Top Performers-Barbara Jordan Division #TJShowcase

Seeing the progression of so many players I have been watching for years was excellent. Austin Elite Black’s shooter Summer Sodek has become more aggressive while the Adeleke twins, Nadia and Nadine, have elevated their games. Some teams didn’t turn in rosters, with 6 courts going I just kept it moving to see where the action was UNLESS someone caught my eye, but here were the Top Performers on opening day from the Barbara Jordan Division

Jadyn Dawson (Austin Elite Black 2025) body control was over the top yet she’s an athletic guard that uses her athleticism on both ends. She’s explosive off the dribble and finished strongly after contact but her “on the ball” defense baseline to baseline helped to create turnovers, plus she played the passing lane and saw the floor

Bella Aguero (Austin Elite Black 2025) has me more impressed with her not only wanting the ball in the clutch but delivering countless times. She’s understanding how to create contact off the dribble and finishing stronger after the lick yet her mid to long-range shooting adds more to her impressive game. She handled the ball in tight situations and made good decisions

Audrey Richardson-6’0 F (Phoenix 2027) is on the verge of blowing up, whether she’s showing the turnaround jumper on the block or just elevating to drop it around the basket, she has several tools to go along with her being “long and athletic” which is the base. She goes after the ball off the rim, her timing on defense to block shots is good, so is her interior defense and she scored off the dribble

Alli Maley-6’1 P (Phoenix 2027) is turning up the heat inside the paint as her DESIRE needs not to be questioned as she goes after everything off the rim. I love things you can’t teach and with her doing it instinctively, that’s big, which goes with her standing over “the magic number”. She also scored around the basket, putbacks included, and also has good timing to block shots

Lexi Glenn-5’6 G (Phoenix 2027) created her shot with ease under pressure and more importantly, knocked down the jumper in the set. She also dropped it in transition, with a hand in her face yet her already showing the “catch and shoot” will give her options, especially since she can not only handle the ball but attack the basket off the dribble

Taliyah Donaldson-5’10 PF (Rock Nation 16U) 2025 showed solid interior defense which immediately grabbed my attention yet not as much as she grabbed rebounds on both ends of the court. She played the passing lane and handled the ball afterward but watching her score off the dribble and showing good body control to finish after contact was nice

Macie Upshaw-6’1 PF/C (Rock Nation 16U) 2025 used her size nicely around the basket to finish after contact but she rebounded strongly on both ends and scored on putbacks also after the lick. Her playing the passing lane was nice and so was her diving for loose balls on the floor, let me drop a #THROWBACK hashtag in CAPS, but NO CAP, her defense was also solid

Jamie Solomon-5’6 PG (Houston United Hoops 16U) 2026 created her shot under pressure yet her acrobatic finishes off the dribble had me smiling, especially after she did it countless times after contact. She understands how to get the defender to lean but she can drain it from deep, well midrange too, but her unselfishness and seeing the floor also stood out

Aniya Simmons-5’11 F (Houston United Hoops 16U) 2026 is long and athletic, yep that’s the base, and when you factor in she has UPS, her delivering numerous times around the basket to score was nice, so was her rebounding and timing to block shots. She played the passing lane and also played solid defense in the set as well as in transition

DeAnna Cole (Lonestar Lady Hoops Prime) saw the floor well and also handled the ball under pressure while making good decisions. She attacked the basket from multiple angles, she created her shot and knocked it down but her defense needs to be mentioned because she applied pressure constantly, played the passing lane, and dove for loose balls

Tyanna Smith (Lonestar Lady Hoops Prime) 2026 is an athletic guard that used her athleticism on both ends well. She defended, on the ball, baseline to baseline but she also attacked the rim strongly and finished after contact, body control played a part in that. Her ballhandling as well as court vision was also nice, so is her upside

Keyiona McDaniel (Team Texas SETX 16U) played the passing lane very well and handled the ball in the open court afterward. Her court vision in transition was nice, well it was also solid in the set but she attacked the basket strongly and finished after contact and her on-the-ball pressure helped create turnovers

Jarissa Victorian (Team Texas SETX 16U) used a variety of moves to finish around the basket and when I see the “hands and footwork” combination, I have to drop the #THROWBACK hashtag. She also scored on putbacks, use she rebounded the ball on both ends and applied defensive pressure inside the paint

Ty’la Antonie (Team Texas SETX 16U) is an athletic guard that uses her athleticism on both ends of the court. Her pressure “on the ball” helped create turnovers, she played the passing lane and scored attacking the basket afterward but she also set the defender up in the half court nicely and her deceptive first step coupled with her body control helped enable her to finish after contact