Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational: Standouts in Games 1-4
32 teams from all over the US headed to the Tampa Bay Area for 3 games each co-hosted by Seffner Christian and SLAM! Tampa. I spent 12 hours on Friday and on Saturday covering 16 of those teams at the…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue Reading32 teams from all over the US headed to the Tampa Bay Area for 3 games each co-hosted by Seffner Christian and SLAM! Tampa. I spent 12 hours on Friday and on Saturday covering 16 of those teams at the host site of Seffner Christian. Teams came from all over Florida as well as: New Jersey, Kentucky, Ohio, Texas, Georgia, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Illinois, South Carolina, and even a team from Puerto Rico. In these first two days, the games have not disappointed one bit at the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational.
Here are some of the standout players and a short recap from Games 1 through 4 (St. Petersburg Beach Bracket) at Seffner Christian:
Game 1 – Saddle River Day (NJ) defeats Brooks DeBartolo (FL) 54-48
The first matchup of the tourney was a doozy! SR came into the game ranked as the number 12 team in NJ, and Brooks was ranked number 13 in FL. The game was tied after one quarter 18-18, but Saddle River used a strong second and third quarter to pull out to a 10 point lead after the third. Brooks brought it to within 2 points in the final minute, and had the ball with under 10 seconds left in a three point game but came up just short. Here are some standout players from Game 1:
Saddle River (28-3 last season)
Saniah Caldwell (2022) – She was the MVP of this game with 19 points (five 3’s), 8 rebounds, 8 steals, and 4 assists. I was even more impressed when I found out she’s only a sophomore on a team that has a very strong 2022 class. Saniah did everything well in this game from shooting the rock to making big plays when her team needed it.
Jordan Janowski (2020) – She is the only senior on this squad and is a tremendous leader for this team. Jordan finished with 11 points, 7 boards, 7 assists, and 5 steals. I was very impressed with how hard she played and took the ball to the hoop. She went 5 for 6 from the line in the fourth quarter to seal this one. Jordan will continue her basketball career at NYU after this season.
Cierra Pearson (2022) – Another strong Sophomore on this team who is a shifty lefty. She nearly posted a double-double with 8 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 steals.
Brooks DeBartolo (8-3)
Jaela Davis (2022) – She is one of the most athletic players in this entire tournament, and she showed that by leading her team with 14 points in a tough loss. Jaela started the game off slow with no points in the first quarter, but she kept them in the game the last three periods when the team was struggling.
Brionna McClinton (2021) – She might not get a lot of hype, but she’s a smart player who can put the ball in the hole. Bri had a strong first half and finished with 11 points in Game 2 of the day. She can score at every level, and knows where to be to benefit from her teammates play-making abilities.
Triniti Youngblood (2021) – She has been shooting the ball from the outside better in each game I’ve seen. Triniti is a tough one who can grind with the best of them. She had 10 in this one against a solid opponent.
Amarie Godwin (2021) – She finished with 8 points in this game after only having 2 free throw’s on the board in the first three quarters. Amarie’s shot was just a touch off, but she’s one of the best point guards in this event.
Game 2 – Florida Prep cruises past Marshall County (KY) 54-47
The Falcons of FL Prep jumped out to a 9-0 lead and ended the first quarter with a 17-9 advantage. After this, it was a pretty even game with the Marshals just not being able to get over the hump from the early minutes. Here are some standout players from Game 2:
Florida Prep (11-1)
Emma Risch (2023) – She is a top prospect in the Freshman class and she continues to show why. Emma scored 17 in the first round with 13 of those coming in the third quarter. She had three 3’s in the game to go along with 8 rebounds and 5 steals.
Paige McDonald (2022) – She posted a double-double in this game with 12 points and 11 boards. Paige dominated the first quarter with 8 points and used her length well. Her potential with the frame she has is sky high.
Alonya Waldon (2023) – Another young talent on this team, Alonya is a tough player. She had 12 points and 4 steals in an impressive win for the short-handed Falcons.
Marshall County (19-7 last season)
Cayson Conner (2021) – On a team with no seniors, Cayson is a fantastic leader for this young squad. She led them in scoring in the first round with 13 points (9-10 from the line). Cayson takes care of the ball well, gets to the rim, and facilitates a lot for this Kentucky team.
Halle Langhi (2022) – As the coaches daughter, there will always be some additional pressure to make your coach happy. Halle is a talented young post who has a bright future. I really enjoyed her game as she had 9 points and snags a lot of rebounds for the Lady Marshals.
Game 3 – Westlake (OH) handles business against Arlington Heights (TX) 57-40
The first and only first round game to feature two out of state teams was Game 3. Westlake dominated in the first and fourth quarters, and they were just too much for this Texas team. Here are some standout players from Game 3:
Westlake (8-2)
Gina Adams (2020) – She is one of the strongest and toughest players in this field. Gina scored 18 points while going 10 of 12 from the charity stripe. She finished strong at the rim, and has a solid frame that is hard to defend when you add in her IQ. Gina will continue her basketball career at IUP.
Abby Carrington (2020) – I’m not sure if she’s committed anywhere, but I imagine she has some offers. As another leader on this team, Abby and Gina make a lethal duo. Abby can score from all over with 15 points in their first game as a tall guard who knows the game.
Arlington Heights (15-2)
Ty’tiauna Graham (2020) – She scored 11 points in their opening round game with a couple of three’s and some crafty moves around the hoop. Ty’tiauna is one of the most athletic players in the tournament who really showed out, and had the crowd impressed.
Kiarra Henderson (2020) – She led her team with 13 points by getting to the line frequently. This team will go as far as their two senior guards can take them.
Game 4 – Spruce Creek holds on against Colegio Adianez (PR) 52-49
Spruce Creek had a dominant second quarter and entered the 4th quarter with an 11 point lead before Adianez got to within one possession with a minute and a half to go. They couldn’t convert in the final seconds, but they had a strong comeback performance that fell just short with 9 players in the scoring column. Here are some standout player from Game 4:
Spruce Creek (10-3)
Kaci Helmick (2020) – The Army commit carried her team with 22 points on 7 three pointers. She had a trey in every quarter and was on fire from deep. Kaci plays a physical game on both ends as a strong player with a great feel for the game.
Peryonna Sylvester (2020) – The North Florida commit is one of the best PG’s in the state, and she did a great job of taking care of the ball and getting to the hoop against a scrappy team from Puerto Rico. Peryonna had 10 points with some steals and assists on a recovering ankle.
Colegio Adianez (2nd year in tournament)
Alondra Grullon – She is a really fun guard to watch play the game. Alondra is a scrappy defender who has to average a ton of steals. She scored 7 points on a team that had no one in double digits, but 9 girls scored on their team.