KINGS ISLAND, OH – The early weeks of summer is always prime time for the younger age groups to convene for the Amateur Athletic Union’s National Championships. This year, suburban Cincinnati played host to the 6thGrade age group, and Blue Star Media was on hand to take in three days of the action earlier this month.
Congratulations to the Arkansas Mavericks (Division I), Indiana Elite (Division II), and Seminole Dream (Division III) for bringing home the hardware in their respective divisions. We saw plenty of big match-ups and games that went down to the wire, especially in the Elite 8 round.
For full results, head over to the AAU’s website, using the link below:
https://scheduler.tournamentconnect.stacksports.com/schedules/353/divisions
While there was plenty of exciting young talent in the building, here are a handful of players who caught our eye in the Buckeye State.
Brooke Adkins – 2025 – 5-7 – Point Guard – WV Thunder Blue – Got to the basket…Not afraid of physicality…Good at drawing contact…First kid on the floor for loose balls…Still has some growing to do
Makenna Beaty – 2025 – 5-1 – Point Guard – TN Rush – Floor general for team…Sees the floor well…Plays with poise…Not afraid to mix it up…Will battle with bigger players…Shoots the three with obvious confidence
Madison Benard – 2025 – 5-6 – Guard – MWA Elite 2025 – Has been taught to use her length to her advantage defensively…Created problems at the top of the press…Can handle in the open court to attack basket…Finishes in in traffic…Mid-range is solid so far…Will surprise you with her handles and passing…Potential down the line
Zakara Cooper – 2025 – 5-5 – Point Guard – NCYS Lady Elite – Physical strength shows in her game…Good handles on display…Nice behind the back wrap into the floater…Quick trigger on the three off the catch…Stop and pop…Speedy defender…Gets on the boards
Hope Edwards – 2025 – 5-0 – Point Guard – Nike Cy Fair Elite 2025 – Handled the ball well against full court pressure…Leans into opponents to initiate contact…Refuses to get pushed around…Gets to the rim…Can hit in pressure situations including from deep…Defensively will ride opposing guards all the way up the floor…Denys them the corner
Kemariah Gerton – 2025 – 5-5 – Point Guard – All Ohio Reese – Showed legitimate speed with the ball in her hands…Quick first step off the rip and drive…Developing a mid range game as well…Hard to contain
Ella Giles – 2025 – 5-6 – Point Guard – D-1 Greyhounds – Athletic tools…Looks the part…Slices through defenders in the open court…Gets to the hoop…Pulled up for three…Has the ability to take over games…Doesn’t realize it yet
Jaden Hunt – 2025 – 5-8 – Forward – Maryland Belles Browning – Big, strong, athletic…Powers up off two feet to rebound or put the ball in the basket…Gets up and down the floor…Will get out and hedge a ball screen already
Destiny Jackson – 2025 – 5-1 – Point Guard – IL X-Citement – Plays with confidence…Speedy and jumps well at this point…Can get a big bucket either by way of the three or runner in the lane…Still needs to learn when to shoot and when to pull it out or pass it
Jaylah Lampley – 2025 – 5-10 – Guard/Forward – All Ohio Blaze Onyx – Long, wiry frame out on the wing…Decent hops coming in to rebound…Hits some threes…Shot looks good…Getting stronger and comfortable in her body…Runs floor in transition
Keziah Lofton – 2025 – 5-10 – Guard – Arkansas Mavericks 2025 – Impressive lanky lefty athlete…Can rebound and push it on her own…Nice ball and body control…Zips the ball around with one hand…Can play the one through four spots right now
Kendall McGee – 2025 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Minnesota Stars – Flashes higher gears with the ball…Breaks defenders down off the dribble…Thinks a play ahead…Quick passes keep the offense flowing…Jump shot needs some work but can hit the three some
Alyssa Murphy – 2025 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Southern Indiana Lightning – Glide to her handle…Plays hard…Gets after it on defense…Advanced fundamentals…Can put it in the basket in some different ways…Legitimate three threat including deep off the dribble
Victoria Om – 2025 – 5-1 – Point Guard – WE-R1 – Small in stature right now…Big time stuff with the basketball…Can score effectively from the point…Gets to the basket in transition…Un-guardable at times
Keeley Parks – 2025 – 5-8 – Guard – Trae Young Elite – Lanky player…Has hake to her handle…Can score off the dribble favoring the right hand…Mixes in different finishes…Long term potential
Sydney Savoury – 2027 – 5-8 – Forward – Mystics 2025 – Long, strong, aggressive…Playing two years up…Can pass or finish off the drive…IQ is great for age…Gets to the basket going right…Side steps some defenders to finish….Goes left a little…Ahead of the curve for her age
Maddie Smith – 2025 – 5-6 – Guard – Alabama Southern Starz 2025 – Gritty player…Good instincts…Pursues the basketball in full court press…Handling and passing are there to break presses…Navigates second level defenders to finish with either hand…Boxes out consistently… Plays hard tip to buzzer
Brooklyn Terry – 2025 — 5-8 – Guard/Forward – 2025 Lady Drive Nation Red – Works high post…Likes to face up…15 foot range…All right hand right now…Got to basket in transition…Upside is obvious…Playmaker
Olivia Vukosa – 2026 – 5-10 – Forward – Queens Express – Developing a real presence in the paint…Good mobility up and down…Moves without the ball…Keeps it high to finish…Youngest on her team
Travis Ponton first joined the Blue Star family in 2016, and brings with him a decade of women's basketball coaching experience across multiple levels. A 2018 WBCA Thirty Under 30 Award recipient, his most recent stint was on the bench as an Assistant Coach at LIU Brooklyn. He's also served on the staff at Loyola University, Charleston Southern, Southeastern Louisiana University, and Mount St. Mary's. As a successful high school coach for four years in Virginia, Ponton had a hand in helping over 30 athletes take their game to the college level. With a degree in Journalism from Radford University, he has also previously worked with WTVR/CBS 6 Television in Richmond. Ponton still calls central Virginia home.
