Lady Gym Rats Invitational: 2022 & 2023 Prospects Of Note
This past weekend was the annual Lady Gym Rats Invitational in Fort Wayne, Indiana. While I primarily cover the state of Indiana, I was able to see the Michigan Crossover teams in 17U/16U/15U, Mac Irvin Lady Fire Godfather in 17U,…
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Continue ReadingThis past weekend was the annual Lady Gym Rats Invitational in Fort Wayne, Indiana. While I primarily cover the state of Indiana, I was able to see the Michigan Crossover teams in 17U/16U/15U, Mac Irvin Lady Fire Godfather in 17U, the WPA Bruins in 17U, and the Dayton Lady Hoopstars Premier 17U team. In this article, I wanted to highlight five ladies in the Classes of 2022 & 2023 who weren’t from Indiana but who stood out throughout the weekend. I have only seen each of them once, so these are literally my first impressions based on that performance.
Taylor Anderson, 2022, 5-7 W, Renaissance H.S. (MI), Michigan Crossover 15U
Taylor is a nice-looking young wing who can play both guard and forward some. She is a wiry strong athlete with a frame that should take on good strength over time. She is a solid athlete, she can attack the basket straight-line for scores, but she also looked like a capable outside shooter who is comfortable around the perimeter. She could stand to be a little quicker laterally and more dynamic changing directions with the dribble, but her skill and physical traits as a Freshman suggest she can develop into a nice Division-I prospect.
Rakiyah Beal, 2022, 5-11 W, Detroit Edison Public School Academy (MI), Michigan Crossover 15U
Rakiyah stands out from the moment you watch her team play. She’s extremely long, very athletic in all directions, bouncy too, and she flies around the floor. She is a point forward type of player who can handle the ball and create scoring opportunities in transition, and she’s equally effective in the half-court as a slasher who can glide by defenders, get to the basket with ease, and finish around the basket. I didn’t see her shoot many jumpers, so that’s an area of her game I still need to evaluate, but based on pure athletic talent, she has a chance to be a really nice college prospect. She is a little slender, so building strength should be at the top of her to-do list.
Madisen Wardell, 2022, 6-1 F, Detroit Edison Public School Academy (MI), Michigan Crossover 15U
Madisen is another really nice prospect on this younger Crossover team. She is a long, wiry strong athlete who moves well in most directions. She plays extremely hard, runs the floor well, and she’ll pursue rebounds outside of her area. Right now, skillfully, she is more of a true power forward. While she does possess talent, she needs some work on her offensive skillset, especially away from the basket. However, I think the combination of her talent and her work ethic on the floor will help her along the way, and I think she’s already a nice Division-I prospect.
Ruby Whitehorn, 2022, 6-0 W, Detroit Edison Public School Academy (MI), Michigan Crossover EYBL 16U
Ruby has already drawn a great deal of attention from both the press and college programs, and rightfully so. She is an extremely long and wiry wing, she’s very smooth, and she’s a mismatch for opposing teams. She is tremendous in the open floor, she effortlessly glides through defenses, and she can create for herself or others. She handles and passes it like a point guard, but defensively she’s probably more of a ‘2’ or a ‘3’ right now. She is a bit slender, but she’s already drawing High-Major Division-I interest/offers, so with just a little more strength, she should easily reach that next level. I think she’s an exciting prospect to watch, and I’ll be anxious to follow her development the next three years.
Samyiah Jefferson, 2023, 5-1 PG, Lincoln-King Academy (MI), Michigan Crossover 15U
I’m sitting there watching this Crossover team, not knowing who’s who, but I did notice Samyiah didn’t play until late in the first half. When she finally enters the game, she is quick/fast, dynamic with the ball, she’s hitting perimeter jumpers, attacking the basket and collapsing the defense, and she’s playing extremely feisty defensively. She might be short, but she’s strong for her age/height, she’s a really nice athlete, and she has a solid feel for the game. She is just a playmaker, she is disruptive at both ends of the floor, and she plays with great effort. The team they played against wasn’t very tall, so I would like to see her against a bigger, better team, but she seemed like a really nice ballplayer when I did see her, and she could be a handful in high school.