CINCINNATI, Ohio – Fall is fast-approaching, and with Labor Day now in the rearview mirror, Rising Blue Star season is once again upon us. With an expanded 2018 schedule traversing nearly 25 cities in the US and Canada, these camps continue to host some of the brightest up-and-comers in girls basketball. The Rising Blue Star format is designed to provide not only evaluation and assessment, but also skill work and experienced instruction for those players who have yet to play their first high school basketball game.
This year’s circuit is open to athletes in the 2022-2025 classes regardless of club or school affiliation. Blue Star evaluators are on site for each RBS event, and various media outlets will be covering different camps as well. For more information on Rising Blue Star or to sign up for a camp this fall, check out the website by following the link below.
For opening weekend, we returned to three cities who already have some history with RBS. On Saturday, things kicked off with a great crowd in Washington, DC as well as a deep, talented group of youngsters in Cincinnati. Sunday, it was the Lone Star State with some of the best the Dallas area had to offer. Here are just a few of the standouts we noted in week one from DC and Cincy. Be on the lookout for additional RBS coverage all season long.
CINCINNATI
Emma Arico – 2024 – 5-2 – Point Guard/Guard – O3 Elite – Lefty combo…Skilled…Shot it well in drill work…Effective driver in game settings…Moves her feet well defensively…Spunky playmaker
Mari Bickley – 2023 – 5-10 – Guard – Sports City U – Explosive wing prospect…Lots of skills and scoring ability…Executed in both drill setting and live play…Vocal and coachable…Contested three ball off the bounce effective
Kendall Braden –2024 – 5-3 – Point Guard/Guard – O3 Elite – Nice push with the ball in the open court…Quick on D…Great distributor…Has some flash in passing game…Likes to shoot it off the bounce…Knocks it down from deep
Corinne Courtright – 2024 – 5-11 – Forward – O3 Elite – Nice build…Some athleticism as well…Big, soft hands, palming the ball already…Face up driver…Lots of things come naturally…Potential
Kemariah Gerton – 2025 – 5-3 – Guard – All Ohio – Great start at an early age…Quick with the ball…Tends to have it in her hands a lot…Smart and fluid…One name to remember
Paris Gilmore – 2023 – 5-4 – Point Guard/Guard – SMAC –Some nice flashes…Competitive naturevevident in live play…Developing jump shot is smooth…Has good rotation…Game is still maturing…One to watch
Margo Mattes – 2023 – 5-9 – Guard – Cincy Pride – Knows how to play hard…Deceptively athletic…Buried the three off the bounce…Scores in different ways…Continues to develop in a great direction
Kyla Oldacre – 2022 – 6-5 – Post – Cincinnati’s Finest – Big, strong post…Mobility is evident already…Demonstrated handles for age and position in the drill work…Footwork is improving quickly…Can be fierce and relentless in the paint
Abbie Riddle – 2023 – 5-10 – Guard – Team Ohio 2023 – Makings are there physically and skill wise…Nice pace with the ball…Smooth stroke…Scrappy, vocal defender…No issue posting smaller opponenets
Savannah Smith – 2023 – 5-11 – Forward – Cincinnati Angels –Nice build to go with a good motor…Smart passer…Took coaching well…15 footer off the bounce is evolving…Hard nosed player…Mobile shot blocker on defense…Potential
RBS DC
(FRAN BURBIDGE AND MIKE FLYNN)
Olivia Baptiste – 2022 – 5-6 – Guard – VA Hurricanes – Establishing ability as a shooter…Handles well enough to get to the rim…Active on both ends…Competitor
Alicea Bell – 2024 – 5-6 – Guard – Fairfax Stars – Pushes tempo…Sees the floor well…Good at getting to basket for a young player…Decent finisher…Nice feel for the game
Gia Cooke – 2022 – 5-8 –Point Guard – Fairfax Stars – Solid passer who sees floor… Attacks rim with good handle…Crossover and hesitation are effective
Alyssa Costigan –2022 –5-11—Guard – Vogues – Efficient shot from perimeter…Three point range…Runs floor well…Good passer who sees the court
Jadyn Donovan – 2023 – 5-11 – Forward – Lady Prime Marissa Coleman – Good size…Gets off the floor…Runs the floor well…Finishes at rim…Decent handle…Major upside
Jaidyn Harper – 2024 – 5-7 – Guard – Fairfax Stars – Moves well…Really attacks the rim…Finishes well from both sides…Plays hard consistently
Fiona Hastick –2022 – 5-11 – Forward – Vogues – Strong rebounder for size…Scores at rim and mid range… Efficient…Anticipates well on the glass
Zoraida Icabalceta – 2022 – 5-4 – Point Guard – VA Hurricanes — Plays hard on both ends of floor…Quick…Nice handle and shot…Competes to win
Paris Locke – 2023 – 6-0 – Guard/Forward – Fairfax Stars Baltimore – Strong build…Good size with power and mobility…Continues to improve…Bright future
Qadence Samuels – 2022 – 6-0 – Forward – Lady Prime Marissa Coleman – Lean and athletic…Good handles…Shot continues to evolve…Finishes around the rim…Potential is there with promise
Ameia Smith – 2024 – 6-1 – Forward – Fairfax Stars – Long with decent hands…Runs floor well…Continues to work and mature…Worth keeping an eye on
Laura Williams – 2024 – 5-11 – Forward – Fairfax Stars – Great size and strength for her age…Strong physically…Active and agile…Competes and gets after it
