Indianapolis, IN – Looking back again on our journey across the first part of the July Evaluation Period, we made the trek up I-65 to the Crossroads of America and the Capital of Indiana for Insider Exposure’s Hoosier Heat and Indy 500.
A diverse line up of teams from different areas and different “circuits” were on hand to provide college coaches, media, and fans with plenty of competitive match ups. The lights were bright, and the some stars shined. So, without further ado, here are 20 of the players we saw doing some eye catching things last week.
Amaya Bonner – 2022 – 5-10 – Point Guard – Golden City 17 UAA – Major hangtime…Creative finishes in traffic…Plays up around the rim…Plenty of defensive rebounds…Goes and gets the ball…Bodies up to drivers without fouling
Taylen Collins – 2020 – 6-2 – Guard/Forward – Arkansas Banshees 17U UAA – Athletic do it all type…Continues to advance…Collects rebounds…Likes to work from the wing offensively…Has the handles for it…Effective scoring in transition
Jenae Dublin – 2020 – 6-1 – Guard/Forward – Elevate Elite 17U Platinum – Perimeter skills have expanded…Playing almost exclusively out on the wing…Shoots the three ball well…Has the physical gifts…Flashing some of those special gears on the catch
Eve Fiala – 2023 – 6-3 – Forward – WPA Bruins 2022 – Already on the radar…Enforcer in the paint protecting the rim…Runs very well…Smart passer helping to break the full court press…Still learning on offense
Kaylin Gilbert – 2022 – 5-8 – Point Guard – FGB Team LaDazhia Williams 15U UAA – Can go get a bucket one-on-one…Plenty of ways to create and score…Short range or long range…Shot selection should improve with experience
O’Mariah Gordon – 2021 – 5-4 – Point Guard – South Beach Elite 17 UAA – Runs players down in transition…Will block a couple shots from behind…Often one of the fastest players in any gym…Gets all of her teammates involved…Finding guards and posts alike with all sorts of passes…Stop and start again in a flash…Embraces contact in the air…Answers big buckets with her own
Grace Hall – 2021 – 6-2 – Forward – Example Sports 17U Wolfpack – Different face up moves inside…Nice step out jumper off the bounce…Physical tools has been catching eyes for years…Can hit a three…With handles and shot improving could live on the wing…Good foot fight in the post…Will work to 3/4 deny
Leah Harmon – 2024 – 5-5 – Point Guard – iExcel Sophomore Team – Elite handles…Pounds the ball and controls it…Scores on her own…Sets up teammates all the same…Physical and forceful…Vision is elite running the team from the point…Continues to perform at a high level
Jzaniya Harriel – 2021 – 5-10 – Guard – JBS Gauntlet 2021 – Can knock down the contested three…Attacks off ball screens to get into the pull up…Creates space with the jab…Pounds the ball…Scorer
Taziah Jenks – 2020 – 6-0 – Guard – West Virginia Thunder 2020 Johnson – Lanky athletic established guard….Aggressive demeanor on the defensive end…Can get to the rim…Finishes at a high rate with her wingspan….Used to winning
Gabrielle Johnson – 2022 – 5-7 – Guard – Power Move 2022 Black – Puts defenders on skates…Will intercept her share of passes…Sneaks up from behind to tap the ball away…Great decisions…Accurate deliveries in transition…Makes things happen
Morgan Lee – 2022 – 6-4 – Post – Hoopers NY 2022 Elite – Been working and has grown her game…Showing more mobility in her move set…Wants to finish right hand over left shoulder…Starting to peel back to the left hand as a counter…Scores in pick and roll game
Mary McQuain – 2022 – 6-3 – Post – Team B Wright 2022 – Good lateral movement for a player this size…Willing passer and screener…Scores inside…Good footwork on display…Vocal leader
Kyla Oldacre – 2022 – 6-5 – Post – All Ohio Xpress – Has made strides across the board, both physically and with her skill set…Starting to consistently power through contact in the paint…Has trained her feet…Running and jumping better and better with age
Mya Petticord – 2022 – 5-8 – Point Guard – Michigan Storm 2021 UAA – Exciting player with the ball in her hands…Pull up jumper off the cross is lethal including from deep…Walking bucket…Well established
Laila Phelia – 2021 – 5-10 – Guard – Angels Basketball Club – Stood out defensively…Pressures ball handlers…Gets out in passing lanes…Has that special gear…Gets low off the bounce and explodes into her move
Jasmyne Roberts – 2021 – 5-9 – Guard/Forward – FGB Team Delicia Washington 16 UAA – Tweener…Flashed some big time athletic tools…Lay-up drill in transition…Thrives in the up-tempo game
Reilly Sunday – 2022 – 5-9 – Point Guard – Western PA Bruins 2021/22 UAA – True lead guard…Rebounds and pushes it…Distributes or just scores on her own…Quick, effective crossover…Changes direction well
Talia Von Oelhoffen – 2021 – 6-0 – Guard – Northwest Blazers Orange – Wow factor…Finds a way to get to the rim…Gets lay-ups off even in traffic…Can connect on deep three’s…Takes charges…Gets fired up…Will play some point…Scoring prowess likely best maximized off the ball
Zyanna Walker – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – KS United Soyez 2022 – Big, strong…Do it all guard…Makes it look easy at times…Stop and pop on a dime…Soars through the air to finish…Sticks the three every way…Give her the ball and get out of the way type…Challenges defenders
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.