AZ Nike Tournament of Champions: CA Standouts Pt. 6

With high school basketball regular seasons still up in the air, various grassroots events have stepped forward to fill the void this fall. One of those events, the Nike Tournament of Champions, was held the weekend of Nov. 1 in Arizona. Several teams and players from across the country were in attendance, including a few from Southern California. Here’s a look at some additional SoCal talent who took part in the event. <strong>1. Jenessa Cotton - Orange Lutheran 2024</strong> Cotton has the tools to be an elite post presence. She’s an incoming freshman and she already has advanced skills in the paint for her age. She has solid footwork and can establish position well; comfortable with her back to the basket. She’s strong and can finish over contact. Can shoot over most defenders. Would do great with a little hook shot. She can face up and shoot and has a solid midrange jumper. <strong>2. Serene Weckback - El Cajon 2021</strong> There are a couple of things that really stand out about Weckback; her defense and her rebounding. She is an intimidating presence in the paint; she’s a shot blocker that contests drives and short jumpers very well. She’s patient; stays down on fakes. On the glass, she boxes out properly and rebounds with two hands. Crashes the offensive glass. She keeps the ball high and goes right up strong after securing an offensive rebound. <strong>3. [player_tooltip player_id="202401" first="Marissa" last="Howell"] - Valencia 2021</strong> Howell is very quick with the ball in her hands. She just turns on the gas and accelerates to the rim. Good ball-handler who can handle defensive pressure. She’s good at using screens to free herself up for jumpers or to create a pathway to the rim. She has a solid outside shot and is very good at shooting off the dribble. Solid defensive player too, especially when getting back in transition.