HOUSTON, Texas—If you’re an evaluator of college prospects in the women’s game you live to attend events loaded with talent, both developed and untapped. At the same time, if you’re any type of coach at all there’s always that hope that the itinerary won’t just be game after game…after game…after game. Way too many events these days are shortchanging this ultra-talented generation of prospects with their game only mentality and failure to provide some coaching and fundamental work to advance deficient skill sets.
Many oblivious people define “growing the game” solely by the analytics of attendance and number of participants. Knowledgeable and genuine basketball people know it takes much, much more including some intense coaching and training. The annual John Lucas Enterprises Top 160 will never be accused of hanging their hat on just the make-up of the roster. The 2019 edition this past weekend, as always, was loaded with established and evolving names. None went away without getting their share of drill work, 3 on 3 play and just the right amount of full court action.
Athletes made their way to Houston from 28 different states to take part in two days of work carefully overseen by the hands on efforts of John Lucas himself. The NBA legend and Houston Rockets Assistant Coach for Player Development doesn’t mince words or hesitate to call on his extensive resume at the highest level of the game to put the word “work” in workout. The like-minded staff is in the gym before the players arrive and the moment participants are ready they’re taking part in controlled drills…all before the actual warm up begins. The Top 160 isn’t for the faint of heart and helps remind players of the focus and intensity necessary to take their game to another level.
Taking a page out of the Blue Star 30 handbook, this year’s event included a qualifying 3X3 USA Basketball Tournament with a trip to Colorado Springs next year on the line. Raven Johnson (2021-Atlanta, Ga.), Jada Malone (2021-Spring, Texas), Ruby Whitehorn (2022-Harper Woods, Mich.) and Landry Williams (2021-Tulsa, Okla.) claimed top honors winning an exciting finale in front of the entire camp, parents, fans, media and evaluators Sunday morning.
There’s no way to include everyone who had some good moments in today’s write up but, as always, we’re glad to share with you just a few who caught our eye once again or even for the first time. They’re in alphabetical order and include a mix of ages and experience.
Cori Allen – 2023 – 5-9 – Guard – Nashville, Tennessee – Strong and aggressive on the perimeter…Plays with maturity for age…Attacking mentality…Strong passing skills off the drive…Aggressive on both ends…Consistency coming slowly…Needs to make the simple plays
Alexis Andrews – 2022 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Montgomery, Alabama – Wiry point guard…Speed and quickness…Pushes the ball at opportunity…Can slash into traffic…Good form…Elevates on shot
Janiah Barker – 2022 – 6-4 – Forward – Tampa, Florida – Long established prospect…Very definition of depth in a skill set…Has not just size, but strength and quickness to magnify it…Can be a threat from the block to the trail spot…Has both ballhandling and passing to develop options for both herself and teammates…Impressive awareness for age…Does settle too quickly at times for the perimeter looks…Quick attack on the catch…Can be a dominant presence on the glass
Kennedy Basham – 2022 – 6-5 – Post – Phoenix, Arizona – Well known for age…Plenty of size with good length…Understands her role…Knows the options she’s looking for…Keeps it high…Not yet embracing physical play……Runs the floor well…Gets on the glass…Outlets the ball quickly to trigger the break…Plays behind defensively
Isuneh Brady – 2022 – 6-4 – Post – San Diego, California – The impressive evolution continues…Playing with a more calculated approach on the catch…Making quick and good decisions…Lefty challenges defenders…Willing and capable of sharing it both from the high post or down low…Rebounding with authority…Consistency is beginning to show on the midrange options
Jordana Codio – 2022 – 6-0 – Guard – Jupiter, Florida – Guard with plenty of size and possibilities…Legs say more growth to come…Quickness and agility are there on both ends…Works hard to develop her own options off the dribble…Quick moves off the catch…Can deliver the sharp inside pass as rotations come her way…Willing to get on the floor and scrap for loose balls…Length and footspeed are a major defensive asset
Asis Brougton – 2021 – 6-0 – Guard – Houston, Texas – Power play at the guard spot…Physically strong with a good feel as to how to use it…Always attacking…Hesitation move serves her well…Stepback creates plenty of separation…Effective cutter off the ball…Knows what she’s looking for
Elauna Eaton – 2020 – 6-0 – Guard – Jonesboro, Arkansas – Long time high profile prospect…Size and strength set her apart on the perimeter…Lefty…Stepback is creating plenty of clean looks…Playing much more patient and waiting on options to develop…Responded well to an injury and returned to play quickly…Can develop her looks or improve those of her teammates…Becoming more physical defensively
Kennedy Fauntleroy – 2022 – 5-7 – Point Guard – Upper Marlboro, Maryland – Quick and attacking…Fluid with the ball… Plenty of speed…Crossover is sharp…Gets to the rim…Nice touch on the pull up…Quick hands and feet defensively
Maria Gakdeng – 2021 – 6-3 – Forward/Post – Lanham, Maryland – Lots of length goes with strong athleticism…Very deceptive individual skills…At moments looks unrefined the next makes a college level sweep and drive…Consistency will be a huge asset…Wingspan and vertical combine with impressive agility on the defensive end…Only going to continue to advance
O’Mariah Gordon – 2021 – 5-5 – Point Guard – Sarasota, Florida – Continues to be a dynamic presence at the point…Added strength and exceptional quickness more than offsets size…Gets deep in the lane forcing rotations and mistakes…Can deliver both assists and scoring…Quick release and touch necessitate opponents close out and play her honestly…Handles contact well…Assertive on ball defender…Anticipates
Madison Hayes – 2020 – 5-11 – Guard – Ooltewah, Tennessee – Mature and confident guard…Plays with confidence…Mixes her attack…Gets to the rim with ease…Smooth and fluid with the ball in her hands…Has the touch and range to keep opposing defenders closing out…Effort is there with and without the ball…Assertive and somewhat physical defender…Gets off the floor…Consistent
Tionna Herron – 2022 – 6-4 – Forward – Desoto, Texas – Still lean build…Combines with additional length…Impressive agility is there on both ends…Had moments of moving well without the ball…Shot is off the shoulder to a degree…Came up with offensive boards…Could benefit considerably by becoming more physical
Treasure Hunt – 2020 – 6-1 – Wing – Chattanooga, Tennessee – Beginning to mix her offensive attack much more efficiently…Still a lethal perimeter threat…Handling and even initiating contact more and more often…Body control helping to get her to the line more frequently…Demonstrated an impressive defensive focus in a friendly “rival” match up”…Big asset if translated to all opponent
Kyndall Hunter – 2021 – 5-8 – Point Guard – Houston, Texas – Established floor leader…Plays with speed and quickness throughout…Can create her own shots or improve options for teammates…Passing skills are beginning to keep defenders honest leading to more looks of her own…Stepback creates plenty of separation…Can utilize her hesitation move effectively at full speed in transition…Stroke, touch and range are there…Weakside defense needs some focus at times
Sahnya Jah – 2023 – 6-1 – Wing – District Heights, Maryland – Has the size, frame and athleticism already…Willing to put it on the floor…Needs to get a bit lower to protect the ball…Crossover worked well for her…Interior passes had good choices in front of them…Flashes of major possibilities
Azaiha James – 2021 – 5-11 – Guard – Virginia Beach, Virginia – Established yet still emerging guard…Lefty…Shows more and more each time out…Smooth and fluid with the ball…First step is quick and effective…Plenty of range with and soft touch on the perimeter shot…Crossover to stepback is a challenge to defend…Plays with good court awareness…Active defender on and off the ball
Raven Johnson – 2021 – 5-9 – Guard – Atlanta, Georgia – Dynamic with the ball in her hands…Continues to make herself a threat off penetration or spotting up on the perimeter…Hesitation and change of speed are exceptional…Body control leads to some creative finishes and trips to the line…Genuine threat both in transition and halfcourt…Reads well in traffic
Fatima Kaba Diakhate – 2022 – Post – Deerfield, Florida – Size and frame are there…Good strength is in place already…Needs to use it more…Good, quick attack on the catch down low…Posts aggressively…Holds her ground…Patient and reads…Has the range and touch to keep defenders honest from the trail spot
Deja Kelly – 2020 – 5-9 – Guard – Duncanville, Texas – Consistency returning in perimeter shot…Mixing up her attack much more effectively…Keeping her dribble off the stepback to re-attack…Protecting the ball with her body and handling the contact…Saw the floor well in transition…Assertive on ball…Does take some risks on the weakside of the floor
Jada Malone – 2021 – 6-4 – Post – Spring, Texas – Utilizing size and frame more efficiently and more often…Works to make herself an option on the catch…Aggressive first step…Can finish with heavy contact…Doesn’t back down…Will take it up again and again…Shot fake refinement would serve her well…Playing well but still just scratching the surface…Physical defender
Mir McLean – 2020 – 5-11 – Forward – Baltimore, Maryland – UConn commit still fun to watch…Exceptional athleticism comes with intensity and aggressiveness…Effort on the glass makes vertical all the more eye catching…Lateral speed and quickness make her an asset in virtually any defensive approach in half or fullcourt….Additional depth in perimeter skill set will create headaches for opposing defenders…Stood out in combine testing
Paris Miller – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – Hampton, Georgia – Size, build and athleticism already in place…Sees the floor well and reads…Creates both shots and passes…Explosive at times…Elevates…Active on both ends of the floor
Kateri Poole – 2020 – 5-9 – Guard – Bronx, New York – Ohio State verbal…Poster child for power guards…Still possesses the ability to take over a game in multiple ways…Improves both shot options and passing possibilities off penetration…Change of speed to set up her attack is elite…Leans back on her dribble to get defenders out of their stance…Transition passing has some risks but also some needles threaded…Showing more depth than just a scorer
Sara Puckett – 2021 – 6-2 – Forward/Post – Muscle Shoals, Alabama – Solid in build…Solid in skills…Well coached…Plays patient and smart…Active with and without the ball…Some ballhandling for size…Understands developing options for both herself and teammates…Nothing flashy but effective and efficient…Makes plays
Angel Reese – 2020 – 6-3 – Forward – Randallstown, Maryland – Sets herself apart from the crowd…Struggled to finish but continued to make plays…Followed up on the offensive glass…Navigating traffic to improve her options…Utilized the crossover at full speed on several occasions…Size, length and agility make her an enormous defensive asset in multiple schemes…Limitless ways of contributing at the highest level
Madison Roshelle – 2021 – 5-9 – Guard – Cincinnati, Ohio – Speed and energy are there…Ballskills are in place but overused on occasion…First step is aggressive…Lots of quickness in her attack…Pull up is sound…Got on the offensive boards
Qadence Samuels – 2023 – 6-1 – Forward – District Heights, Maryland – Solid and strong with good size…Shows improvement each time out yet just a 23…No issues penetrating traffic…Continues to be comfortable with physical play…Made plays both off the drive and from the wing in transition…Got on the glass
Madison Scott – 2020 – 6-1 – Guard/Wing – Springdale, Maryland – Beginning to look for her own options more often…Finding more balance in her attack…Creating and improving off the dribble…Strength isn’t there but willing to play physical…Efficient as a facilitator both in half and fullcourt…Agile and long on ball defender…Exceptional depth to her game across the board
Laci Steele – 2023 – 5-9 – Guard – Guthrie, Oklahoma – Still one of the most assertive players on the floor at a young age…Putting herself in the middle of the action on both ends…Good understanding of the game and reading the floor…Can develop and improve her own looks more efficiently than in the past…Evolving
Tanner Strickland – 2023 – 5-3 – Point Guard – Tampa, Florida – Young and slight point guard…Plenty of speed and quickness…Pushes the ball at opportunity…Crossover is low and effective…Looking to penetrate to create options…Good understanding and reads for age
Karoline Striplin – 2021 – 6-3 – Post/Forward – Hartford, Alabama – Showing off added lower body strength…Combines with good agility for the interior…Works hard for post up options…Understands value of being an option to keep helpside occupied…Somewhat methodical but patient and efficient…Shot fake and step through is textbook…Will put it on the floor but upright to a degree on the high post drive
Makayla Timpson – 2021 – 6-2 – Forward / Wing – Highly regarded…Length is there to combine with agility and athleticism…Can get out and run the floor with the guards…Fluid on her cuts off the ball…Consistent and steady attack…Avoided contact to a degree…Slight forward motion on the shot…Vertical is exceptional…Defensive possibilities are endless
Zyanna Walker – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – Wichita, Kansas – Physically strong with good size on the perimeter…Deceptive first step allows her to force defensive rotations and create options…Attacking mentality both in the half and fullcourt…Pull up is there on the drive but just as efficient taking it up among the bigs…Quick decisions and reactions on the catch…Can be an asset with defensive agility
Ruby Whitehorn – 2022 – 6-0 – Wing – Harper Woods, Michigan – Lots of tools to go with size and athleticism on the perimeter…Aggressive and attacking mentality…Body control is there with an eye catching vertical…Gets deep and handles contact from opposing bigs…Can handle it on the break as needed…Effective on the glass from the perimeter
