2024 Watch #SouthwestShowcase

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm closing out the Southwest Showcase coverage with the Elite 8 from the 2024 class</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":271471,"width":256,"height":171,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/Christin-Callens-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-271471" width="256" height="171" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='391134' first='Christin' last='Callens']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Callens moved here last season and wound up being one of the stars during the playoffs yet her star got even brighter during the club season. She's strong and powerful and her attacking the basket and finishing after contact stood out at the event. Well, so did her rebounding on both ends and her finishing on putbacks, also after the lick, was solid. She can also shoot it from outside, she sets the defender up easily</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='861390' first='Emma' last='Rowan']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rowan attacked from every angle imaginable and using a deceptive first step was part of it. She picks and chooses the right time, has good body control on her finishes, and even showed the reverse layup a few times. She also creates her shot while being tightly defended and the pull-up jumper was a plus as it dropped consistently but I also enjoyed her rebounding and going coast to coast to score or dish</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alani Owens</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Owens is long ad athletic, always remember that's the base. I start adding intangibles with her timing, which is good, and it enabled her to block, alter, and (or) deflect shots. She does a good job rebounding on both ends of the court and scored well around the basket but her running the floor, on both ends, as well as solid defensive play, stood out as well</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Charlize Williams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams appears to be around 6'1, she too is long and athletic, rebounded strongly on both ends, and ran the floor. What I also liked was her diving on the floor for loose balls, let me drop #THROWBACK in the mix and that, as well as her timing, was impressive. I love her upside, she battles for everything and showed she could defend both inside and outside the paint </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":438445,"width":256,"height":171,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/Nicki-Polocheck.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-438445" width="256" height="171" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='158872' first='Nicolette' last='Polocheck']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Polocheck JUST DID IT for me as she's on her way to a BREAKOUT season in high school. She's handling the ball better from the wing as well as in the open court and her pull-up jumper with a hand in her face was one of the best at the event. Yeah, she still scores around the basket, with either hand, and finishes after contact plus she rebounds on both ends and defends </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ashlynn Alexander</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alexander is an athletic guard that was one of the best "on the ball" defenders at the event. Her smothering defense baseline to baseline helped create turnovers, yet she also defended well in the set. She scored off the dribble and finished, even showed the floater numerous times but she has good court vision and a nice pull-up jumper also</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='158868' first='Raniyah' last='Lewis']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lewis was called a #D1Lock by a REAL EVALUATOR on my initial sighting, remember #ThereIsNoMe and watching her "poise under pressure" her ability to score in the clutch and her never stop going hard all told me what was coming. She showed the stop-and-pop jumper in transition, the pull-up in the set, and all types of acrobatic finishes </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Deyjah Ray</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ray has shown progression every season since I've been observing her game yet what she did at the event gave me a different view. Her first step has been her "go-to" as she scored countless ways off the dribble however her pull-up jumper from deep, with a hand in her face, was nice. She created her shot in the set, also pulled up in transition to drop it</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->