Queens Of The Hardwood-MS Standouts

I always approach my evaluating of an event in different ways, mainly if I’m truly covering an event, I try and mention as many players as possible so I had a brainstorm on how I was going to break down this outstanding event put on by Alamo City Hoops so I’m going to start with 12 young standouts who haven’t played in high school yet and then I’ll drop a group who are on the on verge of breaking out

2025

Chloe Donnell-5’8 G (SAHE Red) I asked her if she was on Red because her hair was RED, she smiled and immediately made a lasting impression because she can play, I mean really play and her upside is sort of scary because she can handle the ball, she plays smart, she attacks and she can shoot the ball but seeing the floor just did it

Alaysia Gude-5’8 CG (Waco United 14U) since I can’t tease Lay Lay anymore about potato chips, her game is becoming even saltier. Yeah, her first step is exp[losive, in the open court she’s becoming a “highlight waiting to happen” because she attacks and uses her body nicely and that body control will also make her an “and one” waiting to happen yet she stretches the defense with the long ball and drops the midrange

Tynia Minnit-5’2 PG (Waco United 14U) I was in a daze thinking Minnit by minute, she keeps holding on because she is just so smooth under pressure and as I use a hit song to play on words, her play on the court just keeps getting better. She understands how to set defenders up to score but more im[ortantly she understands how to set her teammates up for easy baskets

Angela Carroll-6’0 (Waco United 14U) size and strength was the first thing that grabbed my eye about her a few months ago so I’m watching continuous progression especially since she’s at the magic number of 6’0. She has the upside to control a game on both ends, that’s not easy b ut watching her finish with power and rebound with power, ignite the break and run the floor to finish is scary

Daryn Thienpont-5’6 G (Player 1st 14U National) not only does she create her shot under pressure, she takes the shot under pressure and hold on, in transition, watching her pull up for the stop and popper jumper before she has entered high school made me smile. Yeah, she has some pretty huge upside , she also attacks and finishes after the lick

Jenae Moore-5’6 G (Player 1st 14U National) creates her shot under pressure may sound like a broken record but if you can’t do it like she can, then move right along. I love her energy and athleticism and her first step enables much of what she does offensively so she can drain the jumper or finish strongly but she also rebounds and defends

Mia Perez-5’7 G (Player 1st 14U National) here we go, she creates her shot under pressure but she also zig-zagged through the defense handling the ball under pressure and evidently she doesn’t know what pressure is because she saw the floor and hit some shots in the clutch showing she was a gamer

Jerriyah Baines-5’10 ( Pro Skills SATX 15U) I asked her if she came from Killeen because I was there and she said “sir who are you” so after exchanging pleasantries, we both know who each other is and her energy trickles over to her teammates and it’s the same start to finish and seeing her attacking with power, finishing with players hanging on her, dropping the outside shot and rebounding on both ends, her defense sealed it

Ezra Tobias-5’2 G (Pro Skills SATX 15U) I made a rhyme up about her “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, you better watch out, for Ezra T” and although it’s not completely original, I love young players that are mastering tough shots early because she understands how to get to the basket and this is going to be a “go-to” that will be hard to handle especially when you add she sees the floor and can shoot it from outside

2026

Riyln Grona 5’3 PG (Pro Skills SATX 15U) let me start with she’s athletic, wait, I should have started with her diving on the floor or being heady, well it doesn’t matter where I start because she showed she could finish multiple ways and with her ballhandling and ability to not only see the floor but make crisp passes on the money…..

Yasmeen Scmidt (SAHE Red) I love players that can create their shots and the younger they learn how to, the better it will be especially when you can shoot it as she did. I love how she keeps defenders guessing, she can attack yet the mid to long-range is very nice and all are started with her creating her shot and she makes good assists

2027

Casey Chavez-5’6 G (Player 1st 14U National) I’m not sure if she’s going to continue to play basketball or if this is her primary sport but guess what, she is a REAL SUPERGIRL and a #D1Lock so as I continue to be petty, this young lady just left me speechless because she did a spin in the open court and I had to check the roster and when I saw 2027, i rarely look at roster until after the event, I knew what I was looking at after that one play. She can shoot the mid to long range, she reacts well, does things instinctively, plays within herself yet can go completely off