CORONA, Calif.—While August often sees a slower pace following a busy spring and summer club season and athletes are focused on getting back in the classroom, there are still some opportunities to get in the gym.  With some events,  the focus is to advance your game while others provide an opportunity to get in front of some recruiting services and still others provide a little bit of both.  We made our annual journey to the west coast this past weekend to take in the Elite Girls Basketball Elite 100 that consistently offers up a good look at some promising young talent.  All the major evaluation and media services were in the gym for the two day event held on the campus of Santiago High School in Corona.  Players from six different states and Canada made up the rosters that were broken into two different groups by age.  In all, 164 individuals took part with 150 of athletes representing the 2018 and younger classes.

There was an abundance of prospects beyond what we have space for including both familiar and new faces. An impressive effort came from Taya Hanson of Canada Basketball and Blue Star British Columbia who participated in drills but could not play in games with a cast on her hand. Hats off to a mentality harder and harder to find these days. We’ll divide our look today into two sections starting with the older players followed by those who stood out among the 2021’s and younger.   They’re in no order beyond that so any effort to read anything into the evaluations beyond our observations is simply wishful thinking.

Charisma Osborne – 2019 – Moreno Valley, California – Dynamic established guard…Aggressive with the ball in her hands…Explosive first step…Physically strong…Handles contact…Sees the floor and distributes the ball in transition…Pull up is reliable…Quick on ball defender

Keilanei Cooper – 2017 – Murrieta, California – Fluid, athletic guard…Hesitation and crossover get her past strong on ball defenders…Pull up has elevation…Form is there on her jumper…Always looking to attack…Active on ball defender but could turn it up on the weakside of the floor

Ryann Payne – 2018 – Valencia, California – Dynamic athletic guard…Creates both shots and passes off penetration…Slashes through traffic…Crossover and hesitation both are strong…Can get to the rim or call on an efficient pull up…Leans back on her jumper…Makes plays

Daylee Dunn – 2020 – San Ramon, California – Long and lean with plenty of speed…Has the tools to play with size in the backcourt…Handled it at the point but more suited as a #2 or #3…Crossover is there as well as other ballhandling skills…Sees the floor…Pull up has possibilities…Perimeter shot will need consistency and higher release…Length and mobility serve her well defensively…Physical strength should evolve with age

Kathryn Neff – 2019 – San Marcos, California – Nice size with room to grow on the perimeter…Created both shots and passes off the dribble…Somewhat upright at times but still effective…Made some sharp passes…Played with lots of effort at both ends of the floor…Has the frame to add strength

Xaria Daniels – 2019 – Lake Elsinore, California – Quick and athletic at the point…Pushes the ball but made good decisions at speed…On penetration read the defenders and rotations effectively…First step is quick offensively and defensively

Madison Johnson – 2018 – Irvine, California – Played with an ankle issue…Still offered up a strong effort…Making more and more plays…Can get to the rim and work in traffic…Vertical is surprising…Played with effort despite pain

Megan Solensky – 2019 – Richland, Washington – Lefty…Nice size and build on the wing…Can create her own off the dribble…Strong shot fake…Reads well on the drive…Active with and without the ball

Savannah Henson – 2018 – Lathrop, California – Wiry build…Quick and athletic guard…Uses her speed well both on the break and in the halfcourt…Smart in spotting up off teammates penetration…Sees the floor…Quick hands and feet on the defensive end of the floor

Megan Ormiston – 2018 – Murrieta, California – Nice size and frame…Can play both the #4 and the #5…Works well with and without the ball…Willing to post but had moments in the trail spot and from the high post…Strong cutter for her size…Makes herself an option…Plays with lots of effort…Has plenty of promise

Shallexus Aaron – 2017 – Riverside, California – Size and athleticism…Fluid and active…Can create off the dribble…Good stroke on her shot but low release point…Effective off the drive and with her pull up…Passing is sharp in traffic…Consistency will set her apart from the crowd

Alana Dunphy – 2018 – Eureka, California – Lefty in the post and forward spot…Moves well and is active in making herself an option for teammates…Wingspan allows her to be an imposing target down low…Needs to be stronger after the catch but knows what to do…Gets off the floor well…Can be imposing defensively

Charlotte Levison – 2020 – Atherton, California – Lefty…Strong instinctual play at the #2 and on the wing…Nice size on the perimeter…Can create her own off the dribble…Release is somewhat low but form is there…Not afraid to mix things up and handle contact off penetration…Scraps at both ends and makes plays…Lots of tools

Jasmine Singleton – 2020 – Avondale, Arizona – Guard with plenty of speed and quickness…Ability is there to get into the paint off the drive…handles contact well for size…Plays smart…Change of speed serves her well…Could be a strong on ball defender

Racheal Duru – 2018 – Los Angeles, California – Good size and athletic build…Has both agility and strength…Showed the ability to slash some from a small forward spot…Form is there on the shot…Vertical makes her a presence on the glass…Smooth and fluid in her movement on both ends

Talia Taufaasau – 2018 – Canyon county, California –  Left handed guard…Smart and instinctual player…Ball handling allows her to create her own looks as well as improve those of teammates…Serves it up well off the drive…Has her own step back with range…Nice touch from the perimeter…Assertive defensively

Porsche Nwokeuku – 2018 – Costa de Caza, California – Nice athlete…Some size…Physically strong…Has a floater…Some ballhandling…Defends…Moments

Vanessa De Jesus – 2018 – Valencia, California – Smart guard with strong instincts and IQ…Reads the floor and makes plays…Change of speed and direction keeps defenders guessing…Hard for opponents to read…Can knock down the open jumper…Makes plays impressively

Myrrah Arieta Joseph – 2018 – Carson, California – Physically strong…Deceiving first step…Can take it to the rim and handle traffic…Mixes it up and not afraid to play with contact…Gets on the glass

Jennah Isai – 2021 – Surprise, Arizona – Nice size and solid build…Aggressive with and without the ball…Can put it on the floor and get to the rim…Penetrates…Makes plays…Passes well from the high post…Lots of effort…Productive at both ends

Macie James – 2022 – Fresno, California – Good size with athleticism…First step is quick and lengthy…Individual skills allow her to create…Crossover is there…Can be a factor in halfcourt and transition…Effective on the boards…Elevates at both ends

Taylor Bigby – 2021 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Lots of length with an athletic build…Long strides leads to difficult first step to defend…Has some ballhandling that will get her to the rim…Fluidity makes speed deceiving…Length and footspeed gives her the potential to be an impact defender…Major potential

Chloe Briggs – 2022 – Chino, California – Lefty…Ballhandling is sound…Pushes it…Has both change of speed and direction…Looks to improve her options as well as teammates…Understands the game

Amira Brown – 2021 – Berkeley, California – Athletic and fluid…Should grow…Shot is out front but pull up works for her…Can spot up…Quick release…Has vision…Makes plays…Has awareness on the defensive end

Jayda Curry – 2021 – Corona, California – Ballhandling and passing…Speed with the ball in her hands…Stepback works for her…Penetrate and pitch…Has the form on her shot…Touch is there

Anaya James – 2021 – Inglewood, California – Wiry guard with some length…One on one skills are there…Creates off the crossover move…Slithers in traffic…Spots up with a promising touch

Jessalyn Finney – 2021 – Scottsdale, Arizona – Size and skills on the perimeter…Plays with instincts…Ballhandling and passing are there…Has a floater off the drive…Sets up defender for the stepback…Sees the floor…Active without the ball…Assertive defender

Sydni Summers – 2023 – Corona, California – Very young but promising point guard…Athletic and quick…Ballhandling and passing are sharp for age…Floater is there off the drive…Stepback creates plenty of separation…Speed is there with the ball…Active on ball defender

Alaya Fitzgerald – 2021 – Gilbert, Arizona – Has some length…Ballhandling is sound…Attacks…Active with and without the ball…Can create her shot

Kam’Rem Rhodes – 2022 – Tucson, Arizona – First step is there…Athletic…Change of speed gets her to the rim…Can put it on the floor…Defends

Mia Yamamoto – 2021 – Temple City, California – Active cutter…Ball skills are there…Hesitation move…Can create off the dribble… Nice form but narrow base…Vision and passing

Michaela Young – 2022 – Hanford, California – First step…Accelerates with the ball…Change of speed and direction…Sees the floor…Creates shots and passes