WILMINGTON, Del. – The Diamond State Classic has been a staple of girls basketball tradition in the state of Delaware for 26 years and the 2016 edition did nothing to tarnish that legacy. The tournament’s foundation is a big contributor to the Delaware Special Olympics awarding over one million dollars in scholarships and grants throughout the years earning it a special spot in the heart of the community.

Teams from the near Atlantic Coast joined programs from the West Coast in having the opportunity to compete in front of a packed house.   For full results and information on this year’s event, follow the link below to the Diamond State website.

http://diamondstateclassic.org/2016recap.html

Blue Star Media was in the building for the opening day of the event, and we were treated to some fantastic basketball action. Some of the region’s best players young and old did their thing, and even got to compete against two very good visiting teams from California in Redondo Union and Ventura. Here are some of the names to know who ended the 2016 part of their schedule with a gem of a performance.

Colorado signee Aubrey Knight has to do a lot of the inside work at the forward spot for Ventura, despite being known more for her skills on the wing. A blue collar player, Knight played just as hard on the interior and filled the role nicely. She’s a deceptive athlete who can get up and pull some rebounds. Her movement without the ball helped her to get some buckets inside, and the lefty can finish with either hand.

Guard play was the name of the game for Ursuline Academy on this day. A 2019 point guard prospect, Alisha Lewis teams in the backcourt with junior combo guard Maggie Connolly to make quite the tag team. Connolly played an aggressive second half against Redondo Union, driving her way to 22 points in the win. Lewis has a nice crossover to go along with a good pull up jumper and three point range.  That shot combines with good size and poise for a young point guard.

Mikayla Markham put on a point guard tutorial for St. Rose in their victory over Cumberland Valley on opening day. Only a junior and already committed to Columbia, Markham plays with poise, toughness, and great pace on both sides of the ball. A complete point guard who can defend, she knows when to pass and when to score it herself.  Markham is a flat out playmaker and very vocal. She can capably fill the stat sheet in all categories.

Julie McCarron and Alanna Speaks are versatile players who made some good things happen for host St. Elizabeth. Speaks is the veteran here, and the 5’10 senior forward has the ability to handle it and drive to the cup, but also can shoot the three. McCarron is only a freshman but at 5’10 on the wing with and a good foundation of perimeter skills, she could become an impact player for the Vikings in years to come.

Roland Park continues to get a lot of production out of promising freshmen Mir McLean and Rain Green. You won’t find too many ninth graders who get up and rebound as well as the 5’10 elite athlete McLean, or with more pure speed and quickness than Green. McLean posted 11 points and 12 rebounds against St. Elizabeth, as well as providing one monster block that got the crowd going. Green’s quickness leads to steals resulting in impressive moments in transition.  The already established prospect also hit from deep this time out keeping defenders honest and extended in their closeouts.

Redondo Union made the trip from California and showcased an impressive young guard duo in freshmen Alyssa Munn and Anna Johnson. Munn is only 5’4 right now, but she makes some big plays. Her handles are sharp and she likes to penetrate at opportunity. For a 2020 prospect, she uses her crossover well and can be a creative finisher. Standing at 5’9, Johnson is an active, long combo guard with a good flow to her game. She’s very smooth and with the addition of a consistent three point threat is going to be a serious problem for defenses out west.

Monsignor Scanlan has two talented and already established freshmen in guard Kateri Poole and forward Kayla Morris. Poole is a stocky, taller off guard with some smooth handles and a jumper to match it. She can really get to the hoop with her combination of size and ball skills. If she develops that next explosive, quick burst gear, look out. Morris showed off great athletic tools to go with her 6’2 frame and long arms. As noted in the past, she can handle the ball to a degree to get herself out of trouble, or even attack the basket from the top of the key. Expect to hear much more about both in the future.