BROOKLYN, N.Y.—With the avalanche of middle school events that have seemingly come out of nowhere the last couple of years, it’s not too difficult to find plenty of basketball action even in the backstretch of varsity conference and league play.  Whether it’s scouting services, media or someone just tweeting, posting and sharing opinions, it’s much more efficient and economical to cover showcases than single 32 minute games.

When it comes to “economical” for the participants you have to hand it to Saladin Reese and Serious Hoops.  Their second event (the first occurred back in the fall featuring up and coming talent in the DC, Maryland and Virginia area) took to the floor in Brooklyn Sunday with a line-up of promising seventh and eighth grade programs who participated…are you ready for this…for free.  Yes, that’s right, a quality event, good talent and plenty of exposure opportunities for nothing.  A rare thing in the any athletic environment particularly the girls basketball landscape we call home these days.

The Serious Hoops New York – New Jersey Showcase featured 22 teams from a collection of clubs that have long standing histories of producing talent at the club, high school and collegiate level.  While we got to see the majority of the teams we did miss a couple including a promising New Jersey Sparks eighth grade team that had a few folks around the gym talking.  However, they and the others are all still very young and we’ll have plenty of opportunities to see them in action as time goes by.

While we always enjoy seeing the middle school standouts it’s a given that are many more yet to make a splash who will be major factors in the conversation before all is said and done with the 2022 and 2023 classes.  That being said, here are some of the standouts from Sunday’s event in NYC.  As always they’re listed alphabetically and we’re intentionally going to be a little vague with the height since those listed occasionally are fiction and at this age…they’re only going to grow!

Ron Austin – 2023 – NJ Lady Titans – Nice athlete with a solid build…More a swing player at this time…Sound ballhandling…Decent form…Played with effort…Has tools

Tyonna Bailey – 2023 – NY Hoopers…Active and athletic forward/wing…Good strength for age…Aggressive…Handles contact…Hesitation move sets up high post drive…Narrow base on shot but good form…Strong prospect

Aniyah Boston – 2023 – Exodus NYC – Physically strong…First step is there…Good speed with and without the ball…Cuts hard…Slashes well in traffic…Just scratching the surface

Kiley Capstraw – 2022 – New Jersey Belles – Nice combination of length and skills…Active without the ball…Showed some confidence with the it in her hands as well…Efficient in traffic…Passed well on the attack…Good awareness on the weakside defensively

Ally Carman – 2022 – NJ Shoreshots – Legit size and frame…6-4 at this point…Ability is there to run the floor and be a factor in transition…Posts hard with a target…Will need a wider base…Protects the ball on the catch…Has a developing hook she uses often…Lots of possibilities

Callie Chevalier – 2022 – NY Havoc – Guard with a little size for age…Plays with a good awareness…Ability is there to slash and create off the drive…Strong crossover…Active on ball defender 

Paris Clark – 2022 – Hoopers NY – Nice length at the guard spot…Quick and athletic…Active with solid individual skills to create…Plenty of speed with the ball…Makes her share of plays on the defensive end of the floor…Major upside

Aiyanna Culver – 2024 – New Heights – One of the few 2024’s on hand…Small but dynamic at this point…Ballhandling and passing are sharp for age…Lefty…Confidence is there with the ball in her hands…Watch

Kierah Delpeshe – 2023 – Positive Direction – Athletic and strong…Good individual skills…Can create her own looks and improve passing options…Pushed the ball at opportunity

Ashley DiCarlo – 2023 – NY Havoc – Wiry and small point…Solid ballskills…Demonstrated a good understanding of her role…Improved the opportunities of her teammates…Tools at the point

Mary Donnelly – 2022 – New Jersey Belles – Forward right now but showing some ballskills and attacking mentality…Solid build with a good first step…Quick move on the catch…Got on the offensive boards

Abbie Grace – 2022 – NY Havoc – Size and frame…True #4 at this point in time…Active around the rim…Gets on the glass…Quick outlet…Good understanding of the game but overthinks to a degree at times…Continues to show lots of possibilities

Kennedy Grady – 2022 – Brooklyn S.T.A.R.S. – Small but dynamic point guard…Sharp ballhandling and passing…Reads the floor well…Makes plays on the break or in halfcourt scenarios…Change of speed is there…Quick defensively 

Georgia Heine – 2022 – NJ Shoreshots – Nice size and build at the #2 or #3…Sound and effective ballhandling and passing…Gets out in transition with and without the ball…Lots of tools to add to down the road…Anticipates defensively

Gabrielle Hemenes – 2022 – Exodus NYC – Length and build catches your eye…Good agility and footspeed…Some ballhandling is there…Active on both ends of the court…Has the tools to be a force defensively and on the glass…Potential plus

Mikaela Hubbard – 2023 – New Jersey Sparks – Solid forward with some size for age…Got off the floor a bit…Can post and hold her ground…Evolving skills…Promising potential

Ariel Jackson – 2022 – Brooklyn S.T.A.R.S. – Strong and athletic guard…Explosive with the dribble…Acceleration is there off the move…Crossover is lethal…Sees the floor and can deliver passes in transition and the halfcourt…On the catch gets defenders out of their stance…Makes the players around her better at this point…Top tier prospect 

Brianna Jackson – 2023 – New Heights – Guard with physical tools…Lots of speed with the ball in her hands…Impressive individual skills…Ability to create…Made plays at both ends of the floor

Zhra King – 2023 – Exodus NYC – Athletic guard…Lefty…Lots of quickness and acceleration…Uses both change of speed and change of direction…Good body control in traffic…Physically strong…Impressive vertical

Morgan Lee – 2022 – Hoopers NY – Size, frame and build are there already…6-2 currently…Has moments…Moves well…Thoughts will evolve into reactions over time to smooth things out…Can run the floor…Lots of promise 

Hope Masonius – 2024 – New Jersey Belles – Showing some additional length…Ballhandling and vision serve her well at this young age…Reads off penetration…Hesitation move is effective…Can spot up with time…Lots of effort on both ends 

Ashley O’Connor – 2022 – NJ Shoreshots – Lean off guard…Plays with good instincts for age…Sound ballskills allow her to get into the paint…Pull up is there as well…Reads the floor defensively 

Paulina Paris – 2022 – Exodus NYC –  Ballhandling and passing skills are sharp and efficient…Good decisions in traffic…Not limited by slight build…Pushes from make, miss and turnover…Handles traffic on the break and off penetration…Form is there on her shot…Assertive defender 

Cierra Pearson – 2022 – NJ Lady Titans – Lefty point guard…Ballhandling is sharp…Can create to a degree…Lets the shots fly…Solid build with some skills to call upon…Choices will evolve with age

Gabriella Ross – 2023 – New Jersey Sparks – Athletic combo…Physically strong…Active on both ends of the floor…Lefthander…Attacking mentality at times…Assertive on ball defender

Angelica Valez – 2023 – Exodus NYC – Strong ballskills…Uses both hands…Mixes up her attack…Smart…Decent form on the shot…Used a floater a couple of times

Sarah Williams – 2022 – – Brooklyn S.T.A.R.S. – Size and build will catch your eye…Athleticism and strength are already in place…Agile…Keeps it high on the catch…Lots of things are still a thought rather than a reaction but only a matter of time…All the tools