CHANDLER, Ariz. — Two days down and just one to go in the 2012 Nike Tournament of Champions. A lot of terrific basketball has been played and with a full slate of games on tap tomorrow there promises to be plenty more individual and team efforts worth looking back on. As we did after day one, we’re offering another “One-and-One” where each of the four Blue Star Media representatives on hand takes a look at one individual and one team that might not be a headliner but offered up something special on day two of the nation’s top girls’ basketball tournament. As noted yesterday, there will be plenty of post event coverage and evaluations taking a look at the top performances at the TOC following the completion of the event, but for now we’re going back to the line.
The 2012 Nike Tournament of Champions tips off its final day of competition, including all championship match ups, Saturday at 10 a.m. For complete brackets and results follow the link below.
http://www.niketournamentofchampions.com/events/pdfs/TOCbb12_results12.21.645pm.pdf
One-And-One from the TOC: Day Two
Prentice Beverly
Earlier in the season freshman Dominique Toussaint was working on her game playing junior varsity for Christ the King. It is obvious that all her hard work has paid dividends. Toussaint, a Staten Island, NY native, is an explosive combo guard with great hops and excellent ball handling skills. The 5-9 guard has long arms and an athletic build that she uses to her advantage to torment opposing player on defense. She rebounds extremely well regardless of her position. She has an ultra-fast first step that will get her past most defenders en route to attacking the basket. Toussaint is an excellent passer with a high basketball IQ to go along with her great court vision. She does a tremendous job getting in the paint and finishing at the rim. There’s also a sweet shooting stroke that compliments her explosive game.
St. Mary’s College High School out of Berkeley, Calif. is my team of the day. Coach Nate Fripp has led his team to two California state championship games and this year’s goal is to finish the climb to the mountain top. St. Mary’s College is led by a pair of 6-1 wings. Cal commit Mikayla Cowling and Gabrielle Green both are top prospects. The Panthers also have a solid guard in sophomore 5-10 MaAne Mosley and then you throw in a strong low post presence in senior 5-10 Elexis Goodwin. The Panthers style of play lives up to the school nickname, they are constantly on the prowl defensively. Offensively they are always looking to attack the paint or knock down shots on the perimeter. Coach Fripp does a great job motivating and getting his players ready to play. The Panthers are definitely a team to watch.
Prentice Beverly is a National Evaluator for Blue Star Media and the owner of Balln Prep Girls. He also works for Girl Powher Showcases, National Roundball Academy and is the Author of “Navigating the Maze” a grassroots reference guide to women’s college basketball recruiting. Beverly has spent 15 years coaching high school and club basketball and resides in Montgomery, Alabama.
Lisa Bodine
Today’s contest for 5-8 Narbonne junior guard Jade Everage was a tale of two halves. In the first half against Piedmont she shot the lights out, going 4-5 beyond the arch while helping her team open a nice lead. With most long range bombers, defense is sometimes optional but not so for Evange. In the second half the scrappy guard switched her focus to shutting done the opponents perimeter players. She played tight on the ball defense causing numerous live ball turnovers and creating general havoc in the backcourt. Everage also did a great job of closing out on the opposing players she was guarding limiting their scoring. Throughout the course of the game her energy never dwindled on either side of the ball which was a key factor in the Toros’ victory.
Although the 2012 Brea Olinda team didn’t come to the TOC with a national ranking as they have in previous years, they showed today that they are still a formidable opponent. With returning senior point guard Anna Kim running the team, Brea was able to control the pace and tempo of the game. They did an excellent job of spacing the floor which allowed them to get easy back door baskets. Against a tough Sacramento High team, they executed a balanced attack on both ends of the floor. By switching defensive pressure points they kept Sacramento from getting into an offensive flow. Brea’s overall team work and confidence in each other should help them as they play in the Division C championship tomorrow against hometown favorite Hamilton High.
Lisa Bodine is a national evaluator for Blue Star Media. During her 20 years as a club and high school coach she has mentored many of the top players in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Kevin Lynch
Yesterday, I spoke about the three Important E’s…energy, enthusiasm and effort. Let me add another important one; efficiency. Pinnacle High’s 5″11 Britta Nordstrom plays with all 4. The unsigned senior wing plays way bigger than her size and is a team leader. Often overshadowed by Oregon State bound super shooter Sydney Wiese, Britta steps up whenever her team needs a tough board, a steal or just a helping hand getting up off the floor. Athletically, Nordstrom has a solid frame, runs the floor and jumps well. She also has an accurate shot with 3 ball range. Britta has great grades and is working to find a school that matches her academic goals. She is a D-1 talent hoping the Nike Tournament of Champions provides the platform to help her achieve her dream.
Being given an assignment of writing a brief article on the legendary girls program, Christ the King sounds pretty easy. Historically, they may not be in a class by themselves, but to quote Bum Phillips, “Whatever class they are in, it doesn’t take long to call the roll”. I have known the coaches for many years and have also worked the Nike All-American Camp with Head Coach Bob Mackey. I’ve coached dozens of games, many incredibly intense, against Jill Cook, who was director of the NY Liberty Bells AAU Club. My teams have played against assistant Clare Droesch many times unsuccessfully. Their history with the Nike Tournament of Champions goes back to the beginning of the event, when Director Steve Kozaki was able to convince former Coach Vincent Cannizzaro to travel to Santa Barbara Calif. for his post-Christmas event. Kozaki openly credits Cannizzaro with giving his tournament legitimacy in its infant stages. The Royals have won this tournament as well as many others numerous times. They are one of only three schools that have attended the TOC every year. Although in recent years they have not dominated as in the past, this program will continue to be formidable. Current star Sierra Calhoun is being courted by the country’s top schools, including, UConn, Notre Dame and Duke. This week they unfurled their next top level player, 2016 Dominque Toussant from the great borough of Staten Island. If she continues to shine like she has in the bright lights of Phoenix, the Royals are in good hands.
Kevin Lynch has been a member of the Blue Star Basketball family for nearly 15 years. Lynch was regarded as one of the most successful and respected travel team coaches in the country. He was a coach for the Nike sponsored Philadelphia Belles for 14 years. Lynch has guided the program to a national title in 2003, and runner-up in 2005 & 2006. Lynch has had the opportunity to work with over 50 players that went on to compete at the Division I level. Including five McDonald’s All-Americans, seven WBCA-All-Americans, and 11 Parade All-Americans. Lynch is presently a member of the McDonald’s All-American committee
Mark Lewis
A program with a lineage like Stockton St. Mary’s has a performance standard bar set about as high as you’re going to find on the scholastic level. Coach Tom Gonsalves has consistently produced both high caliber teams and college prospects and now he’s got a sophomore standout looking poised to be the next to be the next Ram to reach for the brass ring. Explosive 5-6 point guard Brijanee Moore has turned the heads of both opponents and recruiters in two days of competition here in Chandler. With the combination of speed, quickness and a first step many experienced players would be envious of, Moore can attack the rim virtually at will. The ballhandling is there to get through traffic and she’s more than willing to take a hit as helpside defenders rotate and put a body on her. Her crossover leaves opponents standing and the elevation is there to give her some good, clean looks at the rim. At the other end she’s an aggressive and attacking defender. Active hands lead to tips and steals and there are no reservations about getting on the floor for a loose ball. As with anyone else who puts on that green uniform, effort doesn’t seem to be an issue for Moore. The challenge will be for her to continue to advance her game like those before her.
It’s hard to imagine that Windward would be somewhat under the radar by anyone’s definition. At the same time they have quietly found their way into the G Division championship game taking on Miramonte in tomorrow’s final. Yes, they’ve got one of the highest profile 2014 guards in Jordin Canada and their coach Vanessa Nygaard has brings a wealth of experience to the table but it’s much more than that. Windward is one of those teams that seem to have a focus. There’s a willingness to make the extra pass, sacrifice their own looks or simply do what it takes to get the job done. Canada can get to the rim time and again but she’s also adept at creating and improving the opportunities of her teammates. Junior post Kristen Simon is getting plenty of touches which in turn opens up the floor for Canada, senior Courtney Jaco and the rest of the Wildcats. There’s some assertive backcourt defense and a little risk taking but plenty of recovery effort just the same. According to available records Windward has given up over 50 points just once so far this season. There may be a small blip on the radar in southern California.
Mark Lewis is a national evaluator and photographer for Blue Star Basketball as well as the lead columnist for Blue Star Media. Twice ranked as one of the top 25 Division I assistant coaches in the game by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), he has more than 20 years of college coaching experience at Memphis State, Cincinnati, Arizona State, Western Kentucky and Washington State. Lewis also serves as a member of the prestigious McDonald’s All-American selection committee.
