2020 Austin Elite RFW “Ready For Whatever”
After covering the Tyrone Johnson Showcase, #TJShowcase for yet another season, I was thinking about the first time I met Fonzelle Martin and Tommy “Speedy” Gregg and the mutual respect we had for each other on the bench developed a friendship that is getting close to 20 years and watching their daughters excel and go on to play D1 basketball as well not to mention to hundreds of players from their organization that have played at the next level and those levels are from the WNBA on down, not to mention getting their degrees which is their primary focus and you can see it by the number of players who still come back to support in one aspect or another during the tournament or their brainstorm “All Eyez On Me Individual Showcase” which works out for me every season because I’m looking at 80 to 100 players up close, including some that got on the radar from that event alone but the love I have for these guys is unwavering and real because that’s how they continue to keep it, real and here’s a look at RFW
Zoe Nelson Zoe Nelson 6'1" | PF Hendrickson | 2021 State TX -6’1 W (Hendrickson HS)
Nelson is among the top-ranked in most publications. A crafty, unstoppable, long slasher who loves to facilitate as much as score the ball. Uses length to block shots and rebound, and guard skills to start the transition. Improved 3pt shooting made her unstoppable.
Lily Guerava-5’10 W (Hays HS)
Guerava is a strong lefty that scores at the basket and away from it. Nice wing size with a post-up game creates mismatches. She has the competitiveness that leads to winning most drills and that simply took me back at Alamo City Hoops #GirlsEliteCombine where she put on a show
AJA Holmes-6’0 post (Luling HS)
Holmes is an All-State member that averaged 25 and 15 last season and when you think BEAST, think power, quickness, competitiveness, light feet, great hands, ability to score it and the thing I like most is that she has shown progression every year with the “you won’t outwork me” mindset
Isabela Leal-5’5 PG (Leander HS)
Leal was a relatively unknown PG, at least to me who missed 2019 summer, however, the guys told me I had to see her and as usual, they were right. She’s smart and understands how to run a team and has repeatedly shown wiggly and creativity to her game as she slashes for buckets or dimes
DeAjia Brown-5’11 F/P (Killeen Ellison HS)
Brown is one of the best and most feared rebounders in the Central Texas area and she’s also another lefty that has developed a quick spin move and counter hook that’s unstoppable. I keep talking about players that just show desire and effort, she’s definitely one of them
Jazra Williams Jazra Williams 5'10" | SF Vista Ridge | 2021 State TX -5’11 F (Vista Ridge HS)
Williams is an energetic W/F who can score while facilitating the offense. She has high BB-IQ, who vocalizes defensive strategies to teammates while dominating hers. Her toolbox of intangibles makes her a coach on the floor and last season I wrote how impressed I was with what she had added, copy that for this season
Makayla Ward-5’6 PG (Hendrickson HS)
I found a $20 bill walking this morning but I found a ’21 that can go. Okay, I’m acting like Columbus, I didn’t find her, she was already there and the guys told me two words, “don’t blink” when I watch her because she’s an athletic poised combo guard that can score off the dribble or from outside and defend, baseline to baseline
Weade Adelke-5’10 W/F (Vista Ridge HS)
Adelke plays inside yet she guards the 1 thru 5 in high school. How about she plays at the top of the press and she scores on the block or facing the basket. She’s a special talent with a college-ready frame as well as a blue-collar mindset on the floor and she definitely falls into that Under The Radar category
2022
Erika Suarez-5’7 G (Hendrickson HS)
Suarez is a terrific combo guard that can stroke it but her upside has me beaming and here’s why. She expanded her game in the playoffs and proved she can score it when it matters, in the clutch, to start momentum or to stop the other teams. Fast riser, remember I said upside when this is revisited
Jamyria Ramsey-5’5 PG (Weiss
Ramsey’s nickname is JAM and she is a lead explosive guard with D1 speed, D1 athleticism, and D1 swag to go along with her deadly 3pt shot. She put up 40 in a game as a freshman, in a variety of ways but she is unflappable, handles pressure like it isn’t there and she has no problem getting out of a JAM