Pass Tha Ball NXTUP Middle School Showcase Standouts

Pass Tha Ball hosted their NXTUP Middle School Showcase in Duncanville, TX. This was my first time attending this showcase and I have to say there were some very talented young ladies in the building. The camp featured players from the 2030-2027 class. I got the opportunity to see a little bit of everything. Players were split up based on class and went through skill stations and then played 5 v 5 games. Here are a few players that stood out to me from the camp.

Brooke Maupin | PG | Texas Legends | 2027

Brooke is a familiar face that I have seen play before. When evaluating I like to see if the player can showcase the same ability, energy, and potential. Brooke is an aggressive player that has a good skill set. Her ball handling, shooting, footwork and passing are all on point. She can shoot it and finish in the lane with either hand.

Lanae Dallas | Guard | 5’6 | Hoop Society | 2028

I love evaluating players that bring a good level of energy and effort to the floor. I often see players play hard on offense and rest on defense, but Lanae gave max effort on both ends of the floor. I saw her a few times defending the ball handler in the backcourt and harassing them with her on-ball defense. Offensively, she goes strong to the basket with the ability to play through contact. She also showed she can knock down the three-ball.

Trinity Jackson | Guard | 5’3 | Missouri Phenom | 2028

Point guard is probably my favorite position to evaluate. Seeing players run the point that has a high IQ and a great skill set gets me excited. Trinity did a really good job of using her skills set to be effective. She got into the lane which collapsed the defense and allowed her to make plays for herself or her teammates.

Maci Pringle | Forward | 5’10 | DC Queens | 2027

When I saw Maci in the gym before the camp started I was eager to see her play. I knew she would bring effort and put her athleticism on full display. Maci has good size, length, and the athleticism to be a lock down defender. She could defend anyone from the point to the stretch 4 and some bigs. She runs the floor well, rebounds in traffic and finishes at the rim in the half-court and in transition.

Layla Delafosse | Guard | 5’6 | Just Play | 2027

Layla first caught my attention during the skill portion of the camp. I love shooters and she was showing off her ability to shoot the ball. Her shooting continued to be on display when the 5 v 5 portion of the camp took place. But it wasn’t just her standing in one spot and waiting for someone to pass her the ball. She was moving without the ball and in relation to penetration to get open and get her shot off. She attacked closeouts with her ability to put the ball on the floor and finished in the lane.

Kate Fuessel | Guard | 5’9 | Hardwood | 2027

Events like this you sometimes see players play hard and fast but out of control. Kate played hard, but with a level of poise. She didn’t seem to rush or be in a hurry when the 5 v 5 games took place. This allowed her to see the floor and know when to attack off the dribble. When she got into the lane she displayed the ability to finish around the primary or help defender.

Sandy Cortez | Post | 5’11 | Tha Answer | 2027

I love seeing players do what they do well and not trying to do too much. Sandy did a good job of controlling the paint on both ends of the floor. On offense she posted up strong and calling for the ball. Defensively, she communicated with teammates by calling out screens and cutters to keep her team aware and alert of the offense. She also rebounded well, blocked shots, shot the three, and had a soft touch around the rim.

Arianna Robinson | Guard | 5’8 | Proskills ‘ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”] | 2028

I’ve been to several showcase camps and at each one of them I often see players being selfish. The 5 v 5 game I saw Arianna play in was a breath of fresh air, because she was so unselfish. Not scared to shoot type of player, but a player that was trying to make the right play. She attacked off the dribble to draw other defenders to make the right pass to an open teammate. But if the defense didn’t help she had the skill to finish herself. Arianna has a nice mid-range jumper, good passer, is competitive, and a good athlete.

Patience Simmons Patience Simmons 5'11" | PF Frisco Lone Star | 2027 TX | Forward | 5’11 | Proskills ‘ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”] | 2027

The last game I was able to evaluate I was able to see Patience. The 5’11 forward/wing player has a good skill set and a lot of potential. The first thing that caught my attention was the back-to-back threes she made. She did a good job of spacing on offense and shoot the three with total confidence. Patience also showed the ability to push it and finish in transition. Defensively, she uses her size and length well. She plays the passing lanes well and does a good job anticipating.