PGH Triumph Region Kickoff: Day 1 Recap
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Last week, the Victory and Dynasty regions of the 2022 Prep Girls Hoops Circuit began their schedules with events in Chicago and Dallas, respectively. This week, two more Prep Girls Hoops Circuit regions began their campaigns – including the Triumph…
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Continue ReadingLast week, the Victory and Dynasty regions of the 2022 Prep Girls Hoops Circuit began their schedules with events in Chicago and Dallas, respectively.
This week, two more Prep Girls Hoops Circuit regions began their campaigns – including the Triumph Region which had its first of nine events at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
IMG Academy holds plenty of significance in women’s basketball. The central Florida campus was where the WNBA held its 2020 bubble season at the height of the pandemic and one of its alums is Arella Guirantes, currently with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Day one was filled with exciting matchups – and standout performances.
Niyah Stone – 2025 – Escambia HS – Team Passion 2024 – Stone proved to be rock solid in her team’s first matchup on Saturday morning against FGC Miracle Coral 2024 – a contest in which her team were victorious by a 47-18 margin. Stone scored early and often and managed a 15-point effort and she also managed to bolster Team Passion 2024’s rebounding efforts. She stands at 5-foot-11, the tallest player on the Team Passion 2024 roster, giving her a height advantage over many an adversary in the low post. She looks to be a name that will have plenty of Escambia Gators fans excited about what is in store in coming seasons.
Koiyah Long – 2024 – Pine Forest HS – Team Passion 2024 – Long began to establish herself as the game with FGC Miracle Coral went into its latter minutes. She brought plenty of energy to Team Passion 2024 on both offense and defense. If Long has the ball in transition, that is almost an assured two points. She is aggressive to the rim and plays with a fearless attitude. Long finished with 13 points in Team Passion 2024’s 47-18 win over FGC Miracle Coral 2024. She was an important piece to the puzzle in 2021-22 for the Eagles as they concluded the season with a 17-8 record and a berth in the 5A state semifinals.
Noelle Mengel – 2025 – Bloomingdale HS – Lady Flames 2023 – Mengel did not take long to set the tone for her Lady Flames 2023 squad as she began her team’s matchup with Q4 Elite 2024 by draining a couple of 3-pointers. She not only got the job done from downtown, but was also effective with attacking the rim and drawing contact. Mengel tallied 22 points to lead her team to victory. She knows when to score as well as when to pass and is skilled as a defender and ball handler. Mengel was the team captain for Burns Middle School’s first county title last season. She is fresh off a 2021-22 season that saw the Bulls finish 25-6 en route to a 6A-11 district championship and a berth in the state semifinals.
Shamari Jones Shamari Jones 5'8" | CG Sebring | 2024 State FL – 2024 – Sebring HS – Team All In 2023 – The high school team she plays for has blue in its logo – and its name. And she consistently has defenders feeling blue as potent a scorer as she is. She is a very efficient attacker of the rim and is not afraid to try her hand with the 3-point shot. If she gets fouled while driving to the basket, it is likely she will hit both of her free throw attempts or have a chance to finish an old fashioned 3-point play. Jones’ court vision enables her to make accurate passes to her teammates and she is tough to contend with on defense. Jones averaged 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game with the Blue Streaks.
Nellie Jackson – 2023 – George Jenkins HS – Team All In 2023 – Jackson recently completed her second season with the Eagles after transferring from out of state. With her ability to put points on the board – such as the 18 she dropped in a Team All In 2023 victory over Lady OTOD 2023 Blue, it was apparent to see how she found her footing on the team. Jackson can score from essentially anywhere on the court – including at the rim or from 3-point range. She is a consistent threat to steal the ball and go the other way with the rock. In addition, Jackson excels as a passer and a rebounder.
Saraphen Robinson Saraphen Robinson 5'6" | CG Mandarin | 2022 State FL – 2022 – Mandarin HS – Lady OTOD 2023 Blue – The grassroots circuit gives Robinson a great opportunity to finish her pre-collegiate career with an exclamation point. Whenever Robinson has the ball in her hands, said ball has a great chance of leaving her hands and going through the basket. If she does not have the ball in her hands, there is a chance that could change by forcing an opposing ball carrier into a turnover. Robinson is listed at 5-foot-7 and is adept in terms of finding open teammates. She assumed team captaincy duties for the Mustangs and is one of many notable names in the talent-rich First Coast.
Shaniya Jarrell – 2023 – Andrew Jackson HS – Lady OTOD 2023 Blue – Speaking of Mandarin, Jarrell previously played sported Mustangs green and orange before transferring to the Duval County magnet school that is the home of the Tigers. Jarrell played a great deal of timely and productive minutes in her team’s tightly contested matchup against Team All In 2023. She is confident in her 3-point shot and has no issues with drawing contact and coming up successful on her attempts at the free throw line. Jarrell finished with 11 points on Saturday morning in the matchup with Team All In 2023.
Riley Talbert Riley Talbert 5'9" | SG Bishop Kenny HS | 2024 State FL – 2024 – Bishop Kenny HS – First Coast Basketball Academy 2024 – The Crusaders are more than well-represented on this year’s rendition of First Coast Basketball Academy 2024 hoops. Seven players are from Bishop Kenny. Listed at 5-foot-9, Talbert can play as either a guard or as a wing. Her work on the glass, passing ability and defensive prowess all compliment what she gets done as a scorer. The 2021-22 season was Talbert’s first with the Crusaders after playing with Fernandina Beach as a freshman. Talbert tallied 10 points in First Coast Basketball Academy 2024’s win over Florida Lady Aces 2024.
Janise Respess – 2023 – Terry Parker HS – Lady OTOD 2023 Blue – Put some respect on Respess’ name. She is one of two Braves represented listed on the Lady OTOD 2023 Blue roster while she herself is listed height-wise at 5-foot-3. Respess is another timely scorer who adds rebounding abilities and a status as a ball hawk to her overall skillset. She also has no problems with drawing contact and giving her team plenty of opportunities at the free throw line. Respess finished with 11 points to aid her team’s efforts against in its contest with Team All In 2023 on Saturday.
Laketrice Peterson Laketrice Peterson 6'2" | CG Blanche Ely | 2024 State FL – 2024 – Blanche Ely HS – Team Knight 2023 3SSB – At 5-foot-10, Peterson provides quite the paint presence. She played an integral role in Team Knight 2023 3SSB’s blowout 63-26 victory over Lady OTOD 2023 Pink. She managed to convert on high-percentage shots and on one occasion went to the free throw line for attempts at the charity stripe. Peterson will also haul in rebounds, prove successful in many a battle on the boards and take advantage of an opponent’s miscues by getting them into turnovers. She finished with 10 points in her team’s emphatic victory. Peterson previously ran on the grassroots circuit with GT Queens 2024 before joining Team Knight 2023 3SSB.
Janessa Kelley Janessa Kelley 5'9" | SG Blanche Ely | 2024 State FL – 2024 – Blanch Ely HS – Team Knight 2023 3SSB – Kelley plays on a team that fittingly has Kelly green as one of its colors. She managed to put points on the board early and often in her team’s rout of Lady OTOD Pink 2023. Whether it was inside or behind the 3-point arc, once the ball left Kelley’s hands, the center of the rim was its destination. Her defense translates to to her corralling steals and getting out in transition. Kelley finished with 28 points to lead all scorers (including four triples) leading her team to the resounding victory. Out of those 28, 22 occurred in the first half.
Sophya Barreiro Sophya Barreiro 5'4" | CG Colonial | 2023 State FL – 2023 – Colonial HS – Team Knight 2023 – 3SSB – Sophya is so good, so reliable and so much of a pain for opposing teams and coaches. Not only did she put a good number of points on the board, she did so while staying out of foul trouble as she only had two personals called against her for the game. Barreiro possesses a 3-point shot as part of her offensive arsenal in addition to the ability to find open teammates. She presents as many benefits for her team on offense as she does on defense. With all of her damage coming in the first half of play against Lady OTOD Pink 2023, she scored 12 points.
Bryanna Griffiths Bryanna Griffiths 5'11" | PF Port Charlotte | 2023 State FL – 2023 – Port Charlotte HS – FGC Miracle Gold 2023 – Bry from the Class of 2023 has Pirates fans smiling with glee, you see. And a big reason for that is because Griffith’s scoring coupled with her rebounding make her a double-double threat on a game-by-game basis. One can watch Griffiths on the court and notice the development she has made over her years of playing basketball at the high school level. On many occasions, leaders lead by example and she did so when she led her team to victory over IMG National Spotlight by a final of 39-34 by virtue of her 16-point showing.
Analyse Rios – 2023 – Timber Creek HS – Nona Basketball Academy 2023 – The analysis of Analyse’s game starts with two words – she’s good. Rios presents plenty a problem for opposing coaches and opposing defenses as she combines attacking the rim with ball handling abilities and accuracy from behind the 3-point arc. She is also a two-sport athlete who has excelled as a flag football player throughout her time with the Wolves – and last year received an offer in the sport from the University of Saint Mary. Rios also can keep herself out of foul trouble. Her defense can force opponents into turnovers and those can turn into opportunities in the transition game.
Karimah Nix Karimah Nix 6'0" | SF Boca Ciega | 2022 State FL – 2022 – Boca Ciega HS – Grindhouse Elite Club 2023 – Your basketball team has a problem it needs to fix? Call on Nix. She is one of five representing a Pirates team that in 2021-22 was a 5A playoff team. She is also one of several on Grindhouse Elite Club 2023 that is an even six feet and she uses that height advantage to provide plenty of production near the rim. While having the height of a three, four or five – and the shot-blocking ability of a three, four or five her primary position is in the backcourt at guard. That is what one calls versatile. Nix came up big in her team’s hard-fought matchup with Nona Basketball Academy as she scored 10 points – including four at the free throw line.
Zebrielle Canaday – 2026 – Bellalago Charter Academy – Nona Basketball Academy 2025-1 – Canaday all day. As day one at IMG Academy neared its conclusion, her team managed to finish the Saturday in emphatic fashion via a dominant win. Canaday managed to score 16 points against FGC Miracle Aqua 2025 – including 10 dropped in the first half all via two-pointers. She is listed at 5-foot-1 and figures to be one to watch as she continues to rise up Florida’s high school basketball ranks. Canaday puts in plenty of time and effort and is already flourishing as a ball handler and attacker of the rim.
Mikayla Pittman – 2025 – Winter Park HS – Nona Basketball Academy 2025-1 – Pittman also played an integral role in that blowout victory. She added 13 points. The 5-foot-2 guard has also shown herself to be an adept distributor of the ball and someone whose tough defense can lead to her team retrieving an opponent’s turnovers. Pittman also steered clear of the referee’s whistle as she did not have any personal fouls called against her for the game. If a defender leaves Pittman open on the perimeter, that will likely be an extra three points for her team. She is a rising up-and-comer as part of a Wildcats 2021-22 rendition that finished with a 21-6 record.
Kayden Gause – 2026 – Chain Of Lakes – Nona Basketball Academy 2025-1 – Gause can help a team’s basketball cause. In similar fashion to her Nona teammate Pittman, she too finished one of Saturday’s final matchups without a foul called against her in her team’s emphatic win over FGC Miracle Aqua 2025. Gause tallied 14 points and those 14 were evenly split between the first and second halves with seven apiece. One can see the effort that Gause delivers on both the offensive and defends ends of the floor. Prior to wearing Nona Basketball Academy 2025-1 orange, she ran on the grassroots circuit with Orlando Basketball Club 14U.
Next week, the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee will provide a picturesque backdrop to the Triumph Region as the Knoxville Knockout takes place April 16-17. In addition, Oklahoma City will play host to the Battle in the Big Friendly from April 15-17 in the Dynasty Region and the Legacy Region’s next stop will be Waukesha, Wisconsin for the Race for the Legacy event.
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