PrimeTime Sports 2019 National Basketball Championship: Standouts from Day 1
Texas is loaded with talent. There are so many well-run grassroots programs located in the state that it’s becoming difficult to keep track of them all, and the number continues to grow. I got the opportunity to watch some of…
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Continue ReadingTexas is loaded with talent. There are so many well-run grassroots programs located in the state that it’s becoming difficult to keep track of them all, and the number continues to grow. I got the opportunity to watch some of these teams compete on Thursday at the PrimeTime Sports 2019 National Basketball Championship at The MAC in Louisville, Texas. I got to see some great players go toe to toe with one another in the 11/12th grade girls division. Here are five players who I thought separated themselves from the pack on day 1.
Mollie Daniel – 2019 5’7 PG (Platinum – Collins) Martin’s Mill HS (ETBU Commit) – It always makes me happy to see an old school pass first point guard. Prior to watching her play, I was not aware that Daniel was a member of the 2019 class, a starter on back-to-back Texas state championship teams, and already committed to play college ball at East Texas Baptist. That said, this discovery was far from surprising. Daniel oozes maturity when she is on the floor. She is the quarterback for her team, everything goes through her. On top of her passing ability, she is a solid 3 point-shooter, which is practically a necessity in modern basketball. Her skill set, as well as her mindset, will allow her to contribute at the college level from day one.
Dani Baccus – 2021 5’6 PG (Platinum – Cook) Dodd City HS – Baccus is any coaches ideal floor general. She is a natural facilitator. It was the little things about her game that really impressed me. Things such as her ability to control the pace of the game and her willingness to make the extra pass won’t show up in the box score, but it will help her team win games. However, Baccus can score when she wants to. She does a good job of drawing contact on the drive and is an excellent free throw shooter. Additionally, she has quick hands on defense and is able to hold her own out on the perimeter. I am fascinated to see how she develops over the next few years.
Lamaria Thompson – 2020 5’5 G (Platinum – Cook) Bullard HS – It’s rare to see two polished passers on the same team, but I’m not complaining! Like her teammate, Thompson is a very natural facilitator when she is out on the court. She had some brilliant passes in drive-and-kick scenarios that should have ended up as assists. Her ability to dribble in traffic is a skill that many girls do not have at the high school level, making it all the more valuable. She may not fill it up in the points column, but if you surround her with shooters, she can really do some damage.
Molly Kaiser Molly Kaiser 6'2" | PG Saginaw | 2020 State TX – 2020 5’8 G (Nike Texas Select) Saginaw HS – Kaiser is a pure score. Her offensive versatility was on full display in this tournament. She finishes well at the rim with both hands and has a really nice mid-range game. She even shoots the three ball well enough to keep the defense honest, which is huge in today’s era of basketball. My favorite part about Kaiser’s game is what seemed to be her signature shot of sorts, a pull up jumper from the elbow. She has the ability to hit this shot in half court sets as well as in transition, and she is virtually lights out from that spot on the court. I’d be shocked if she doesn’t find a home somewhere at the next level.
Mary Doyle – 2022 SF ( DC Queens OKC – Del) Krum HS – I was stunned to find out that Doyle was in the class of 2022 after watching her play. I didn’t get her exact height, but she didn’t seem out of place physically among the older players. Her size coupled with a mature offensive game really jumped out at me. I absolutely loved watching her play. She is a creative finisher around the basket and showed off a few different variations of her euro step that lead to easy layups in traffic. She didn’t shoot the ball particularly well from behind the arc in the game I watched, but she has plenty of time to work on that as she progresses. It’s always cool to see kids play above their age division, but it’s even cooler when they show you why they belong there.