2020 Pass Tha Ball #Select40 Houston HS Tip Sheet
HOUSTON, Texas- It took me a minute to get going on this one, the talent was amazing and what I loved even more than the new talent I caught was that the ones I already knew are progressing. Okay the new faces brightened my day too, especially since is so big and parents let others control what’s best for their kids but always remember, there is so much pettiness out here that you just wouldn’t believe, and being a dad that went through it, that and the political nonsense from some national evaluators, I have no agenda and my daughter is a WNBA player, I give facts not nonsense and here are some facts on players from a #RealEvaluator
2021
Crystal Smith-5’8 Combo (Tompkins HS) Cy Fair Elite 17U
Smith’s explosiveness off the dribble is one of her biggest assets as she can take defenders with either hand and finish the same way, with either hand, after contact but she mixes it up nicely with a nice stop and pop in transition or showing the “flota” and yes, she can shoot the mid to long-range effectively
Rori Harmon-5’6 PG (Cypress Creek HS) Cy Fair Premier
Harmon’s patented crossover was on full display as she gets defenders leaning and just blows by them but her body control and ability to finish with contact is something to see as well as her “no looks” on the money for assists. I called her a #D1Lock in the 5th grade, she’s taking the show to Texas
Jada Malone-6’4 P/F C (The Village School) Cy Fair Premier
Malone’s work ethic coupled with her size is partly why I have her at the top of her class in Texas because when you throw in mindset and desire as well as the upside, trust me she will be an even better player at Texas A&M because I’ve seen her go from just a back to the basket player to a legitimate face the basket scorer
Parker Burris-5’4 G (Clear Brook HS) Lateral Athletics/Lady Storm
Burris showed she could push the ball in traffic after outrebounding taller opponents but that effort that she puts out is something you can’t teach and while she was pushing it she also saw the floor nicely and showed she could make the right pass or keep it and attack the rim, that “floata” was nice
Brianna Richardson 5’7 G (Stafford HS)
Richardson attacked the rim and used her athleticism nicely-getting there but she also showed she could finish with power over and over and seeing her do the same thing in the open court, as well as create her shot under pressure and make it was nice
Arieona Rosborough-5’8 CG (Southwest Christian HS) Pro Skills
Rosborough was added to the Top 100 in the recent update, I hadn’t seen her in a couple of years but she definitely put on an offensive show with the pull-up jumper from mid to long-range as well as attacking the basket and that turnaround jumper was one of the highlights, I’m hoping someone caught
Arielle Rosborough-5’7 CG (Southwest Christian HS) Pro Skills
Rosborough showed that hard-nosed defense that she brings every time she steps on the court but when you add she rebounds well, on both ends of the court and better yet, against taller opponents, her desire is just over top the top but that was already there, her midrange game and creating her shot has definitely added more to her skillset
Eliza Lehmann-5’5 CG (Tomball HS) Shooting Starz
Lehaman showed a number of things offensively but creating her shot over and over under pressure was one of the best especially since she made the shot but she also showed she isn’t one dimensional as she attacked the basket numerous times and finished after contact
2022
Khady Samb-6’0 PF (Westside HS)
Samb is coming into her own in so many ways as I can see more confidence in her shot as well as more ways to get it off. She rebounded strong, well she always has so she rebounded stronger and by that, I mean with authority on both ends of the court and she also defended well inside the paint
Noel Warrior-5’7 PG (Casady College Prep) RV Heat
Warrior was just that, a warrior as she showed a variety of offensive skills starting in the drills and kept it going in the games but she created her shot, under pressure and showed the pull-up jumper numerous times and when you combine her athleticism which enabled her to attack the rim…
Kolby Davis-5’8 G (The Kinkaid HS) Houston United 2022 Gold
Davis continues to make strides in her game as she has become more vocal as well as showing leadership qualities at running the one but she can switch to the combo just like that because that midrange has become even more solid. When you add how powerful she is on the attack as well as rebounding on both ends plus that pressure defense speaks volumes
Erika Guy-6’1 P (North Shore HS) Lateral Athletics Lady Storm
Guy’s upside is intriguing because of her size and mobility. She has good hands and footwork, showed she could finish as well as rebound, on both ends of the court but she also runs the floor on both ends and did a good job defending in the paint and at 73 inches with a nice wingspan……
Alyssa Ruiz-5’3 SG (Robert E Lee) Cy Fair Elite
Ruiz has been on my radar since she was in elementary school and one thing that put her there was “she played within herself” and that was big back then and even bigger now as she understands how to get hers in the flow as well as be an asset without scoring but her mid to long-range continues to be effective
Aubrey Casteel-6’2 P (Pasadena Memorial) Cy Fair Elite
Casteel is one of those players I made a special trip to see she moved to Texas and she made a Tip Sheet because of her size, mobility, and skill set. Fast forward to now, she’s solid in the paint showing a variety of moves which enable her to finish but she also can face the basket and score and when you add she’s a good rebounder to the equation, there it is
Nya Threatt-5’4 PG (Dulles HS) Texas Flight
Threatt rhymes with treat yet she’s still a threat on the court as she came back from an injury even better but I always liked the fact that she did things instinctively, that’s something you can’t teach as well as her BB-IQ which is another so watching her dismantle defenders with the “HEZ” as well as the jumper has always been nice. She handles the ball and sees the floor
Bree Casey-5’8 SG (Homeschool) Austin Elite
Casey attacked the basket well and showed she could create her shot while being guarded tightly but she rebounded strongly against taller players and did a good job defending baseline to baseline as well as in the half-court
Sydney Ward-6’0 SF (The Village School) Cy Fair Premier
Ward was impressive the first time I saw her even if I had the number wrong yet the second time, I got it right and I’ve been right ever since as she continues to elevate her game, yeah she’s long and athletic, yeah she plays the passing lane but the maturity and mindset of understanding she can take over game on either end. The mid to long-range, the attacking the basket, yes, yes, and yes
Kendall Brown-5’6 G (Dobie HS) Houston United 2022
Brown created her shot well and showed the pull-up jumper which she converted numerous times but her ability to create also enabled her to take defenders off the dribble several times, good ballhandler, solid upside
Destiny Smith-5’7 G (Edison HS OK) Woodz Elite
Smith has an array of offensive skills but that jumper was falling as if she was playing around the world with herself, I think I used that same line about her older sister Mariah a few times but Destiny understands how to set defenders up for that jumper or just attack them strongly and her ability to finish after contact was one of the best at the event
Jazmyn Jackson-5’6 CG (Braeswell HS) DFW Elite
Jackson was on fire and she did it so well, I knew she was legit and I immediately added her to the Top 100 but that pull-up in transition going full speed is still embedded in my memory, and watching her dance with the ball to set defenders up in the half-court needed only a tune and some lyrics, “you can’t stop me” would be appropriate
Amanda Crowninshield-5’3 PG Bridgeland HS (Houston United 2022 Gold)
Crowninshield impressed me in middle school with her poise and basketball IQ, that’s even more impressive now as she just doesn’t get flustered, she can run the offense in the half-court, she can push the ball but she sees the floor very well and if it isn’t there, she can knock the mid to very long-range down consistently
Kaylie Johnson-5’5 G (Dulles HS)
Johnson attacks the rim strong, very strong I might add and she creates off the dribble to do it but she can also take the outside shot as well and her form is nice, so is the accuracy of her shots but her ball0handling and seeing the floor was solid as well
Biraniece Jones-5’4 G (Jersey Village HS) Houston United
Jones is very athletic and loves to defend in fact she was one of the top defensive guards at the event but she also uses her athleticism on the other end and that’s taking defenders off the dribble and finishing strongly
2023
Tobi Ademywagun-5’10 P/W (Team Spaz)
Ademywagun is long and athletic, yes that is the base and her body is strong and she attacks the rim with power but she does other things powerfully as well, like rebounding and blocked shots but she also showed she could defend as well as hit the midrange but with length and power, her upside is definitely a bonus
Jorynn Ross-6’2 P (John Cooper HS) Cy Fair Premier
Ross keeps showing progression every time I catch her and she too still has plenty of upside and when you factor in what she’s able to do now at 74 inches and how she just shows that desire when she battles for rebounds, it’s somewhat scary at the possibilities that are waiting but she has good hands and footwork and she finishes
Kierra Merchant-5’10 G (Spring HS) Cy Fair Premier
Merchant has taken off, not just when she elevates or glides to the basket, her whole game has taken off into a new transformation because she was already good, she was already long and athletic and she could already shoot it but I left out taking defenders with ease because it’s even easier as she understands how to set them up better
Peyton Friermuth-5’8 G (Westlake HS) Cy Fair Premier
Friermuth is just one of those players you better guard before she crosses half court because she has a gamer’s mentality and can just hurt you so many ways and that’s seeing the floor, she makes the right pas to the right person at the right time, she creates her shot under pressure, from mid to long-range and she can also catch and shoot it
Neveah Craft-5’3 PG (Westfield HS)
Craft was crafty with the ball as she set defenders up either to blow by them with that deceptive first step or just using solid fakes or a slight hesitation to get them off-balance, nevertheless, she’s athletic and creates whatever shot she wants and if she decides to settle for the pull-up, she can make it
Riley McCloskey-5’4 PG (Memorial HS) Just Play Elite
McCloskey is just turning the volume up throwing bullets on the money, with either hand and if you don’t think that’s impressive, think again as I foresee hearing make her go left, no make her go right, no just stop her in the near future but it also helps eliminate the double team but her BB-IQ, ability to attack and finish as well as knocking does the outside shots just stood out
Aniyah Sanford-5’4 PG (Langham Creek HS) Houston United
Sanford is another of the area top PG’s, in any class and not only does she play within herself, she continues to add more to her skillset but that poise and understanding how to run an offense was there from day 1 yet she makes those around her better in so many ways yet she understands she can score when needed and that’s from attacking to dropping the deep ones
Abigail Tomaski-6’0 SG/SF (Memorial HS) Just Play Elite
Tomaski just keeps me smh for a number of reasons as she continues to elevate her game, elevate over defenders, and tomorrow she will elevate over many on PGH Texas Top 100. She has been a nightmare to defend all club season and that’s from creating her shot for the mid to long or taking defenders to the basket but
2024
Nicolette Polocheck-6’0 P (Memorial HS) Just Play Elite
Polocheck continues to make strides as well as her presence being felt inside the paint where she punishes on both ends of the court. She rebounds with authority and finishes with players hanging her, yes plural but I also love the way she has started to step out and defend as well as knock the midrange down which will make her more of a threat
Aaliyah Smith-6’2 P/PF (Edison HS OK) Can’t Stop Just
Smith is athletic and can do so many things outside of the paint, like shoot the mid to long-range right now that her upside coupled with her size is kind of scary. Yes, she punishes in the paint and rebounds on both ends but watching her ignite the break with an outlet, outrunning everyone, and finishing on the same play speaks volumes
Ma’Riya Vincent-5’10 G (Jersey Village HS) Texas Flight
Vincent was worth the Price of admission and she falls into that “long and athletic” category and watching her energy got me going as she played the passing lane from various angles and just brings so much heat that her upside is just mind-boggling but hold on, she attacks the basket hard and already has a pull-up JUMPER
Emelia Casteel-5’5 CG (Pasadena Memorial) Cy Fair Elite
Casteel is a heady guard that plays within herself yet finds ways to help her team that may not necessarily show up on a score sheet but her understanding of the game, her ballhandling, her seeing the floor, and ability to create her shot combined with her desire to defend, yes she loves doing that, tells me a lot
Morgan Crockett-5’3 PG (Cypress Woods HS)
Crockett doesn’t need Tubbs as she attacks the basket fiercely and that’s because she understands how to create her shot under pressure but she understands a lot more, like playing the passing lane as well as applying tough defense but her ballhandling was very good and she already has a nice crossover that is one of her “go-to” moves
Jade Williams-5’8 CG (Huffman Hargrave HS) Cy Fair Elite 15U Bush
Williams is making the transformation into what I saw coming years ago and mostly what she needed was confidence in herself to know she could go, even though I said it but nevertheless, she gets it now and she’s applying it, after all, she is long and athletic, can jump, has good timing, finishes off the dribble and can score from outside
Torran Deterville-5’7 G (Summer Creek HS) Houston Skyrise
Deterville was an offensive machine in the 5th grade and that machine has not run out of gas as she can do so many things in the open court because of her speed with the ball, she hits teammates on the money or just hits the jumper but she can also drive right at defenders and finish strong. Solid defensive player, still has upside
Madison Bob-5’8 G (Hightower HS) Houston Fury
Bob continues to elevate her game, first with the Flame, she brought so much heat at the #TJShowcase and at the various Individual Showcases I’m catching her in and one more time, I look for progression but when you’re long and athletic, can shoot the jumper or take defenders off the dribble, playing the passing lane is the icing on the cake
Chloe Mann-5’7 G (Boswell HS) Sky Digg
Mann oh man, float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, you better watch out because here she comes Chloe and I mean it. The jumper, then attacking the rim, the poise when she handles the ball under pressure as well as the pressure she applies on the defensive end make her well someone that needs to be noticed early in the game and she bring it no matter what
Kimora Lopez-5’8 F (Lady Defenders Club Team)
Lopez is powerful and understands how to use her strength whether it’s rebounding on both ends or applying pressure on defense as she moves her feet well and can defend on the perimeter but her athleticism enables her to attack and finish strong after contact