Under The Radar juniors from Peggy Whitley Classic
Sometimes I catch players for the first time and wonder how I missed them and it can be for a variety of reasons. I didn’t have a roster after requesting one numerous times, the team didn’t play in any events…
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Continue ReadingSometimes I catch players for the first time and wonder how I missed them and it can be for a variety of reasons. I didn’t have a roster after requesting one numerous times, the team didn’t play in any events I covered or for some, they didn’t play in club ball and with the Houston area being so massive, I hadn’t caught their high school team. Several private school players that are now seniors have shown, most recently Nakeeya McCardell from Kinkaid, have not only shown me that they can play basketball at the next level but in her case, would be a PGH Top 100 plus kid had she not chose LACROSSE, but I’m sure she excels in that as well. Here are some of the UNKNOWN by many juniors from the Peggy Whitley Classic
Turiya ColemanTuriya Coleman-5’8 guard (CE King) when you make crisp passes off balance falling out of bound off-balance, think the Matrix, when you attack from everywhere and finish strongly over and over, when you see the floor and thread the needle again and again and when you’re powerful on both ends of the court, this sort of sums up Coleman and the only notes I wrote was “do it all guard” because her performance is embedded in my head. Oh, she committed to Oklahoma for softball, in the 8th grade
Alexis Claiborne-5’11 F (Clear Falls) she put on one of the best “clutch” scoring performances I saw at the event, her inside to way outside game was virtually unstoppable as she put her team on her back. Good frame, hands, and footwork made her hard to handle in the paint and that stroke was on from mid to long-range consistently. She also rebounded and defended well
Jermia GreenJermia Green-5’6 PG (Clear Springs) powerful from the one, she attacks the basket relentlessly and finishes with flair. Her body control is among the best in the area, she can do so many things on the offensive end that she’s almost unstoppable at times but her unselfishness and ability to run the team are among her strong points as well. Her defense, she’s on it, constantly and her quick hands lead to baskets going the other way
Amber WilliamsAmber Williams-5’8 G (Cy Springs) was in the zone in one of her games shooting over 60% and scoring almost half of her team’s points but her progression over the years is what please me. I caught her in the 7th grade and I see the improvement as she’s gone from just an outside scoring threat to a player that can attack and hit the open man off the dribble. She rebounds well from the guard spot and still has upside
Kamari Portalis
Kamari Portalis-5’6 G (Magnolia West) she has to be among the top long-ball threats in the area, she’s another young lady I caught and middle school and even back then, she was a gamer. Big plays are common and she makes them in the clutch and watching her complete a four-point play for a win told me a lot back then. She’s strong, defends and handles the ball well
Raven AdamsRaven Adams-G (Ridgepoint) the game has and always will start at the one and with so many variations of point guards, their main job is to be “the coach on the floor” which means making the right plays, control the tempo but the icing on the cake is when you make those around you better. As a fifth-grader, I said she was D1 player, offers are on the table so the UTR doesn’t really fit but then again it does because she gets the ball to the right people at the right time and can score, off the dribble or outside the gym
Da’Nae Williams-5’5 G (Shadow Creek) plays bigger than her size and she falls into that “never takes a play off” category. Her heat on defense makes me perspire at times, she brings it but more importantly, she plays within herself and understands her role