2012 Young Guns Tip Sheet

 

2017 Young Guns Kayla Owens and Alexis Morris

This was undoubtedly one of the best camps I’ve witnessed considering the various age groups in attendance. Everything went smoothly, the campers paid attention and worked hard, I saw many next level players along with several who will be major players for major universities and I had a chance to also do one of the things I like to do best and that’s answer questions.

As I stated earlier, every player that was in attendance made the GPR Watch List which means I have my eye on them and I’ll be looking at how they progress while the 2017 players are listed as “Rising Stars” and although some of these players are ahead of the game for their respective ages and or classes, to stay ahead they must continue to work and get better in order to reach that next level I’m sure the vast majority of them are looking forward to.

I’ve seen some of these players several times already and I love toying with the idea of knowing where the bar has been set by some of the great players I’ve watched in this millennium and where these kids may wind up and it’s impressive at what I’m seeing developing right before my eyes

There were a lot of players that stood out during the event however I wanted to name a few on my Young Guns Tip Sheet

 

2017

Alexis Morris, 5’7 guard, Beaumont ,TX– Morris has made my tip sheet before in fact she’s probably good enough to make it every time I see her and with that being said, initially she wasn’t going to be on here however there was no way to keep her off after watching her go through a grueling workout with Tyler Relph. Morris is going to wind up as one of the top players in the country however what she showed was the heart of a lion and also she will fight until the end which is scary based on her talent level right now

Kayla Owens, 5’11 wing, Houston,TX– Owens has turned the corner in a major way and after seeing her as basically raw yet athletic for the first time in May, her progression has jumped enormously since I saw improvement back in July. This is the kind of kid who can get a rebound and beat everyone down the floor for a lay-up after making the outlet pass. Her ball handling and defense has improved, in fact she made a three

Jade Williams, 6’3 guard/forward, The Colony, TX– After watching her on an open court in between games doing drills with her mom during the Big Tyme Fall Finish, I’ve been keeping an eye on Williams since that kind of stuff lingers in my head. Her work ethic is certainly paying off as she has transformed into a player that has added another dimension to her game. Already long and athletic, she handled the ball baseline to baseline under traffic with ease as she ran the break and hit her teammates with pinpoint passes not to mention utilizing her size to get to the rim and score almost whenever she wanted

Chanel Young, 5’4 point guard, Desoto,TX– Desoto is known for turning out basketball players as several have gone on to the next level and made names for themselves. Sydney Carter had a lot to do with Texas A&M winning a national championship while freshmen Bryce Owens and Jordan Jones are making noise in college right now. Young reminds me a little of all three on the defensive end as she gets after it, has excellent timing and utilizes her speed to her advantage. 

Jo’Nah Johnson, 5’7 point guard, Edmond, OK– Edmond also has been turning out some talent as Courtney Walker has adjusted without a bump in college while a couple of other players from that area, Mariah Williams and Cameerah Graves, impressed me over the summer. Add Johnson to the list as far as making an impression as she attacks and finishes well not to mention her mid range game was one of the better ones at the camp and that says a lot in itself

 

2018

Zarielle Green, 5’8 guard, Dallas, TX– Like Williams, Green has added something since observing her in the Fall Finish. Already long and fluid along with the possibility of several growth spurts in the not so distant future, the level on how high this young lady can go on the court is strictly up to her because there isn’t a ceiling, at least for her. She has the tools to be more than just a very good player

Jordan Pinson, 5’1 guard, El Paso TX– Although she was one of the smallest players at the camp, she proved she was also one of the toughest as she got knocked around a few times but like that old Timex, she was still clicking. She went through the drills with ease, created her shot against taller players and defended until the end

Jasmine Smith, 5’6 guard, Cypress TX– She just plays older than her age is the easiest way to put it and after watching her at Big State Flava, I was sold as far as next level. During the camp, she truly showed what being a “Young Gun” means as her arsenal is stacked with offensive weapons

 

2019

Jaicia Canady, 5’1 point guard, Arlington TX- Was one of the fastest players going through the ball handling drills and showed she could change direction in the open court without losing steam. Made great decisions during game situations getting everyone involved and showed could get her shot off on any one despite her size

 

2020

Deja Kelly, 5’4 combo guard, San Antonio TX– If I was describing her with only two words, those words would be unlimited upside. Kelly is young yet smart, skilled yet smart, strong yet smart. This young lady knows and understands the game at a young age which is a plus. She can handle the ball, score multiple ways and loves to defend