WEST DEPTFORD, N.J.—Over 40 Teams from seven states gathered in West Deptford, N.J. for a pre-viewing period tune-up. The event enabled teams to find out what talent they had and how that talent would perform under some early pressure. Some of the Quick Hitters below also attended the USJN East Coast Classic. Several players performed well in both event, however only one evaluation was written on a specific player.
USJN Qualifier-East
2015
Taylor Murray (5-7 – Point Guard -Philadelphia Belles Nike- Flynn) – Big time D-1 recruit…Quick first step…Advances the ball faster than most players and she keeps everything under control
Cecily Carl (6-3 – Forward – Mid Penn Motion)…Size…Athleticism…Aggressive both offensively and defensively
2016
Alisha Kebbe (5-11 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles Nike- Burbidge) – Very strong at the basket…Runs the floor to score…Good anticipation defensively
Kelly Campbell (5-6 – Point Guard – Philadelphia Belles Nike- Burbidge) – Works hard…All around guard…Handles the ball and the offense with confidence
Kelly Jekot (6-1 – Guard – PA Comets Shields) – A big time D-1 recruit…Versatile…Savvy and has the ability to carry a team but is smart enough to know when she doesn’t have to
Bailey Greenberg (6-0 – Guard – PA Comets Shields) – Long and lean…Good jump shot range and finishes at the hoop
Blair Watson (5-11, Guard – NJ Panthers White) – All around game can score in many different ways.
2017
Andra Hunter-Espinosa (6-0 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles Nike- Hilf) – A few bricks shy of a load…Has all the tools…Quick release…No limit on her range…Quick first step and gets to the hoop…Oh yeah and she plays defense…Watch out for this one!
Danielle Patterson (6-1 – Forward – Philadelphia Belles Nike- Hilf) – Prototype D-1 body…Quick first step…Dangerous in the post…Soft touch on her short range jump shot…Special
Christina DiCindio (6-2 – Forward – NJ Central Jersey Hawks- Dipillo) – Size and athleticism with skills other than a typical post player…Plays hard and attacks the basket
Jasmin Watson (5-7 – Point Guard – NJ Central Jersey Hawks- Dipillo) – All the point guard tools…Handles the ball against pressure…Keeps her head up at all time…Delivers the ball and can score from everywhere…This one, along with her team mate Christina DiCindio will be on our radar all summer
Danielle Rinaldi (5-4 – Guard – NJ Panthers) – Very good ball skills…Tough in traffic…Makes things go
Chyna Latimer (5-11 – Forward – MD Maryland Belles) – Athletic and fast – Quick off her feet…Face up game
Leah Gizzy (6-0 – Guard – MD Maryland Belles) – Lanky with skills…Big upside…Understands the game
2018
Shaileen Woods (5-6 – Point Guard – VA Fairfax Stars Premier) – Natural Leader…Attacks the basket…Developing her perimeter game is the 2014 focus
Tori Hyduke (5-4 – Point Guard – NJ Central Jersey Hawks- Martorelli) – Quick…Efficient…Reads the defense and floor well
Caroline Hertz (5-10 – Guard/Forward – Philadelphia Belles- Gredzinski) – An abundance of potential…Works hard…Knows where the hoop is and gets the ball there…Has work to do in the ball handling department
2019
Olivia Tucker (5-9 – Guard – PA Philadelphia Belles- Woodall) – Plays aggressive…Smart…Unlimited perimeter range with no conscience….If she develops a quick first step she could become a top level scorer.
USJN East Coast Classic – Washington DC.
The USJN East Coast Classic gave 37 teams from five states an alternative to perform for college coaches away from the vast 300 team battlefields that have become the standard of the spring viewing period.
2015
Bre Jefferson (5-5 – Guard – VA Blue Star United) – Controls tempo…Goes hard to the basket with finish…Leader…Reads the floor
Meghan Comer (5-8 – Guard – VA Blue Star United) – All around player…Gets to the basket…Rebounds well and plays bigger than she is
Keturah Barbour (6-0 – Forward – VA Blue Star United) – Rebounds anything that comes near her…Can score in the post…Solid post technique
Lauren Alger (5-8 – Guard – VA Nova Warriors) – Shooter with good perimeter range – Goes hard to the basket…Needs some work on getting to the hoop right-handed
2017
Kaila Jennings (5-7 – Guard – MD Maryland Belles) – Efficient and fast with the ball…Can score from anywhere…Part of an up and coming, dynamic backcourt
Kayla Bacon (5-8 – Guard – MD Maryland Belles) – Rangy…Scorer’s mentality…Runs the floor looking to score…Potential is there
Brianna Love (5-7 – Guard – NJ Central Jersey Hawks- Dipillo) – Solid and strong – Plays in spurts but when in her go mode definitely finds the hoop
Nina Gill (5-9, Guard/Forward – NY Lady Frenji) – Length and a handle – Good in post when she needs to be there – Gets to the foul line
2018
Trinity Sumrall (5-3 – Guard – Philadelphia Belles- Gredzinski) – Handles the ball – Runs the offense…Can get to the basket quickly…Needs work on finishing
Devon Adams (6-0, Forward – PA Philadelphia Belles- Gredzinski) – Needs work, especially in technique and footwork but she definitely knows where the basket is.
Lexi Weger (6-2 – Forward – VA Vogues) – Has the body type…Needs to build strength and start putting a tool bag together
Lizzie Heier (6-2 – Forward – VA Vogues) – Athletic – Has touch on her shot…Needs ball handling, footwork and technique work
2019
Khyala Mitchell (5-6 – Guard – MD Maryland Belles) – Deep range on her jump shot – Scores in bunches in a multitude of ways
Makayla Daniels (5-5 – Guard – MD Maryland Belles) – Fast and attacks the basket…Runs the floor…Look out for this one
Taylor Geiman (5-11 – Forward – MD Maryland Belles) – Size and athletic – Tremendous upside and potential
Lauren Lane (5-3 – Point Guard – Philadelphia Belles- Woodall) – Very patient and confident with the ball in her hands…Smart…Quiet leader…Should look to score more
Joe Costa has been with Blue Star for 13 years now serving as a National Evaluator and Director of the Rising Blue Star program. Coaching the Pittsburgh Rockers for over 10 years; he helped produce two national championships and over 75 scholarship student athletes. Additionally Costa has coached both girls and boys on the high school & collegiate levels plus served as a floor coach for several Nike All American Camps and Skills Academies. He currently resides in Savannah, Georgia.
