow her jump shot

Reniya Kelly – 2023 – 5-5 – Point Guard – FBC United The Family 2023 – Productive with her mix of buckets and assists…Plays with fire and emotion…Can finish with contact …Understands spacing well

Abbey Kimball – 2022 – 5-10 – Point Guard – MBA National Brown – Changes direction on a dime…Has some explosion to her…Can handle and make lay ups with both hands…Utilizes pass fakes…Burners off the bounce

Darianna Littlepage-Buggs – 2022 – 6-0 – Guard/Forward – Mavs THSS Elite 2022 – Will face up inside to attack…Can also drive it from out on the wing…Easy take off on the hops…Coast to coast with speed…Rebounds her own misses and goes up again and again…Range out to the arc

Sara Puckett – 2021 – 6-2 – Forward – Alabama Southern Starz 2021 Looney – Pick and pop…Scrappy competitor…No issue getting physical at times…Can hit big shots in close games…Plenty of clutch to her

Sania Richardson – 2025 – 5-3 – Point Guard – BTR Oklahoma 2024 – High level gears for a young point guard…Pounds the ball…Hard to contain with array of handles…Will take the three off the bounce…Speedy on defense…Will surprise with her physical style of play

Destiny Salary – 2020 – 6-0 – Guard – Woodz Elite – Long and strong out on the wing…Physicality with the basketball…Quick and decisive…Shoots the three ball well on the move…No wasted dribbles…Goes somewhere or gets it to a teammate to get the offense moving

Zoesha Smith – 2020 – 6-1 – Forward – FBC Coastal Empire Queens – Impressive raw athleticism…Late bloomer but only getting better…Wing forward…Stretches the range to the arc…Will post smaller players to score inside…Powers up again and again without issue

Yonta Vaughn – 2022 – 5-7 – Point Guard – Team Takeover 16 EYBL – Strong, fast, and physical at the point…Can dictate to defenders…Lowers her shoulder to turn the corner…Nice job running the offense

Destinee Wells – 2020 – 5-7 – Point Guard – Alabama Southern Starz 2020 NIKE Bush – Good passing on display…Knows how to get the ball to post players…Will get to the rack one-on-one…Sees things developing on the move…Delivers a variety of assists

Amauri Williams – 2022 – 6-3 – Post – TN Flight Silver 17 EYBL – Big post with a noticeable mean streak that coaches seek out…Conditioning is fine for her build…Runs and jumps adequately…Takes up plenty of space inside…Even playing up you can tell she wants to make her presence known on both sides of the ball 

BATTLE IN THE BORO

Tabitha Amanze – 2022 – 6-4 – Forward – NJ Demons East – Can seal and back down to finish inside…Has a great hands…Can contain guards off the bounce…Plenty of intent as she rips and drives from the outside…All you want and more physically

Maryn Archer – 2023 – 5-7 – Point Guard – OHLDE Elite Pink 2022 – Highly regarded already…Among the best young point guards…High energy…Constantly engaged…Can score as needed…Nice job finding open teammates…Quarterback for team

Ayana Boyd – 2023 – 5-5 – Point Guard – FBC Bouncenation Jeremy – Lowers the shoulder and powers through contact…Turns the corner to finish…Lefty…Knocked down the contested three…Toughness is there…Future looks bright

Kiandra Browne – 2021 – 6-2 – Forward – A Game TDOT – Nice, wide base…Puts it to use posting up…Works for good position…Has the footwork and move set…Bodies up and plays physical

Bailey Butler – 2021 – 5-8 – Point Guard – Wisconsin Academy – Tough…Absorbs contact…Gets to the rim…Uses a menagerie of finishes…Likes the right hand hesitation into an attack…Will dish it off when drawing help…Good against physical defenders in traffic

Jaida Cameron – 2024 – 5-5 – Point Guard – FBC Bouncenation 2024 – Lefty…Gets to the rim…Handles are second nature…Step back into the jump shot is coming…Can go either way and finish…Three point threat

Kathryn Clarke – 2022 – 6-0 – Guard – Indy Magic Andrus 17 – Big time shooter…Plenty of attention from defenders…Size and build to play the wing at the highest level…Utilizes the jab…Handles appropriately for a two guard

Nickyia Daniel – 2024 – 5-9 – Guard/Forward – Essence Xtreme 2024 – Can get up and snag passes…Finishes inside…Wide receiver hands…Aggressiveness is there…Scored in the mid-range and in the paint…Room to grow as a shooter…Challenges opponents with defense

Jalisa Dunlap – 2021 – 5-10 – Guard – Team Nard Celtics Gold – Major athletic upside…Gets by people consistently…Still must honor the three point threat…Gets into triple threat on the catch…Uses the shot fake and jab step to create driving lanes…On ball defense is effective

Xaviera Dyer – 2022 – 5-11 – Forward – Team Nard Celtics Black – Athletic and versatile…Plenty of rebounds and steals…Ball magnet…Can flash and hit the short jumper…Big hands…Doesn’t need an outlet…Can take off on her own…Dynamic

Kayla Green – 2020 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Mac Irvin Fire 17U Godfather – Texas A&M commit…Weaves through traffic…Speedy ball handler…Forceful attacking her way with contact and physical defense…Winner’s mentality

Rachel Griffin – 2024 – 6-2 – Forward – Team Thad Walker – Built to play this game…Keeps long arms up on defense to challenge shots…Nice hands…Goes up to get the ball…Developing handles…Posting up a bit…Not imposing her will yet

Skylar Jones – 2023 – 5-10 – Guard/Forward – Mac Irvin Fire 14U Thompson – Leaping ability…Well-advised jump passes…Plenty of natural gifts…Handles very well in tight spaces…Left-handed…Room to grow the jump shot

Katie Krupa – 2022 – 6-2 – Forward – Heart of Illinois 2022 – Plenty of perimeter…Sstrong forward…Likes to put it on the deck and go somewhere…Can not only score, contributes in multiple ways…Delivers assists on the move…Distributes to players who are in position to score

Zoe Miller – 2021 – 6-1 – Forward – Team Huddle Cousy – Bowling Green commit…Size is there…Three point shot will stretch defenses…Drives it at times…Scores off some post ups in the paint…IQ and effort are there

Elleni Papahronis – 2023 – 5-10 – Guard – OK Swish Blue – Attacks off the bounce…Wide array of finishing capabilities…Also contributes lay ups in transition…Three ball will fall…Can post smaller kids

Lanae Riley – 2022 – 6-1 – Forward – SMAC Elite 2022 – Posts up…Will also shoot the trail three…Can seal up the line, catch, and finish…Uses the lower body well…Can be an animal at times

Whitney Sollom – 2020 – 6-4 – Forward – Michigan Mystics Dream Team – Elite footwork for size…Ultra-competitive player…Gets good position for offensive rebounds…Moves people to get the boards…Impact player…All the ingredients

Kaylah Turner – 2023 – 5-5 – Guard – MHD Elite Huskies – Flies through the air…Good body control…Change of pace with the ball…Comes up with steals…Physicality to her finishing…Has some springs…Sets herself up to feed the post…Defensive playmaker…Waiting on the jumper to evolve

Sacha Washington – 2021 – 6-1 – Forward – FBC Hoopstars Brown – Physical forward…Runs well…Works on defense…Has some face up and back-to-basket moves at her disposal…Good feet…Can power through contact to finish…Nice jumper in the lane on the move

Madeline Westbeld – 2020 – 6-2 – Forward – Sports City U – Versatile highly regarded forward…Premium offensive skills…Footwork and scoring ability in the paint…Shooting and ball handling on the perimeter creates mismatches…Moves her feet well…Contains guards in the open court some…Uses her body well