Day 2 Top Performers-17U Division #PGHBattleInTheBigFriendly

I love seeing new talent, which is why I overemphasize #talentiseverywhere so the faces I continued to see as well as some who have elevated their games were refreshing yet exhausting because I saw a lot, got my steps in and I'm ready for even more as I circle back but first, here ya go <strong>Raven Brown -AKYB Academy [2022]</strong> Brown had me feeling good, seems like I've used that reference to James yet her dancing with the ball on the court had me find out what her name was. Her explosiveness was among the best I've seen in the event yet her court vision and scoring, both off the dribble and with a solid pull-up jumper was nice, so was her defense and playing the passing lane <strong>Gabrielle Barnes-5'9 SG/SF (Katy Paetow HS) Texas Cagers Select 2023 Blue</strong> Barnes is long and athletic, remember that's the base, and she understands how to set the defender up from the wing and attack the basket but her finishes were very nice, both off the dribble and on putbacks as she showed her strength after contact. Her rebounding on both ends of the court as well as her defense, both on the interior as well as outside of it was also nice <strong><img class="wp-image-410710 size-thumbnail alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/Amaya-Williams-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Amaya Williams-5'7 SG (Eastwood HS) El Paso Lady Hurricanes 2023</strong> Williams went completely off offensively dropping 24 I believe in one game and double digits in the other but she's long and athletic, battles for rebounds and understands the mismatch as she can take taller players off the dribble from the wing, her first step is deceptive and effective, and score, after contact included, but she also showed a solid pull-up jumper and with her strength, she can overpower guards around the basket <strong>Taneya Howard-5'10 SG/SF (Broken Arrow HS) Banshees 2023</strong> Howard is long and athletic, she has always impressed me for a number of reasons and the first one was her "on the ball" defense as well as timing to block, alter and deflect shots. She also goes after the ball off the rim and handles it well enough to go coast to coast after. She can attack and finish from the wing, drop the short jumper and finish after putbacks but guess what, she plays the passing lane <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-415462 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/lila_ashida-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Lila Ashida-5'9 SG(Las Cruces HS) New Mexico Select 2023 </strong> Ashida caught my eye from another court after seeing her rebound over taller players, push the ball, and hit her teammates on the money so I had to move yet she showed me a number of moves off the dribble in the set, including the slight HEZ to get the defender off balance so getting to the basket were no problem and with her body control, her finishes, including after contact was impressive but she also drops the jumper from all over <strong>Mackenzie Lovett-5'7 SG (Union HS) Playmaker Express [2025]</strong> Lovett has the right name because of her game, I LOVE IT, and was I impressed to find out she joined a list of talented freshmen playing up in the top division, yes I was as she scored multiple ways including off the dribble from, well everywhere. She's strong, can finish after contact but she makes things happen and her court vision coupled with blistering passes were nice, so was her midrange and she rebounds on both ends of the court