Out-of-area players catching my eye during the Buckeye Breakdown
There was plenty of excitement rumbling for the Buckeye Breakdown throughout the Fieldhouse USA Columbus Complex Saturday and Sunday. Cheers and rahs echoed all over the facility. Those came in response to the basketball being played on the court. No…
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Continue ReadingThere was plenty of excitement rumbling for the Buckeye Breakdown throughout the Fieldhouse USA Columbus Complex Saturday and Sunday. Cheers and rahs echoed all over the facility. Those came in response to the basketball being played on the court. No matter which of the games were being played, everyone brought all they had in the competition.
Here are five players who stood out:
Tiyah Parker Tiyah Parker 5'6" | PG Chaminade Julienne | 2025 OH , Dayton Vipers Elite 2025, CG, 5-7 – Parker doesn’t stand for nonsense on the court, she’s all business. Briefcase included. Not really, but you get the picture. She’s all about leading, directing, and being exactly what you need from a point guard. In four games over Saturday and Sunday, she showed those skills with mixed results, but they were generally positive. She used her speed to slash into the lane and kick out to her teammates. Or, she took control of her offense with a high basketball IQ and created a scoring opportunity for herself.
Rachel Smith Rachel Smith 5'7" | SG Great Crossing | 2023 State KY , Kentucky Ice 2023, SG 5-7 – Smith may be young, but she sure can shoot the basketball. Oh yes. Pick any shot, especially a 3-pointer and she will knock it down. At one point over the weekend, she got on a roll with a quick release shot and hit 4 3’s in a game on Sunday. She gets good elevation on a shot, but the best part about her? She gets her shot off quickly off the pass. Seeing as she is 5-foot-7, but will probably grow, that will only help her as she gets older.
Jermyra Christian Jermyra Christian 5'6" | PG East Jessamine | 2023 State KY , OTP 2023, PG, 5-3 – I really like this young lady, a lot. She plays with a lot of energy and brings the fire to her team. She’s always attacking no matter what tempo the offense is going at, probably because she’s comfortable controlling the pace of the game. That’s not surprising seeing as her quick hands getting her plenty of steals gives her the time to set up the offense how she wants it. Coaches, she may be small, but her court vision and fiery are excellent for your team.
Kaitlyn Kimmett, Team 419 2025, SF, 6-0 – Kimmet’s length allows her to cause trouble on both ends of the floor. All the time. Thanks to her reach, she shoots over many defenders, while generating steals on the defensive end. This weekend especially she hit several big threes with defenders in her face, but also showed a willingness to take her defender off the dribble. On defense, she saw several girls bigger than her and held her own in the post. It wasn’t always pretty, but she never left or stop doing her job. If she continues developing, there’s a good chance she becomes a defensive terror with a shooters’ touch.
Amy Thompson Amy Thompson 6'1" | SF Whitefield Academy | 2023 State KY , Kentucky Ice 2023, C, 6-0 – Thompson flashes multi-scoring threat talent every time on the floor. Not just a little bit. Think more of a large quantity. Bigger. Bigger. Okay. She really puts the ball through the hoop in so many different ways. She’s a kid who is comfortable shooting on the perimeter or taking the ball in the paint and getting a little dirty. She may be young, but I see her getting stronger and continually adding pieces to her game in the following years. Coaches, get out to see this girl as soon as you can.