Standouts from Mansfield Spring Creek Invitational pt 1
Let me give full transparency on this event because I was only there for day 2 and the way I had it set up in my head, I would get a look at TABC #1 in 5A Amarillo featuring ’20…
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Continue ReadingLet me give full transparency on this event because I was only there for day 2 and the way I had it set up in my head, I would get a look at TABC #1 in 5A Amarillo featuring ’20 Zayla Tinner, one of the top unsigned guards in Texas and Zeryhia Lee-Aokuso, one of the states top guards, however, they lost in the 2nd round to unranked 6A Allen who would up defeating another TABC ranked team, Denton Guyer, for 5th place in the event which proves yet again, rankings are only a guide and sometimes teams and players are overlooked but there were upsets galore as three of the Houston area ranked teams, Shadow Creek, Cy Ranch, and Summer Creek lost in the opening round. I did catch some new faces, caught up with some old ones and here is part one of some of the standouts
Dede DavisDede Davis-5’8 G (Atascocita) another one of the state’s top unsigned guards put on a shooting exhibition in the first half against South Grand Prairie, one of the state’s top teams. The long ball, I think she dropped 4 in the opening half, attacks off the dribble but her speed and court vision are among the tools, as well as shooting the ball, that she always had. Minor injuries have kept her off of many radars, not mine, she’s legit
Tyler Jackson-5’9 G (Allen) the Louisiana Tech signee continues to show she knows how to put the ball in the basket, multiple ways. Powering to the rim off the dribble, finishing with contact or just creating her shot off of the dribble, she can score and in the flow which is ket, especially for the next level. It seems like she adds something every time I watch her and there’s still upside
Autumn Smith-5’5 G (Arlington Martin) I love looking back at some of these players I caught years ago and she placed on my Watch List as a 5th grader and had an evaluation in the 6th grade. I love being right but she has taken it to another level, scores off the dribble, with either hand, rebounds and pushes the ball while seeing the floor but her catch and shooting is among the best in the state and one of the reasons her team finished 2nd
Madison OttMadison Ott-5’10 G (Frisco Centennial) let’s see, long and athletic is the base, I’ve said that countless times but watching her attack and mix it up by either going all the way to the basket or that stop and pop jumper from anywhere on the court is hard to stop. She can shoot the long ball with ease, she elevates on her jumper and has a scorers mentality and one of the top players in 2021
Zarria Carter-6’0 F (Mansfield) not only is she strong and athletic, she has “ups” which is defined in many ways but when you have that “you won’t outwork me” mindset combined with “battles in the paint” she goes after everything and she does it strongly off the ground. Not only does she rebound on both ends of the court, but she also finishes with contact and will be added to 2021
Riane Burton-6’0 F (Cy Ranch) the senior trio on this squad have been among my favorites before they played their first middle school game and Burton, Cincinnati signee, has just kept adding more to her game to become not just a back to the basket player. Yes, she can be overpowering in the paint but she steps out and shoots the midrange nicely and she’s a rebounding machine
Savannah CatalonSavannah Catalon-5’8 G (Mansfield Legacy) she falls into the “I’ve seen her somewhere yet didn’t have a roster” category because I remember the initials SC especially when you can play and yes she can definitely play. Her poise a freshman stood out immediately, no notes were taken but several stars were placed in the program by her name because she attacks, sees the floor, scores outside and handles the ball under pressure
Simara Peyton-6’1 F (Richland) athletic and strong, mobility enables her to attack frequently as she elevates over defenders with ease to the basket or for the short jumper. She rebounds on both ends, runs the floor after igniting the break and completing the play on the other end but her defense, either inside the paint or applying heat baseline to baseline stood out as well and the senior will be added
Jewel SpearKendall McGruder-5’8 G (South Grand Prairie) she’s already in the Top 30, that will change as she’s going to be JEFFERSONIZED “Movin On Up” because as talented as this squad is, she is the glue, and that’s huge because when it’s clutch, she will deliver by scoring off the dribble, the midrange or just the dagger, a barrage of threes. She is definitely hard to defend as she mixes it up nicely
Jewel Spear-5’10 G (The Colony) the Wake Forest signee always seems to show me something different so I used my search bar and went back to 2015 HoopAHolics when I first placed her on my Watch List as a 7th grader yet a couple of years later, I wrote this. Now her poise and getting hers in the flow just stands out yet she understands when it’s time to take over