SOUTHLAKE, Texas– While the “Big Dogs” were in Dallas deciding the NCAA 2017 Women’s Basketball Championship, the second annual Elite Girls Basketball National Middle School All American games were helping set the stage for the next generation’s A’ja Wilson or Victoria Vivians.  An ultra-successful inaugural event in conjunction with last year’s Final Four in Indianapolis set the bar high for this year’s go-round and the 190 invited participants who made their way to Texas last weekend.

Southlake Carroll High School served as host for three separate sessions with Sunday’s action being streamed live and Blue Star’s Blake DuDonis and Travis Ponton providing their take on the talent in the gym.  This year’s list of invitees featured athletes from 33 different states, the District of Columbia, Canada and Mexico.  This year’s itinerary featured 3 on 3 competition Saturday and full court games Sunday in front of virtually every major recruiting and media service on the girls’ basketball landscape.

While earning an invitation is a compliment and acknowledgement of potential, hopefully those players on hand understand that it was in no way any type of accomplishment to be celebrated.  In reality, taking part in this event should be viewed as a tremendous opportunity that comes with a monumental challenge.  The chance to take the court with some of the most promising prospects from around the country allows a young athlete to get real time, on floor feedback not filtered by coaches, parents and teammates.  The genuine “elite” player will go home motivated and looking to take their game to another level.  They’ll raise their own expectations of themselves in their workouts and games across the coming spring and summer club season.  This weekend’s event can’t be considered a success for the participants unless utilized to advance their skill sets and show those evaluators on hand even more possibilities the next time they see them in action.

Without a doubt there’s lots of promise and talent on the horizon of our game.  Here are some of the athletes facing the challenge and expectations that come with being part of that “next” generation.  While we would like to have included more our time and our space, as always, is limited.  Because of their age we’re just going with the quickhitter format and we’re not listing heights and sometimes position because of the likelihood of changes as time goes by.

Alexis Babineaux – 2021 – Houston, Texas – Strong…Solid…Interior game…Jump hook is there…High Post drive…Rebounds

Kayla Beckford – 2022 – Paterson, N.J. – Stocky guard…Has range…Can develop her own looks…Good ball skills

Taylor Bigby – 2021 – Las Vegas, Nev. – Lean and athletic…Good length…Agile…Upright at times…Sees the floor…Moments

KK Bransford – 2022 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Dynamic point guard…Added physical size…Change of speed is even better…Penetrates…Creates passes and shots

Saniah Caldwell – 2022 – Franklin Lakes, N.J. – Quick guard…Good handles…Can knock down the open jumper

Taylor Charles – 2022 – Oswego, Ill. – Has length, size and build…Fluid with and without the ball…Ballskills…Gets on the glass

Kendall Coley – 2021 – Minneapolis, Minn. – Lots of length…Very lean at this point…Runs the floor…Some ballskills for size…Watch

Taylor Curry – 2023 – Aurora, Ill. – Attacks…Ballhandling and passing…Individual skills…Touch is there…Floater

Dominique Darius – 2021 – New Rochelle, N.Y. – Athletic guard…Can create her own…Change of direction…Gets to rim

Caroline Ducharme – 2021 – Milton, Mass. – Creating her own…Slashes through traffic…Step back is challenging…Active with and without the ball

Lashae Dwyer – 2021 – Toronto, Ontario – Point guard…Speed is there…Pushes the ball…has some strength for size…Defends

Chantae Embry – 2021 – Prague, Okla. – Low post game…Has power elements…Aggressive and physical…Tools are there

O’Mariah Gordon – 2021 – Sarasota. Fla. – Small but dynamic point…Change of speed and direction…Penetrates at will…Elevates in traffic for size…Makes plays

Aaliyah Henderson – 2023 – Norman, Okla. – Solid, athletic guard…Attacking lefthander…Athletic…Pushes the ball

Kyndall Hunter – 2021 – Houston, Texas – Fluid and athletic guard…Speed with the ball…Can create both shots and passes off the dribble…Stroke is there…Range beyond the arch

Jordaynia Ivie – 2021 – St. Louis, Mo. – Active both ends of the floor…Attacks off the dribble…Give and go…Makes plays…Hesitation…Narrow base on shot…Aggressive on ball defender

Camille Jackson – 2022 – Chicago, Ill. – Talented and ultra-athletic guard…Explosive off the drive…Fluid in her attack…Change of speed and direction are sharp…Utilizes her strength on both ends…Elite potential

Aziaha James – 2021 – Virginia Beach, Va. – Wiry, athletic guard…Crossover is sharp…Floater is effective…Passing skills…Quick hands on defense

Raven Johnson – 2021 – Atlanta, Ga. – Quick guard…Creates off the dribble…Attacks…Pull up is there…Anticipates on defense

London Jones – 2022 – Riverside, Calif. – Lefty guard…Quick with lots of speed…Creates shots and passes…Pushes it from make, miss and turnover…Aggressive on ball…Major upside

Greta Kampschroeder – 2021 – Naperville, Ill. – Textbook wing…Size and build…Has stroke and range…Can work off the dribble…Has strength for age

Ava Learn – 2021 – Hyde park, N.Y. – Forward…Some size for age…Good strength…Some ballhandling…Pull up is there…Has moments

Zaria Lewis – 2023 – Staten Island, N.Y. – Strong, aggressive…Text ballskills…Lots of effort on both ends…Will play physical

Shae Littleford – 2021 – Charleston, Ill. – Attacking guard…Gets to the rim…Athletic defender…Quick feet on ball defensively

Viviana Lopez – 2021 – El Paso, Texas – Attacking guard…Plays with effort and energy…Gets to the rim…Aggressive defensively on and off the ball

Nahmiah Martin – 2022 – Toronto, Ontario – Athletic…Wing…Ballhandling and passing are coming…First step is sharp…Reads on the catch…Can make plays

Modesti McConnell – 2022 – Edmond, Okla. – Athletic guard…Pushes it…Ballskills are there…Deep range…Defends

Cammie McKinney – 2022 – Carrollton, Texas – Lefty point…Speed with the ball…Mixes up pace and direction…Pushes it at opportunity

Mary McMorris – 2022 – Las Vegas, Nev. – Smooth, fluid and athletic guard…Creates both in transition and halfcourt…Sets up passing…Stepback is there…Watch closely

Macy Mercer – 2023 – Bedford, Texas – Advance understanding for her age…Creates and improves options off penetration…Hesitation…Penetrate and pitch

Aailyah Moore – 2021 – Moore, Okla. – Length with athleticism…Gets out in transition…Vertical is there…Can create off the dribble…Effective around the rim…Stroke is there

Shaniyah Nunn – 2022 – Birmingham, Ala. – Athletic…Inside/Out possibilities…High post drive…Decent form

Courtney Ogden – 2023 – Atlanta, Ga. – Athletic with length…Active…Ballhandling is there…Hesitation…Pull up…Stroke and range as well

Skye Owen – 2022 – Staten Island, N.Y. – Guard with skills…Crossover…In and out…Lots of speed in transition…Makes plays off penetration…Quick defensively

Alyssa Parmer – 2021 – Oklahoma City, Okla. – Attacking guard…Strong ball skills…Individual attack is there…Elevates…Lots of hustle both ends

Khylee Pepe – 2021 – Carson, Calif. – Strong…Power game for age…High post drive…Physically strong with the ball…Gets on the glass…Plays with lots of effort

Jiya Perry – 2022 – Dallas, Texas – Solid…Strong…Has skills…Can create off the dribble…Stutter step with the ball…Makes things happen

Laila Phelia – 2021 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Wiry guard…Attacking mentality…Makes herself a factor…Deceiving speed and quickness…Lots of possibilities

Sara Puckett – 2021 – Muscle Shoals, Ala. – Has size and length…Skills are there…Ballhandling and passing are effective…Sees the floor…Creates options for her and teammates

Ja’Naiya Quinerly – 2021 – Norfolk, Va. – Attacking point guard…Effective off the drive…Stepback is there…Hesitation is effective…Defends

Kylee Sheppard – 2021 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Strong, aggressive guard…Ballskills are there…Has some length…Scraps on both ends…Has moments

Mjracle Sheppard – 2023 – Bellevue, Wash. – Attacking guard…Lots of speed…Crossover is effective…Can finish with contact…Impact in transition and halfcourt

Karoline Striplin – 2021 – Hartford, Ala. – Size and frame…Good strength…Works…Efficient down low…Gets on the boards…Lots of effort

Kayla Thomas – 2021 – Beltsville, Md. – Size and frame…Strong posting down low…Gets on the boards…Needs to read more on the catch…Has tools

Lisa Thompson – 2023 – Shorewood, Ill. – Ballhandler…Creates 1 on 1…Made some plays in transition and halfcourt

Ally Van Timmeren – 2021 – Allendale, Minn. – Interior presence…Good strength…Will post and repost…Strong on offensive boards…Some ballhandling

Caileigh Walsh – 2021 – Sparta, N.J. – Size and frame…Active…Makes herself an option…Jump hook is there…Deceiving first step…Boards…Lots of promise

Ashlyn Watkins – 2022 – Columbia, S.C. – Size and strength…Hands…Skills are developing…Gets on the glass…Lots of possibilities

Leeaira Willis – 2022 – Chandler, Ariz. – Athletic at the point…Pushes the ball…Has speed with and without…Attacking mentality…Defends

Sanaii Wilson – 2021 – Rochester, N.Y. – Size and athleticism…Gets out on the break…Solid build and strength…Ability is there off the drive…Willing to mix it up