CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Jasmine Lumpkin of the Mac Irvin Fire 17U Godfather team had an eventful week.
The highlight was making a verbal commitment to play at Michigan State starting in the 2014-15 season. But that decision doesn’t figure to have much of an impact on what’s ahead for her this summer during the club season.
“It doesn’t change my focus at all because there’s always room for improvement, so I want to get better and work on my game,” said Lumpkin after her Fire team advanced to Sunday’s Final Four in the 17/16U bracket at USJN’s 11th annual MidAmerica Challenge. “And then just having fun with my teammates, getting them involved and winning with my team.”
Lumpkin is a versatile 5-foot-11 guard/wing who figures to play the three in college. She is rated 89th nationally by Blue Star Basketball in the junior class. On Tuesday, she chose the Spartans over Louisville and Purdue.
“It’s a big stress relief that I don’t have to worry about the big college decision anymore,” Lumpkin said. “I’m just out here playing, having fun and staying focused.
“It was a really hard decision, but I think what won me over was my relationship with the (Michigan State) coaches. I have a strong relationship with them. They’re really supportive.”
Lumpkin last winter averaged 19 points and 13 rebounds for Joliet Catholic. She spent her first two high school seasons at Lombard Montini, which claimed consecutive Class 3A state titles.
Lumpkin is playing her first season with the Fire, having played for the Bolingbrook Panthers 16U team last summer.
“Mac’s a really good coach, he pushes me, and it’s a really competitive team and we really get after it,” Lumpkin said. “I enjoy that as well. It’s fun playing with a whole bunch of talented athletes.”
The Fire enjoyed themselves on Day 1 of the MidAmerica Challenge, winning Pool C and advancing to face the Spiece Indy Gym Rats 17 Silver squad in Sunday’s playoff round. The winner will face off against Illinois Midwest Elite 17 Platinum or Illinois Dream Team 17 for the title of Pools A-D.
The 189-team event attracted coaches from more than 35 schools along with two national scouting services.
Cera certain about her future
While Lumpkin’s commitment is just a few days old, Breanna Cera of the Wisconsin ABC Knights has had plenty of time to let her verbal commitment sink in. And she just finished her freshman season.
Cera picked Wisconsin-Green Bay shortly after receiving a scholarship offer from the Phoenix following her eighth-grade season.
“It was definitely a surprise,” said Cera of the scholarship offer. “I had visited there a couple times and went to their camps. I really liked the coaching staff, and I like what they’re about, how they emphasize defense and I’m about defense too. I really like the campus, it’s just nice and kinda quiet. And I like the Resch (Center), it’s a really nice facility.”
Cera fashioned a solid freshman season, averaging 10 points a game and shooting nearly 49 percent from three-point range as her Mukwonago (Wis.) team reached the state title game before falling to Milwaukee Riverside.
Making the decision to get her college future settled sooner rather than later has allowed her some peace of mind.
“It took a lot of pressure off of me, so that was a determining factor,” she said. “And I visited some other schools, and I just didn’t really feel the same way as I did when I was at Green Bay, so I knew it was the place for me.”
Hankins takes aim at mental game
Ask Jordan Hankins of Indiana Family 17 about her targets of improvement for the club season, and she mentions her ballhandling. And then she quickly adds a segment of any player’s game that doesn’t go overlooked by the ever-watching eyes of the college coaches in attendance.
“Being a good teammate,” Hankins said, “and maintaining a good attitude the whole game, even when I make a mistake or my teammate makes a mistake, being there to cheer them up.”
Hankins certainly possesses many of the tangible qualities to make herself stand out. Rated 46th in the Class of 2015 by Blue Star, the 5-foot-6 guard from Indianapolis’ Lawrence North High School can affect a game in numerous ways on both ends of the court. She had plenty of room to shine Saturday, as her highly touted teammate, Ana Owens (No. 73 in the Class of 2014) didn’t make the trip.
Champaign’s McCoy gets the call
Tori McCoy of the Central Illinois Storm 17 was playing Saturday in her hometown. But she’s headed on a plane in a few days for an important engagement in Colorado.
McCoy is one of 33 players who received invites to participate in trials for the U.S. U16 National Team in Colorado Springs, Colo., starting Thursday. Weekend workouts will determine the U.S. team for the 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship slated for June 19-23 in Cancun, Mexico.
McCoy, though highly rated by national scouting services, said she was shocked to receive the letter from USA Basketball inviting her to attend.
“I was like, ‘USA, USA,’ is that like for the Olympics?’” she said to her parents.
Well, yes, sort of.
“I was so excited,” McCoy said.
The 6-4 post from the Class of 2016 helped her Champaign St. Thomas More team reach the state title game last winter, relying on her relentlessness inside while displaying perimeter skills that make her a unique combo. She’s hoping to show the powers-that-be in USA Basketball that rare mixture.
“Just relax, calm myself down and play my type of game,” McCoy said.
Faith Suggs of the Illinois Dream Team and Kysre Gondrezick of the Midwest Elite, both of whom are competing in the MidAmerica Challenge, also will be part of the trials.
Skylar’s the limit for this group
The best team name at the MidAmerica Challenge: Skylar Diggins Elite 13. The team is based in Diggins’ hometown of South Bend, Ind., and is affiliated with Maurice Scott, Diggins’ stepfather, who has run The Soldiers program in that area for several years.
“We started out as a Sky Diggs Elite team not knowing ultimately, was she going to sign with adidas, was she going with Nike?” coach Shawn Sullivan said, of Diggins’ endorsement deal that was recently signed. “We didn’t know all that stuff. She ultimately went with Nike. But Mo Scott, her (stepfather), had already signed with adidas. So we’re Sky Diggs Elite, we’re adidas, and I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m guessing we’re going to be a Nike team in the fall.”
Like Diggins, her namesake is used to winning. The Skylar Diggins Elite went 2-0 in pool play Saturday.
