Take Flight Top 2020 Prospects

Photo Credit: Matthew Horn &nbsp; Although the 2021 and 2022 prospects played well on Friday, it was the 2020 players that left a lasting impression. With several players making plays on both ends of the floor, I felt the seniors-to-be were the most impressive players as I highlight the ones that impressed me most below. Here are the top 2020 performers from the Take Flight Showcase.<strong> </strong> <strong>Gina Adams</strong>- Westlake- <em>SMAC</em><em> </em> When it comes to a nice offensive player, look no further than SMAC’s Adams. Able to use both hands when finishing in the paint, Gina has a quick first step which allows her to get inside and beat defenders off the dribble. She contests shots on the defensive end using her height and athleticism which makes her quite a weapon on both ends of the floor. <strong>Jalen Gibbs</strong>- Wellington- <em>SMAC</em><em> </em> Jalen was a tough matchup on the glass as she had some height which made it difficult for Dayton Metro to keep off the boards. On the offensive end, she does a nice job of sealing off her opponent and squaring her shoulders once she received the post entry. When she rebounds the ball on the defensive end, she keeps the ball up and protects from opposing defenders. &nbsp; <strong>KY Royals</strong> All 6 members of the Royals team impressed me in their dominating win against Ohio Stars. <strong>Mallory Holbrook </strong>is a tough finisher, able to score the basketball in various ways, but especially made her presence known in the paint. <strong>Jayla Labordeaux</strong> is a lengthy 3 that makes plays on both ends of the floor. She needs to work on finishing in transition as she left several points on the floor on missed layups. <strong>Jade Simpson</strong> was a low post threat that rebounded the ball well. She powered through defense in the post on the offensive end. <strong>Lexi Taylor </strong>provided the defensive presence for the Royals on the perimeter with her active hands, <strong>Jaden Douthit</strong> was their 3-point specialist, and <strong>Piper Macke</strong> was another playmaker on both ends of the floor. The Royals may not have been the deepest team, but their chemistry and overall talent was far too much to match. &nbsp; <strong>Casey Santoro</strong>- Bellevue- <em>SMAC</em> The Kent State recruit did a little bit of everything for SMAC on Friday. Her on-the-ball defense was incredible and she did a nice job of moving with the ball. On the offensive end, she distributed the ball and found ways to get her teammates involved. Her shooting touch made her an even more dangerous player as she made Dayton Metro pay for allowing her space on the perimeter. <strong>Melissa Walbom</strong>- Jonathan Alder- <em>Ohio Stars</em> Melissa really handled defensive pressure well on Friday. Able to beat the full court trap with her passing and dribbling, Walbom was the focus of Ohio Stars offense and showed her ability to be a floor general. Hustling on both ends of the floor, she keeps her head up and always looks to advance the ball. On the dribble drive, Melissa broke down her defenders and was able to score a lot of her points in the paint off the dribble drive. She is an under the radar prospect worth watching as AAU continues.