ATL Summer Slam – Road Warriors (Part 2)

With July 2022 on the verge of giving way to August, we have arrived at the portion of the high school/AAU basketball schedule where the travel season prepares to reach its conclusion and the high school academic (and athletic) calendar gets underway.   Not before one last live period and several events occurring where the best of the high school ranks had one more opportunity this year to showcase their skills directly in front of collegiate scouts and coaches.   One of those events was ATL Summer Slam. Hosted by Insider Exposure and taking place in the same time frame as War Games hosted previously, it welcomed teams and coaches from all across the country – and even one team from Canada. It utilized several events to host the teams and games participating – including Suwanee Sports Academy northeast of Atlanta in Gwinnett County.   We at Prep Girls Hoops also made the trip. Speaking of travel, these standouts had to go a bit of a ways to get to Atlanta for the festivities, but were not fazed by said travel as their performances showed.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/IMG_9694-scaled-crop-1897x1246-1658699282.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-466604"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='295263' first='Sophia' last='Remmel'] – 2023 – Dunlap HS – [program_tooltip program_id='712530' first='Heart' last='of Illinois'] 17U Bluestar – Most of the Illinois-based standouts we at Prep Girls Hoops have seen have hailed from the Chicago area. But one may overlook talents such as Remmel who calls Peoria home. The ability to knock down 3-pointers is a hallmark of Remmel's overall game. Another is how she will absorb contact and get to the free throw line. A stalwart on both offense and defense, what she does on the other end helps her team with the ability to get opposing ball carriers in precarious spots and turn those into extra possessions and/or points in transition. She scored 10 points in her team's hard-fought contest with FBC Carolina Elite Queens.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/IMG_9700-scaled-crop-2557x1679-1658699371.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-466606"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='347004' first='Tatym' last='Lamprecht'] – 2023 – Morton HS – [program_tooltip program_id='712530' first='Heart' last='of Illinois'] 17U Bluestar – The on-court leadership of Lamprecht is a key ingredient in the Potters' run to a 29-6 mark last season – and a berth in the 3A IHSA semifinals. She can and will score at will and can get a bit creative with how she finishes at the rim. Lamprecht welcomes contact and the opportunity to help her team's offensive output from the free throw line. One way that she does have so much success from the field is from behind the 3-point line and the attributes she gets from track and field – where she has also competed – translate well to basketball. Lamprecht finished with an 11-point outing in an entertaining contest with FBC Carolina Elite Queens.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/IMG_9680-scaled-crop-2234x1467-1658699463.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-466608"/></figure>   Taya Ellis – 2023 – Royal Crown Academic School – Toronto Matrix Elite – The tallest player on the Toronto Matrix Elite roster – and the only one at least at six feet, that 6-foot-2 height certainly comes in useful in many facets of the game. Ellis will shoot from long range and will haul in many a rebound. Ellis is also a consistent scorer who also plays with the attitude of absorbing contact and getting to the free throw line. She also puts emphasis on ball handling and shot blocking. Ellis finished with 10 points for her team against a ETA Thunder 2023 Campos assembling that is a tough out for any team.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/IMG_9678-scaled-crop-2300x1511-1658699591.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-466610"/></figure>   Haley Barbieri – 2022 – Bill Crothers Secondary School – Toronto Matrix Elite - It is only fitting that a standout sporting Toronto's signature number (No. 6) had a standout performance representing a GTA AAU team. Barbieri also has experience with Markham Prep and Kia Nurse Elite. Barbieri displayed impressive ball handling capabilities and managed to set her team's offense up in halfcourt sets. Barbieri managed to draw plenty of contact and get to the free throw line and attacked the rim against a slew of defenders. She also stays active even when the ball is not in her hands. She also managed six points against a tough Tennessee-based ETA Thunder 2023 Campos club.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/IMG_9750-scaled-crop-2424x1592-1658699689.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-466612"/></figure>   Ranlei Freeman – 2023 – Finneytown HS – Midwest Take Over Take 1 2023 – Freeman is the way to be, man. Listed as a 5-foot-7 point guard, she previously played at North College Hill also in the Cincinnati area. She keeps her arms outstretched as a defender and delivers plenty of hustle when it is time to prevent the other team from scoring. Offensively, she can shoot the ball from long range and plays the game unafraid of contact as foul-worthy bumps can place her at the free throw line. She finished with 10 points in a matchup between her team and Tennessee-based Team Real Deal Girls.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/IMG_9755-scaled-crop-1725x1133-1658699805.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-466614"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='304812' first='Alyssa' last='Ervin'] – 2024 – Carroll County HS – [program_tooltip program_id='713572' first='Virginia' last='Outlaws'] 2023 – Ervin is playing up a year in class as a rising junior on a 17U AAU team. Ervin entered the travel slate after making history with her Cavaliers as they won 23 consecutive matchups en route to the school's first-ever girls basketball state championship. She can recover quickly in case of a mishandle of the ball, but does an exceptional job limiting turnovers. Ervin will also shoot the ball from long range and has no issues absorbing contact and getting to the free throw line. She makes smart passes, runs the floor with precision and is skilled at making the extra pass. Ervin, whose offers include Anderson, Presbyterian College, ETSU and Radford, finished with 14 points as [program_tooltip program_id='713572' first='Virginia' last='Outlaws'] 2023 closed out the first day of ATL Summer Slam with a rout of Georgia Sting.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/IMG_9757-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1658699892.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-466616"/></figure>   Ariana Young – 2023 – Pendleton County HS – [program_tooltip program_id='713572' first='Virginia' last='Outlaws'] 2023 – The Wildcats' star 5-foot-7 guard entered the travel campaign after averaging 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 steals in the 20 contests she played in last season. She also garnered an offer from Concord University in West Virginia. Young plays primarily in the backcourt as a guard and can drain a great deal of 3-pointers. She also displays plenty of handles and a willingness to go through defenders en route to the basket. Young also does plenty of work on the glass and as a ball hawk and will at times finish with plenty of creativity at the cup. She tallied 17 points (including five from deep) in a rout for [program_tooltip program_id='713572' first='Virginia' last='Outlaws'] 2023 over Georgia Sting.

With July 2022 on the verge of giving way to August, we have arrived at the portion of the high school/AAU basketball schedule where the travel season prepares to reach its conclusion and the high school academic (and athletic) calendar gets underway.