2019 PassTha Ball’s #TheSouth HS Tip Sheet
DALANNA CARTER & ASHLYN JONES (defending)
HOUSTON, TEXAS- The high school edition of PassThaBall’s #TheSouth featured many established players I’ve seen many times over and over and knew they were going to be “in the mix” when they were young. I wrote about Ashlyn Jones years ago, taking a hard lick and appeared to be out only to come back in and drop a 3 to win it, yeah I remember, or Gia Adams as a freshman who looked familiar blowing by defenders and nailing jumpers later realizing I had already seen her in middle school doing the same thing and how about Mariah Smith, caught her in the 5th grade at a Ganon Baker Camp and recently mentioned she’d be a LEGITIMATE Top 100 player in Texas, she’s from Oklahoma, but I don’t have an agenda, other than always saying I was right, that’s because I am, and I definitely don’t play games or politics nor am I involved in any cliques, but in this era, that’s a lost art. Here’s the story on ’20 Mariiah and ’22 Destiny and their talented younger siblings as well as the other HS players from the camp read more
2020
Kailyn Peters-5’9 G-mid to long range was nice, very nice as I saw that during the one on one and three on three drills however game time, she showed even more and that step back was working as she understood when to use it and did a good job creating her shot off the dribble
GIA ADAMS
2021
Gia Adams-5’6 PG-one of the best guards in her class, not only in Houston but in the state as I’m adding her to the Texas 2021 Top 100. She’s explosive off the dribble and explodes on her pull-up and that’s in transition as she scores from all over, that includes the long ball and on top of that, she mans up baseline to baseline
Ashlyn Jones-6’0 F- athleticism through the roof and sometimes it appears she can touch that same roof because her elevation, hang time and body control, while in control, is second to none. She sets defenders up with her first step and she blows my many with ease but she can nail the mid to long but what she also brings to the table is playing the passing lane as good as anyone
2022
Melissa Hornedo-4’11 PG-what’s my saying, hopefully you all are getting this but #sizedontmatter when you can play and as simple as I put things, many won’t get it but she does because she’s heady, poised and just gets it. On top of that she defends well, not just at her size, but period and watching her shoot the midrange with ease was something to see
Ro’Miya Hopkins-5’8 PF-strong body and loves physicality, be it giving or taking and the whole things boils down to “she actually enjoys it” and that’s being in the mix. Watching her battle in the paint offensively and defensively as well as on the boards, her energy level stayed the same and so did her desire
AARIANNA MASTERS & KAHLAYN BARNES (defending)
2023
Mia Galbraith-5’10 G- showed she wasn’t an “urban legend” and was recently added to 2023 Watch List so once again, long and athletic is always a great starting point, but her ability to take defenders smoothly either for a layup or the “stop and pop” was impressive. More than anything, her poise plays a huge part in what she’ll become, hard to contain
Kayan Bass-5’9 G-change of direction in the open court being guarded is a great tool to have, especially when you’re under control and going full speed but her creativity to get her shot off from multiple spots , not to mention dropping the midrange with a hand in her face as well as attacking from the wing gives her multiple options
Dalanna Carter-5’5 PG-maybe the youngest player, definitely one of, I ever called a #D1Lock, 4th grade I’m thinking and just watching her score and go by players 3 or 4 years older, that could play, was something to see and guess what, nothing has changed as her explosiveness and ability to score will have her putting up numbers immediately in HS
Taylor Haggan-5’10 F-power in the paint always impresses me especially when you score with 2 players literally hanging on you multiple times. Just added to the WATCH LIST, she has a huge upside because certain things you can’t teach and effort is one of them as she won’t back done and keeps coming back
Micah Vaughn—5’11 F-her physique is definitely a huge plus as she can over smaller defenders, well taller ones too. Attacks so strong off the dribble and finishes stronger but she also creates her shot and hits the midrange. If that’s not enough, her defense and ability to block shots has her ceiling roofless
Molly Beavers-5’10 F-okay she’s strong and physical, plus she’s athletic and when she attacks, it’s powerful like her finishes, with contact. Good rebounder and she understands how to create her shot outside which gives her several advantages since she can shoot the midrange which she elevates and extends to get it off
TOBI ADEMUWAGUN & ABBIE BOUTILIER (defending)
Neveah Craft-5’3 PG- good BB-IQ and plays within herself which means a lot of things because she has that extra turbo to blow by defenders in the open court, she sees the floor and hits teammates going full speed, on the money and if that’s not enough, she understands how to control tempo. To keep defenses honest, she drops the 3 ball
Aarianna Masters-5’7 G- didn’t call her a D1 Lock the first sighting or sighting 3 years ago but I knew she was going to play somewhere because she had heart, you can’t teach that. Now, I’m not only calling her a #D1Lock but she will have options to play many places, quote, archive this or whatever, the jumps each year coupled with her mindset…….
Abbie Boutilier-6’7 P- nowhere near the finished product but she is definitely coming alone. Primarily a shot rebounder and shot blocker and rebounder, she showed some offensive skills not only with her back to the basket but facing the basket as well. Her upside is tremendous and she will go as high as she desires and the progression she continues to show speaks volumes
Tobi Ademuwagun-5’9 F- I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written about explosiveness but her explosiveness is off the ground which enables her to not only rebound over taller players in the paint but score on them as well. She won’t be outworked; she battles and she also defends well
Kahlayn Barnes-5’7 G- recently added to 2023 Watch List, that was after watching her a couple of minutes at the TSU camp, but the performance she put on over the weekend falls into my saying, “I’m always right”. Scores multiple ways and in the flow, plays hard defense and her upside hasn’t been tapped
Aniyah Sanford-5’3 PG- recently added to Watch List and not because I’ve watched her for 4 or 5 years keep getting better, putting in work and playing within herself. She’s a heady player, that means she thinks the game and makes good decisions and the game starts at the one and when you fall into that #sizedontmatter, with her it doesn’t because she can play. Her poise has always impressed me, outside shot keeps getting deeper and her court vision was on, what else, point