SOUTHLAKE, Texas – The second weekend of the 2012 Nike Regional Skills Academies saw the Swoosh set up shop in Texas, Virginia, Minnesota and Oregon. Down in the Lone Star State 62 athletes from five states got back to the fundamentals at Southlake Carroll High School in two sessions each on Saturday and Sunday. Both established and up and coming prospects were on hand to get a refresher course as well as some advanced training in individual skills as well as two on two and three on three breakdown concepts. With the gluttony of tournaments that dot the club basketball landscape an opportunity to see elite players focused on skills and drills offered some interesting insights beyond the usual five on five fare.
Lead instructor Josh Oppenheimer (http://excelmygame.com) and a staff that included women’s basketball icons Tamika Williams Raymond and Edna Campbell put a talented roster of players through their paces over the course of the weekend. Recognized high profile standouts like, Brianna Turner (Pearland, Texas), Jessica Washington (Tulsa, Oklahoma), Brooke McCarty (League City, Texas) and Jada Terry (Cedar Hill, Texas) were on hand but so were quite few others worth noting. Some you may have heard of and a couple might be coming on the radar for the first time.
A List from Mark Lewis
It takes a lot of inherent instincts to truly be a point guard rather than just playing the position and 5-5 Brooke Allemand seems to have all the ones coaches love most. The 5-5 native of Boerne, Texas has both the ballhandling and passing skills to handle pressure both on the break and in the halfcourt. At the same time she demonstrated some sharp vision allowing her to make plays and create options for teammates in 3 on 3 play as well as full court 5 on 5 competition. The senior to be and early University of New Mexico commit also possesses the stroke and range to keep defenders honest and necessitate closeouts well beyond the three point arch. Combine those characteristics with a competitive and aggressive approach in both drills and live play and you’re looking at someone who’s going to battle tip to buzzer. On the defensive end she’s seeing both sides of the floor and anticipates well both in rotations and closeouts. Physically she’s going to give up some size and maybe a minor amount of quickness but both are offset considerably by her focus and well-schooled skill set. Allemand is a facilitator at the point and the kind of player teammates love to have running the show.
First looks can be deceiving and Erin Degrate is worth a second, third and fourth look if you’re hoping to find an evolving prospect. The 2015 post stands 6-4 and has the frame and potential to develop into an impact player if she continues to bring the same effort she displayed this weekend. Calling Waco home you can only hope she’s dropping in on Coach Mulkey and a certain 6-8 Texas post product over at Baylor for some firsthand exposure of what to do and how to do it. Degrate already has some surprising elements to her game that usually come down the road once the foundation is set and basics are mastered. After seeming a bit out of sync in early drills she came alive with an impressive display of mobility and effectiveness from the high post in 3 on 3 competition. On several occasions she was both assertive and comfortable on the one and two dribble drive and finished at a higher clip than she did on the catch down low. Another aspect of her attack that seems instinctual is her reading of defenders around the rim. The post moves and touch are still a ways off but she protects the ball well and goes up strong and aware. There’s lots of work to be done but without a doubt there’s plenty of tools and potential to make the job easier.
Big strides over a short period of time characterize the advancement of Ashley Hearn’s game. Physically the 6-3 2015 forward has filled out adding impressive strength to her athletic frame. That size and build combines with quickness, speed and mobility usually reserved for athletes who make their living in the backcourt. Don’t get ahead of me, the Dallas native is a true forward and shouldn’t be harboring any thoughts of a move to the perimeter. She did knock down a couple from the high post and out on the wing but that weapon should only serve to keep defenders honest and spread the floor. The first step creates some nice looks for her off the drive from the elbows and as a trailer in transition. On the block the quickness of her attack is a challenge for defenders with both size and speed. On the defensive end there’s a comfort level with physical play as well as a willingness to use it. At times it seemed she was reliant on size and athleticism rather than positioning and gave up some easy looks that could have been contested. Off the ball she’s active and can be a force on the backline of a zone or rotating in man. The refinement and consistency are not there yet to allow her to fully exploit her tools but if you were ordering your next forward off a menu there would be no need to ask for substitutions.
If you missed Lashann Higgs last summer you lost your chance to see something special. While you won’t see that version of the 5-9 point guard again the 2012 edition is advanced and improved and worth checking out. Not many in the 2015 class or scholastic basketball as a whole for that matter have the individual skills and attack this Houston resident brings to the table. Those skills go hand in hand with some elite acceleration that leaves defenders standing and helpside only dreaming of getting there in time. In traffic she maintains body control effectively putting her in a position to score it herself or deliver a well thought pass to a teammate with a better look. Coaches look for those players who can utilize both a change of speed and change of direction with the ball in their hands and Higgs embraces both to the dismay of opponents. The jumper is sound but will need to be ultra-consistent out beyond the arch to keep her match up tight and allow her to continue her attack and penetration. Defensively she has impressive lateral quickness and hands that can exploit careless ballhandlers time and again. Her build at this point is wiry but if you want to play physical with her you’ll have to catch her first.
As impressive as Higgs is it would be difficult to mention her without including Kyra Lambert in the same sentence. At 5-8, the Cibolo, Texas native has a lot of the same skills and attributes that her 2015 counterpart has and it may just be the one on one match up folks might buy a ticket to see. If you were looking for a defining difference between the two it may be that Lambert’s game seems to have more fluidity to it while Higgs is more stop and go to utilize her bursts of speed. Off the dribble there’s a smooth yet still explosive attack that gets a defender on her side and keeps her there. Additionally there’s a little more strength in place at this point that she seems to be using efficiently once she gets deep in the paint. Once in traffic Lambert also has some creativity that serves her well both in getting off her shot or finding the right pass as defenders come her way. She is an active and aggressive defender herself who anticipates and effectively turns opposing ballhandlers. The physical maturity and explosive first step that creates for her offensively contributes to her being in the position to be an impact defender as well. The state of Texas offered up a bevy of top tier guards in the current senior class and it looks like 2015 may be the sequel to that backcourt feature.
Often impressive skills and drills don’t translate into the productive output you would think once the ball goes up. Other times an athlete will look sound in their skill work and in turn provide even more than you anticipated when things get competitive. The later was true of another 2015 point guard Jazz Taylor from right down the road in Irving. Don’t get me wrong, she was sharp in the fundamental work and breakdown situations that Oppenheimer and staff took the troops through. However when things went live the 5-7 seemed to be even more comfortable with a defender in front of her than in the training sessions. She had good instincts off penetration and created opportunities and easy looks for her teammates. Her decision making demonstrated a good understanding of opposing defense as well as some quality vision in transition and the halfcourt. In some offensive work she did struggle to a degree in getting open for entry or return passes and will have to step up to make herself available against pressure. Defensively you would use the word feisty and she has a good grasp on what she’s trying to accomplish both on and off the ball. She’s sound athletically and is worth keeping an eye on when the July recruiting period rolls around.
Another Bunch from Prentice Beverly
If your looking for a dynamic point guard to lead your program and keep your opponent on their heels then look no further than the 2013 5 foot 6 AJ Alix from Bellaire, Texas. Alix has all the tools to do just that. She has excellent command of her dribble with a killer crossover and ankle crossing hesitation move that keeps opponents off balance. She also showed the ability to make precision passes off the bounce to slashing teammates. Alix, while constantly on the attack, uses her great court vision to find the open man regardless of her positioning on the floor. She also has the knack of anticipating like a quarterback and throwing cutters open. Alix has a smooth stroke that stretches out to 18 feet. She wreaks havoc on the defensive end by locking down the other teams point guard. Alix is the prototypical DI point guard. She has everything that college coaches look for to lead their programs.
I always enjoy watching a solid combo guard that keeps me guessing to which position would be the best fit for them or their prospective college choice. In the case of the Baylor bound 2014 Mckenzie Calvert, the 5-9 guard from Cibolo, Texas, her style of play will be a fitting addition to the Lady Bears. Calvert has a very high basketball IQ and she communicates well with teammates on the court. Calvert can create for herself or teammates off the dribble. She’s an explosive quick guard who can get her own shot with ease and better yet, she loves to attack. Calvert is a playmaker with a keen sense of her surroundings to find the open man. She is a very confident passer and even made the occasional touch pass in transition, several of which were of the no look variety. She also has the body and quickness to be a lockdown defender. Calvert played with a lot of energy and if she can find a way to harness that energy on a consistent basis she will be a handful at both ends of the floor.
Whenever you mention the name Jordan in regards to basketball even the casual fan will stop for a moment and listen. Keep an eye on and remember another basketball player Jordan. Jordan Hosey that is, a promising prospect from Manvel, Texas. The 6-2 2015 forward has a well-rounded game, an athletic build, long arms and she runs the floor extremely well. Hosey uses her athleticism to attack traditional post players off the dribble and finishes in the paint with contact. She does an excellent job of getting herself in position to be a force on the offensive glass as well as cleans the defensive glass with a passion. She does a nice job of defending both on the perimeter and down in the low post. Although she wasn’t afraid to put the ball on the floor she needs to continue developing her perimeter skills and expand her range out to the three point line. Jordan Hosey has a huge upside as a mid to high level prospect.
The great thing about women’s basketball is that there is always a place for a 6-0 athletic hard working prospect. If you’re in the market for a small forward with a college ready body and a tremendous upside the buck stops here. LaBrittney Jones, a 6-0 forward from Cedar Hill, Texas, ran the floor like a guard, showed that she can defend on the wing or down low and for good measure will block her fair share of shots. Offensively Jones is very quick with great hops and loves to attack and finish in the paint against bigger defenders. She has a smooth midrange jumper with the ability to knock down an occasional trey. Jones also is a high energy performer. I was impressed with her desire to be in every play at both ends of the court. A 2013 prospect, her best basketball is ahead of her and once her offensive skill set catches up to the rest of her game watching her play will be worth the price of admission. Definitely a sleeper pickup.
The one thing that every recruiter in America covets is size. It’s a worn out cliché but it’s the one thing you can’t coach. If size is what you’re looking for then you need to take a good look at 6-4 Kelsey Lang from The Woodlands, Texas. Lang’s hometown, The Woodlands, is an appropriate name for a city that produced this 2013 prospect. Lang moved very well in drills, has a nice hook shot, some solid footwork and the ability to score in the paint with contact. She used her wingspan and length to be an effective low post scorer as well as a strong defender at the other end. Lang also has a very effective midrange shot that extends to the high post as well as short corners. She needs to continue to work on being assertive in the paint as well as on the boards. The tools and potential are there to be a force at the next level.
Believe it or not there is such a thing as a quiet leader. It’s rare but a quiet leader is someone with the ability to lead without ever saying a word. An individual who’s teammates will follow even just her example. Ciera Morgan, a 5-9 2014 combo guard from Highlands Ranch, Colo., exemplifies just that. Morgan is a very skilled and quiet assassin. This lefty does an excellent job of pushing the rock up the floor or slowing down the tempo when needed. Morgan has the ability to attack the hoop and finish in traffic or to spot up and knock the jumper on a consistent basis. She has great court vision and a knack for making the right decision. Defensively, Morgan plays in your face, hardnosed and tough on the ball while anticipating well on the weak side. She also rebounds well from the perimeter. Don’t be fooled by her quiet demeanor. She communicates well with teammates and can run a team without making a speech. Morgan is an athletic guard with college ready body and an important summer in front of her.
Editor’s Note: This article was co-written by Prentice Beverly.
