Dawn Staley Team Camp at UofSC – 2023 Top Performers (Part 1)

<p style="font-weight: 400;">June – widely regarded as camp month within the high school basketball ecosystem – is close to coming to a close. But not before a few large-scale camps take place.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">One of those camps occurred in Columbia at South Carolina’s flagship university. Hosted by two-time national championship winning coach Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks, its camp brought over 100 to the campus whose signature colors are garnet and black. In addition to in-state teams, those from other states such as North Carolina, Georgia and Florida also took part.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Prep Girls Hoops made the trip to UofSC to take it all in. Here are some of the rising sophomores that had noteworthy showings.</p> <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/IMG_8254-scaled-crop-1916x1258-1656137610.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-450937" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/IMG_8254-scaled-crop-1916x1258-1656137610-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Taylor Wessel – 2023 – TL Hanna HS</strong> – Wessel is one of the focal points of the 4A Yellowjackets. She primarily plays in the backcourt as a one or two, but at 5-foot-6 is taller than what one would consider a traditional guard. Wessel can display impressive ball handling abilities and will move the ball in a halfcourt set within the flow of the TL Hanna offense. She also will put plenty a point on the board and a good bit of what she does is the result of her driving to the rim and finishing at the cup. Wessel is also effective as a 3-point shooter and can come through on defense by blocking shots and collecting steals.</p> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-450941" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/IMG_8256-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1656137702-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="185226" first="Alaina" last="Nettles"] – 2023 – Cane Bay HS</strong> – With the success that Nettles has already obtained at the high school level, one would certainly believe she is poised for the same once she reaches the college ranks. It goes without saying that Nettles, who averaged 18.1 points per game in 2021-22 can put crooked figures on the scoreboard. That is complimented by what she does as a rebounder as well as an efficient passer. She can score from virtually anywhere on the court – including via penetrating to the rim as well as from mid and long range. Nettles is also a consistent threat to steal the ball. In addition to basketball, she competes in track and field in the long and triple jump.</p> <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/IMG_8258-scaled-crop-1849x1214-1656137788.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-450945" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/IMG_8258-scaled-crop-1849x1214-1656137788-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="404399" first="Lauren" last="Thomas"] – 2023 – Cane Bay HS</strong> – Thomas is another one of the noteworthy players who lifted the Cobras to its best season in the school’s short history this past season where they made a deep run in the 5A SCHSL playoffs. The 5-foot-7 talent is versatile as she will find playing time as either a guard or a small forward. A key element to her game is what she does as a rebounder and a good bit of those boards occur on the offensive glass when can turn into either two-point putbacks or opportunities at the free throw line. Thomas is also a gifted shot blocker, ball hawk, passer and scorer.</p> <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/IMG_8263-scaled-crop-2252x1479-1656137871.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-450950" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/IMG_8263-scaled-crop-2252x1479-1656137871-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="124111" first="Tysonia" last="Lowe"] – 2023 – Marlboro County HS</strong> – Here is the low down on Lowe – she has a lot of high stock and is looking to conclude her high school career on a high note in the 2022-23 season. The handles she possesses enables her to get out of precarious situations where she may attract double teams. That also translates into another one of her positives – the ability to put crooked digits on the scoreboard. She knows how to finish strong at the cup and is confident in her ability to drain her attempts from range. She is also an efficient passer as well as one who will collect steals. Lowe averaged 21.3 points, 6.5 assists and 1.9 steals last season for the Bulldogs.</p> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-450954" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/IMG_8267-scaled-crop-1574x1034-1656138013-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Denasia McCutcheon-Major – 2023 – Berkeley HS</strong> – McCutcheon-Major took the court in 19 matchups this past season for the Stags. She stands at a tall 5-foot-9 and the nucleus of her game is what she gets done near the rim in the frontcourt. McCutcheon-Major lives up to her second last name as a rebounder with the boards she corrals and the rebounding battles she gets the better end of. She also can deliver as a scorer. McCutcheon-Major also proves her value as a ball hawk. She is one of several rising seniors on the Stags roster looking for a memorable finish to their high school careers.</p>