Demetrius Richardson Memorial Showcase Stars from 9th Grade Game

East Coast United held its second annual Demetrius Richardson Memorial Showcase.   There was a lot of talent at the venue and all of the showcase games were revealing.   The  Freshman game opened some eyes and the players listed below were standouts and many of these players will be cornerstones of their respective high schools and AAU programs in the very near future. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="346835" first="Jaida" last="Civil"] 2025 G (pictured on right) </strong> was the main attraction at the showcase and she left no questions about it.   Her athleticism jumps off the court.  When she jumps for an offensive rebound the thought that she could tip dunk the rebound isn’t farfetched.   Civil jumps that high.    She jumped higher, ran faster, and was faster than everyone and more athletic than everyone at the showcase, including Juniors and Seniors.  Civil can create shots for herself and can create shots for her teammates.   At the showcase, she shot the ball from all levels of the court and was extremely dangerous when she attacked the basket.   On the defensive end, she was just as special. She has the ability to keep any offensive player from getting by her.  She can play on the ball and with her length, she also plays the passing lanes very well. <strong>Lamiyah Hogan 2025 G (pictured on left) </strong> was silky smooth at the showcase and she was aggressive in putting the ball up.   She showed the whole offensive package which featured multiple long-range three-pointers, pullup jumpers in the midrange area, and drives to the basket.  Hogan did a good job of handling the ball and she also did a good job of using her length to intercept and deflect passes on the defensive end. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="346820" first="Abby" last="Knauff"]  2025 G</strong> needs no introduction. She burst on the scene of high school ball and she has just continued ball at a high level.   Knauff is very athletic, strong, and smart.   She had some impressive  "coast to coast"   plays that she finished on defenders.   Knauff also had some nice three-point shots and pull-up jumpers.    Knauff is another aggressive scorer who knows how to shoot it and how to score.  Knauff is also a very aggressive defender who creates steals and turns them into fastbreak points. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="346836" first="McKenzie" last="Neal"]  2025 PF</strong>  was “off the charts” good in the low post.   She showed soft hands, excellent footwork, and showed a lot of strength on the inside.  Neal uses her strength to seal her defender for easy baskets and also to power the ball through defenders.     She can put the ball down on the court and has the ability to drive and score with her right or left hand.    Neal showed great fundamentals and a high basketball IQ.     She does a good job of defending on the offensive and defensive sides of the court and she can create shots for herself and for her teammates out of the double teams she often faces. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="248551" first="Alanna" last="Tatum"] 2026 G</strong>  was special on the defensive end making unbelievable steals and block shots, including a chase down and block from behind.   Tatum's defense and athleticism are on an elite level.   Tatum also did a good job of running the point and dishing out some nice passes.    With her quick first step,   she can break down a defense and create for herself and for her teammates.   Tatum has a high basketball IQ and consistently makes the correct play on the court.    She was the starting point guard for University Christian who made it to the final 4 in 2A.   Tatum is doing all of this and she is still in the 8th grade. <strong>Yari Tyler 2025 F</strong>  was a special player on the court and she was at her best in the open court.   She can take the ball  "coast to coast"  and knows how to score the ball when she takes it to the goal.    She has the ability to contort her body and make difficult shots look easy.    Tyler is long and lengthy and uses her height very well.   Tyler runs the court well and gets easy baskets by beating her defender down the court. <strong>Sophia Vasquez  2025 G </strong> played well in the showcase.    Vasquez showed her ability to get downhill to the goal.   She also has very good handles and can drive left and right.  Vasquez had good court vision and made some nice passes to her teammates in the showcase.  Vasquez knows how to create scoring opportunities for herself and has a knack for drawing fouls when she penetrates.   Vasquez is also a tough and aggressive defender who does a good job of playing great on-the-ball defense. <strong>Annette Castro  2025</strong> <strong>C</strong> was a nice player.  She played tough on both sides of the court.  Castro rebounded well and has some nice putbacks.  She was a strong defender in the pained area of the court. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="349276" first="Faith" last="Wener"] G  </strong>was a  versatile player who showed she can play on the inside and on the outside.   Wener has a nice shooting stroke from the outside and a nice midrange game.  She does a good job of battling for the ball on the rebound.  She also has the ability to drive and create shots for open teammates.   Wener can also handle the ball with her left and right hand.   She is a very versatile player.