MURFREESBORO, Tenn.—Both the July recruiting period and now the academic year necessitate a trip to central Tennessee for knowledgeable recruiters and evaluators nationwide. The Battle in the Boro has become a summer staple for coaches, recruiting services and media and, in its fifth year, the Tennessee Turkey Jamm has achieved similar status each November.
This year’s edition saw 38 teams from 10 different states converge on Murfreesboro for three days of action at both Riverdale and Blackman High Schools. Plenty of known and established teams as well as individual talent was on hand and there were a few unknowns also looking to make a splash among those sitting courtside. With most college programs competing themselves over the Thanksgiving holiday the traffic among recruiters varied day to day but along with Blue Star every nationally recognized recruiting service and girls’ basketball media outlet was on hand.
Here are a few quick looks at some of the standouts from this year’s Tennessee Turkey Jamm.
Former Bolingbrook Coach Tony Smith now heads up Homewood-Flossmoor and they left no doubt that they’re ready to make some waves back home in Illinois as well as on a national basis. Utilizing an extraordinarily deep bench they claimed a win over host and traditional power Riverdale and edged a very competitive Capital Christian program from Maryland. Illinois signee Amarah Coleman, a 5-10 guard, used both her speed and ability to create to both in transition as well as in the halfcourt. Junior Faith Suggs continues to show growth in her game and is fast becoming a favorite among the folks at the next level with her fluid and effective attack. Bria Stallworth, another 2015, also provided plenty of firepower and forced defenders to close out tightly on the catch or pay a price. Lexi Smith is a versatile 6-0 senior forward who demonstrated the ability to post or work efficiently from the elbow. Coach Smith has plenty of options to choose from and has already instilled an assertive defensive approach that should cause plenty of headaches each night for opponents.
Capital Christian (D.C.) may have come up short against Homewood-Flossmoor but in their second outing they completely outclassed an apathetic South Miami team. Paced by the explosive guard play of Breonn Hughey and Auteaonna Gilmore, this crew from back east is going to challenge most any defensive approach thrown at them by the opposition. Hughey is headed to Towson while Old Dominion will have the services of Gilmore next season. Neither brings a lot of size to the table but both are physically strong, aggressive in their attack and have the ability to create off the dribble virtually at will. Junior post Therese Gilmore is deceiving and can’t be taken for granted. Her thicker build doesn’t inhibit her ability around the rim in converting some sharp interior passing or her fair share of offensive boards.
Another local program is looking to take a bite out of Riverdale’s recent stranglehold on the Volunteer State. Blackman is poised with a deep and talented roster that could make some noise throughout the season and deep into state competition. Dynamic sophomore point guard Crystal Dangerfield pushes the ball from makes, misses and turnovers while having a bevy of options when it comes time to distribute the ball. Junior Meme Jackson is a versatile scorer on the wing connecting from the deep perimeter, on the pull up or in traffic around the rim. Jazz Bond will catch your eye at 6-3 and the ultra-lean sophomore has some sound ballhandling to go with a nice midrange stroke. The physical aspect of the game will have to evolve to allow Bond to make the most of her possibilities. Alex Johnson, a 2015, provides some strong, assertive play at 6-0 and provides a presence on the boards. Senior 5-11 swing Micah Norris and 5-9 junior KK Williams may hold the key to Blackman’s ultimate success with consistent play at both ends of the floor. It won’t be boring in Murfreesboro this year!
Rest assured that despite significant roster changes due to graduation, Riverdale is hardly ready to roll over and play dead. They responded to their first day loss to Homewood Flossmoor with an impressive win over a talented Rock Bridge squad from Missouri. Granted, they did relinquish a fifteen point lead and had the home crowed squirming but in the end put another one in the win column. Alexa Middleton continues to show a depth to her game that should have the Lady Vols feeling excited about her arrival in Knoxville next fall. Few players in the 2014 class have the competitive drive that Middleton plays with and combining that with the confidence and experience she has under her belt bodes for a successful senior campaign. Clemson signee Shelbie Davenport can be counted on to simply make plays time and again. She can finish inside and is showing more speed off the dribble than in the past and uses her body effectively in traffic.
While Rock Bridge (Missouri) came away without a win they’re not a team many will be looking forward to lining up against as the season progresses. A large reason for that would be the play of junior Missouri commit Sophie Cunningham. Each time we see the 6-1 swing player in action she shows advancements both in her skills and court concepts. Her understanding of the game just serves to make her multifaceted skill set that much more effective in transition or within halfcourt sets. The touch and range are there to score consistently on the perimeter but there’s a much more refined attack off the dribble that’s producing impressive results as well. Her battle with Middleton in the Riverdale game would have had the purists sitting in the stands asking the other eight to take a seat and let those two go at it. With another year in front of her Cunningham could be poised to climb the rankings.
Marian Catholic (Illinois) enjoys the services of 5-6 point guard Teniya Page while their opponents…not so much. The physically strong junior is in constant attack mode and has the ability to create looks for herself and her teammates. On the catch she shows off the kind of acceleration that football coaches look for in their tailbacks and the vision they hope for in their quarterbacks. Page puts both to use and seems to do so in an almost effortless manner. The ability is there to spot up with range but off the drive she also has the touch to drop a soft floater over rotating defenders. Her game allows those around her to make the most out of theirs making her a coveted prospect in the eyes of many.
Riverdale and Blackman aren’t the only game in the town of Murfreesboro. Oakland has plenty of depth and talent on their roster as well and can’t be taken for granted by any stretch of the imagination. Standing out in the Turkey Jamm was the play of 5-7 sophomore guard Ansley Eubank. Patient and skilled for her age, Eubank makes plays either scoring the ball or improving the options of her teammates. Her vision and instincts allow her to read defenders and anticipate their rotations. She got to the rim several times herself and offered up some consistent shooting away from traffic as well. Eubank appears to have some growth in front of her still and has yet to really add any strength to her frame, neither of which can be good news for future match ups.
Continuing with the football references, it’s hard not to look at Mississippi State signee Morgan William and not think that she would have made a great cornerback. Fortunately for the Bulldogs and her Shade’s Valley (Alabama) teammates she’s making her name on the hardwood. William is barely 5-3 but has the wingspan of someone much taller while at the same time possesses the quickness and lateral speed to lock up almost any opposing ballhandler. A lethal combination to say the least. She anticipates on the weakside of the floor or one pass away ultimately coming up with more than her share of picks. With the ball in her hands she utilizes some sharp vision and passing but can knock down her own when the opportunity arises. Despite her lack of size she’s well suited for the next level.
While Just an eighth grader (2018 for those of you without a calculator) Jordyn Cambridge is going to make her way onto plenty of watch lists as she navigates a challenging varsity season. Not quite her listed 5-7, she has plenty of speed and quickness to compete with the older opposition she faces. Her slight build leads to some bouncing off rotating defenders but it also enables her to slash through traffic effectively. She reads the floor well for her age and makes advanced decisions with the ball on the break or when penetrating. Watch this Ensworth (Tennessee) product closely.
You know Tony Bannister is going to reload when graduation hits his Potter’s House program and he’s pulled out the heavy artillery with 2017 post prospect Rellah Boothe. Standing a legit 6-3, Boothe has a lot of characteristics of an older, more experienced athlete. There’s an athletic build in place, she can get out and run with the guards, and her wingspan makes her a presence on defense. That being said, there is a difference between promise and reality with players of this age. The flashes that she shows you are eye catching to say the least. She made a few strong post moves but at other times wasn’t too interested in posting up. A quick and extended first step, sharp outlet passes, give and go cuts that even some college players would be jealous of were offered up as well. Do those things happen every time? Not quite but the possibilities are exciting and the line should already be forming. There will need to be some maturing as well in terms of staying focused when the calls don’t go her way but again, she’s got plenty of high school ball in front of her.
Jefferson Davis (Alabama) has one of the more talented and refined forward / post combos in the 2016 class with Jasmine Walker. Solidly built at 6-3, Walker has a deep skill set that should make her ultimately one of those rare “true” forwards that college coaches struggle to find. She can work effectively down low but already has the ball skills to create her own looks from the elbow or off the trail spot in transition. The form on her jumper is text book and she elevates well above the crowd on the release. Add to the mix some impressive physical strength as well as deceivingly quick feet and you’ve got a defender for the press and halfcourt. Her physical attributes as well as her basketball skills are light years beyond her age and experience at this point. The limits in front of her are pretty much the ones she sets for herself.
One of the most enjoyable players to watch in Murfreesboro was Joliet Catholic’s (Illinois) Nicole Ekhoma. This high flying 5-8 sophomore made play after play at both ends of the floor. If you’re looking for a frame of reference think of a young Brittney Sykes (sophomore guard for Syracuse University). Ekhoma is still playing with a facemask to protect a previously broken nose but doesn’t seem slowed by it in the least. With the ball in her hands the change of speed and direction draws defenders out of their stance time and again. Once they’re leaning her first step leaves them standing and she’s on her way to the rim. She connected on a few spot up looks on the perimeter which should force defenders to play her honest and force them to close out tightly leading in turn to more penetration opportunities. On ball she’s a tough defender and has the athleticism to take risks and still recover. Very, very bright future.
