Music City Showdown: Top Performers from Day Two

After a scintillating day one of the Music City Showdown from TOA Sports Performance Center in the Nashville suburb of Franklin, basketball aficionados that were in attendance were screaming for an encore. Those fans got that encore in the form of the second day. The fourth event on the Triumph Region’s schedule of the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit welcomed teams from not only the Volunteer State but also from Georgia, Kentucky, North and South Carolina as well as Ohio and Alabama. The Triumph Region is now roughly halfway complete with a full May’s worth of events to go plus the Prep Girls Hoops 2k22 early July back in Chicago. Without further adieu, here is a look at whose games were on key during day two. [caption id="attachment_422382" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-422382" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/05/bcff93ec85c499c75bf9942199da8f2b-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> Photo: Prep Girls Hoops[/caption] Annabelle Babb – 2024 – Meade County HS – Team Firstep 2024 – Babb’s name is familiar from the performances she turned in the week before at The Exclusive in Chicago. She followed that up with more top-tier basketball as she scored 12 points to help her team to a 74-58 victory over Team Elite FIE 2024 on Sunday morning. Babb, while playing primarily as a guard, can get versatile with her play and can make things happen near the basket as if she were a four or five. She can at times play with her back to the basket and has no issues absorbing contact to give her opportunities to score at the free throw line. [player_tooltip player_id="304632" first="Paige" last="Medley"] – 2024 – Meade County HS – Team Firstep 2024 – Medley is the other Green Waves representative on this year’s Team Firstep rendition. She did a bit of everything for her team on Sunday morning when her team earned a 74-58 victory over Team Elite FIE and she tallied 19 points. Medley found ways to score – including from 3-point range. She also displayed a midrange jumper, the ability to get her teammates more involved in the offense and found herself on many different occasions at the right place at the right time. She is a major reason why Meade County concluded the 2021-22 season with a 29-7 record. [caption id="attachment_422386" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-422386" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/05/1501543adcf04f4da86dca24616a2933-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> Photo: Prep Girls Hoops[/caption] Sha’ron Tidwell – 2024 – John Hardin HS – Team Firstep 2024 – Just as Meade County has two players on Team Firstep, so does John Hardin. Tidwell is one of those Bulldogs (Destini McAllister is the other) and she has proven to be a worthwhile asset to any team she is on. Tidwell will connect on midrange jumpers, can grab steals and will convert those steals into opportunities to go the other way with the basketball. She also presents a height advantage as she is listed at 5-foot-10 – one of three on Team Firstep 2024 with that particular height. She scored 16 points in her team’s 74-58 win over Team Elite FIE 2024 on Sunday morning. [caption id="attachment_422387" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-422387" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/05/8a6c85fdd4601833857678474bfb619f-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> Photo: Prep Girls Hoops[/caption] Ellen Meyer – 2023 – Carroll HS – Dayton Metro 2023 Welch – Even though she has one year left of travel and high school ball, Meyer still aspires to aim higher. She is the tallest player on Dayton Metro 2023 Welch that stands at 6-foot-1. That height is a big help for her when battling for rebounds. She also keeps her hands out on defense and will go after 50-50 balls. On occasion, she will head out to the perimeter and try to shoot 3-pointers and she understands that bging a big means absorbing contact and being at the free throw line a lot. Meyer scored 14 points in her team’s matchup with Wisconsin Blaze 2023 Inferno. [caption id="attachment_422388" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-422388" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/05/ccb02f778dd1d23a393c982a8699e5a5-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> Photo: Prep Girls Hoops[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="280100" first="Payton" last="Johnson"] – 2024 – Peebles HS – Dayton Metro 2023 Welch – Having this star 2024 on one’s team will pay off. Not only has it paid off on the basketball court, but also in track – another sport she has partaken in throughout her career. Johnson runs the floor well – including when she has the ball in her hands. She will help out on double teams to put opposing ball carriers in precarious spots and can organize an offense in a halfcourt set. Johnson is also a possibility for a double-double on a regular basis with her scoring and rebounding capabilities. She went for 10 points on Sunday morning in her team’s matchup against Wisconsin Blaze 2023 Inferno. [caption id="attachment_422389" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-422389" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/05/40fba4659b7d74b1f4b16f5962609955-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> Photo: Prep Girls Hoops[/caption] Amanda Ogbonna – 2023 – Wheeler HS – Georgia Queen Elite 2023 – Ogbonna is a type of player many a coach would want to have in their frontcourt. She uses her stature at an even six feet to her advantage on both ends of the floor. She will haul in many rebounds and takes the court with a fearless attitude. Ogbonna will draw contact and give her team chances at the free throw line, she finds herself at the right place at the right time on the court and wins many rebounding battles. She leads vocally – as well as by example by making tough shots and having her hands outstretched on defense. She scored 12 points on Sunday morning against Music City Jammers 2023. [caption id="attachment_422393" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-422393" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/05/1bff50c012d86e586d8cfbdb8a19b309-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> Photo: Prep Girls Hoops[/caption] Amyah Woodmore – 2023 – Sprayberry HS – Georgia Queen Elite 2023 – Listed at 5-foot-9 out of Sprayberry, she has been one of the important players for the Yellow Jackets’ frontcourt. Woodmore can make her fair share of plays near the rim, but will also be on the perimeter to attempt a 3-pointer. She is tough to contain when she gets in the mode of attacking the basket. Her defense can also cause problems for opponents and she plays the game with a high basketball IQ. Woodmore scored 10 points – eight of which occurred in the second half - in Georgia Queen Elite 2023’s matchup on Saturday against Music City Jammers 2023. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-422112" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/05/IMG_1089-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="196117" first="Erin" last="Rodgers"] – 2024 – Grayson HS – Team Huncho Nxt-Gen 2023 – There are three on the Team Huncho Nxt-Gen 2023 roster that are playing up a class – Rodgers is one of those and two of those are part of a Rams team that finished 22-6 this past season and made a run in the 7A state playoffs. Rodgers is also one of the many tall players on the Team Huncho Nxt-Gen 2023 roster, giving the team a height advantage over many an opponent. She can connect on midrange jump shots, grab rebounds and make her free throws after getting fouled. Rodgers brings a fearless attitude and lots of energy when she steps on the court, is a heads-up player and all-around hustler and particularly excels in the transition game. [player_tooltip player_id="302960" first="Samara" last="Saunders"] – 2023 – Grayson HS – Team Huncho Nxt-Gen 2023 – Saunders is the other Rams representative on the Team Huncho Nxt-Gen 2023 roster. Listed at an even six feet, she is not afraid to absorb contact and find her way to the free throw line. In addition, she will corral a good bit of rebounds. Another part of the nucleus of a Grayson team that had a banner 2021-22, Saunders is also difficult to score on as she possesses plenty of ability to block shots. With one high school season remaining for Saunders, she will be on the radar of many a Georgia basketball onlooker as one who will look to close her preps career with an exclamation point.