New Faces 2022 #LevelUp day 1
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All I can say is WOW about some of the local talent capable of playing at the next level from events in the area starting with, what else, the #simmiecolsonclassic followed by a fish fry watching Texas Phenoms practice yet…
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Continue ReadingAll I can say is WOW about some of the local talent capable of playing at the next level from events in the area starting with, what else, the #simmiecolsonclassic followed by a fish fry watching Texas Phenoms practice yet this weekend, at Just Play’s Level Up event, I put in some work and 1500 pictures later, I got, how does 21 Savage say it, A LOT so here we go
Ti’Ye Davis Ti’Ye Davis 5'3" | PG C.E. King | 2023 TX (TNBA 17U) [2023]
Davis had me smiling and swearing a few times at her electrifying first step yet off the dribble she creates some issues, also in the open court as the SWB, the speed with the ball, comes into play and I mean play as she can see the floor going full speed as well as finish using good body control but here stop and pop jumper in transition ain’t bad at all, nor is her “on the ball” defense baseline to baseline but that court vision also came in handy
Kennedy Smith Kennedy Smith 5'11" | PF Glenda Dawson | 2024 TX (Pearland Dawson) Houston Queens [2024]
Smith falls into that “you won’t outwork me” category and when that intangible is combined with her being “long and athletic” well that’s the base but her going after the ball on the rim, she finishes strongly on putbacks after contact and even showed she could score off the dribble from the wing but alas, her defense “on the ball” deserves a #THROWBACK hashtag because one thing that can never be taught is desire
Gabrielle Panter (Tompkins) Just Play Elite 16U Gold [2024]
Panter has a way of making defenders pant with her constant moving with or without the ball so coupled with her being heady and understanding how to create for herself as well as her teammates. She can score both off the dribble, her deceptive first step is very effective, so is her pull-up jumper but on top of all that, she sees the floor and plays the passing lane
Camryn Beck (Klein Cain) Houston United 17U [2024]
Beck is long and athletic, see above because that’s the base and watching her elevate to rebound on both ends, score on putbacks as well as block, alter and deflect got me going but she also runs the floor well and played the passing lane so all of that makes her upside very bright
Paris Anderson (Elkins) Houston Fury White [2024]
Anderson does a good job of not only scoring off the dribble but creating contact while doing so and with that being said, she finishes after the bump yet she also can drop the jumper as well as defend, and when she added what I love seeing, playing the midrange, that did it for me
Aminah Dixon Aminah Dixon 5'6" | SG Fort Bend Stephen F. Austin | 2025 State TX (Fort Bend Austin) IJU [2025]
Dixon isn’t really a new face, caught her on LIVESTREAM during the playoffs as well at the Simmie Colson Classic yet she showed been more than on both the tele and the first event. She creates her shot nicely under pressure and can drop the mid to long-range yet what I like even more is her “poise under pressure” which is something else you can’t teach, okay here we go #THROWBACK and when you throw everything together, very good upside awaits
Jazmyne Gilbert Jazmyne Gilbert 5'8" | SG Heights | 2025 State TX (Heights) Cy Fair [2025]
Gilbert was someone I made a special trip to stay and see, her grandfather’s legacy as one of the top ministers in Texas just made me forget about heading to Rudy’s so I missed the ribs but she wasn’t chopped beef because I loved her energy, long and athletic, yet that first step of hers set it off as it enabled her to score off the dribble as well as take the pull-up jumper but her defense, playing the passing lane as well as her youth spells upside galore