2021 Winter Blast Championship 7th/8th Grade Tip Sheet

There’s nothing like playing catch-up with no fries and by that this event gave me a chance to see some talented players I hadn’t seen before like on Fire Basketball, some players I have seen a little of from Just Play 2026, players I have seen quite a bit of recently from Power Basketball’s 2025 and 2026 squad but I definitely got a kick out of seeing SCG with players I had seen and written about in the 4th grade, one of which I called a #D1Lock 4 years ago, well that’s not accurate but, yes I’m that good and there is no me but it was plenty of them to drop and here ya go

FIRE BASKETBALL

The inside play from ’26 Kassidy Hammond and ‘25 Destinee Willis was solid, both have some nice upside, Hammond finishes very strong, this includes after contact while Willis rebounds with authority on both ends but let me backtrack because the game has and always will start at the 1 and ’25 Kami Barrow was exceptional from the opening. She’s heady, handles the ball under pressure, and makes good decisions not to leave out she understands how to control the tempo and sees the floor. ’26 Emily McCants shot the midrange well, so did ’25 Taylor Burns who not only shot the mid but the long-range, and her ability to “catch and shoot” was a nice addition to what she’s going to become plus her defense was solid and speaking of solid, the scoring from a variety of ways ’25 Chaney Spencer showed, the pull-up jumper in transition, attacking in the open court or from the half-court it didn’t really matter because she found ways to score, that included putbacks

JPE ELITE 2026

Victoria Gonzalez was on that 4th-grade team I wrote about so when I saw her name in that article, I just SMH because she has turned into a very good player as she showed me a variety of things like she handles the ball and sees the floor under pressure and she’s shifty with the ball, has a very nice pull-up jumper, attacks the basket and plays the passing lane. Draden Moss is long and athletic, that’s the base I use, one of many I might add, but she added a lot, and watching her attack from the wing and in the open court to finish strong as well as create her shot and drop it from, well anywhere was something else. The inside play didn’t disappoint, Alexandra Gordon with good hands and feet finished around the basket and rebounded well, kept the ball high, and started the outlet but so did Averi Steele who uses her body and strength well around the rim, finished with both hands. Allison Moss created her shot and finished after contact, Haylie Panter is heady, sees the floor, and played the passing lane while Grace Wehring also did a good job seeing and distributing plus she handles the ball well under pressure. Brittney Anderson took a hard lick, well licks on both days yet her ability to attack and finish as she used her explosiveness to blow by defenders was impressive as was Faith Idowu who showed she has the making to be a nightmare to defend as her athleticism is very good and under control

POWER 2025

Dawn Roberson continues to impress me with her SWB, that’s speed with ball as she attacks from everywhere and controls the ball while blazing by defenders but Kelsie Weathersby and Kels Milam also bring some heat, especially on the defensive end. J’Honesty Smith is very athletic, she already understands how to size defenders up and her first step is a great tool as she attacks and finishes with ease, this includes after contact and speaking of contact Kendall Hitchens relishes it and can create contact off the dribble which makes her an “and one” waiting to happen yet she can get the 3 by dropping the long ball as well. So can Jakaila Lee who will probably set some records at the high school she attends as she creates her shot under pressure and because she understands how to get to various spots to drop baskets, she’s hard to defend but on that jumper, the release is fluid and quick, well and accurate. Brooklyn Mims is long and athletic, I can’t emphasize how important that is for a variety of reasons but she attacks and finishes with contact, she drops the long ball with ease and she plays the passing lane, which may sound like a broken record but she too could break some and the same can be said for Keynarjha Robinson who, let me use her name, has the KEY to open the door as she too is long and athletic, explosive first step gets her wherever she wants, drops the mid to long-range and also plays the passing lane

POWER 2026

Seeing the younger team playing up and competing was nice, especially since three 6th graders were in the mix. Marvinisha Norman just doesn’t realize how good she’s going to be, she is ahead of the game, she has the size, power, can score attack or the jumper, defends and rebounds and she’s consistently doing it against older players while the speed from Reghan Weatherton is equally impressive especially since she is under control while handling the ball, SWB remember, and she scores after contact. A’Niya Harmon is going to be a terror, I called another Harmon a #D1Lock in the 5th grade, if you follow high school basketball, you see how that turned out so let me add do it for this young lady in the 6th Grade. Her POISE is what sold me when I saw her in a PRACTICE, she already gets it, and her ability to score multiple ways, mid to long, off the dribble, it doesn’t matter, she has a lot going in her game. Amyah Hall has the size and body, she rebounds well on both ends and is finishing better each time I see her. Aubrey Hampton also uses her size and body well, battles for rebounds, very good upside. Riley McNeil showed she could create her shot and knock the midrange down while Jahnae Nickerson is “long and athletic” and attacked and finished with ease plus has good timing to block shots. Ava Salinas also created her shot, mid to long-range, and did a good job rebounding

SCG 2025

Rezia Castillo was on that 4th Grade HTX squad but I had called her a #D!Lock 2 years earlier making her one of the youngest players I’ve said that about, my daughter happens to be the youngest but what I immediately grabbed was her being fearless and under control the first time I saw her. Now, it’s coming together as her SWB as well as ability to score and defend will make her an immediate impact in high school. Bria Bierschwale attacks the basket strongly, showed she could create her shot under pressure, the pull-up is smooth as well as the release while Margan Allen just keeps showing me a different side to her game. watching her going one on one numerous times was impressive because with her speed and outside shooting, she will keep defenses guessing and I ain’t even guessing on Nataliyah Grey as I’m dropping #BCSLock. I got a kick out of her “calling for the ball” as well as finishing acrobatically with either hand after contact but she rebounds, can ignite, and finish the break plus she showed she could step out and shoot the jumper. Several 2026 players also impressed me, Sydney Thomas can score off the dribble as well as drop the jumper, she thinks the game and understands how to set the defender up, Morgan Williams is long and athletic, attacks defend, and rebounds plus plays the passing lane. Victoria Sewell, the last name fits perfectly as she uses her athleticism nicely, creates her shot under pressure, and can knock it down plus she handles the ball well and sees the floor but the upside I’m envisioning from Nadi’ya Shelby is scary, well for opponents as she too is long and athletic yet does so many things fluidly and instinctively and her energy level stays the same as she attacks from everywhere, finishes with contact, plays the passing lane and rebounds on both ends of the court