PGH Triumph Region Kickoff – All-16U First Team
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The first event of the Prep Girls Hoops’ Circuit’s Triumph Region took place this past weekend at the Upward Star Center in South Carolina. The Circuit will return to Upward Star later this year as it will also host the…
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Continue ReadingThe first event of the Prep Girls Hoops’ Circuit’s Triumph Region took place this past weekend at the Upward Star Center in South Carolina. The Circuit will return to Upward Star later this year as it will also host the Triumph Region Finals.
Who knows what the field will look like for the Finals, but the field was stacked for the Kickoff – including a number of talented teams from the 16U ranks.
With this year’s Triumph Region Kickoff in the books, it is time to recognize those that stood out among the competition. Without further adieu, here is out All-16U First Team.
Watson played her first season at the varsity level at a seventh grader at Burke before moving on to the 1A championship-winning Goliath that Military Magnet has been these past three seasons. One of her noteworthy performances occurred on Saturday when her Shots United 2025 team defeated Charleston Raptors 2025 Red by a final of 51-49. Watson finished with 12 points – including 10 in regulation and eight in the second half of play. Rebounding and collecting steals are two other elements to her overall game. She will be one of the faces of the Eagles the next couple of seasons as Military Magnet is losing a bevy of seniors from last season’s team.
Elliott’s play was another reason why Shots United 2025 came out of the 16U bracket with an unblemished 4-0 mark. Among her noteworthy weekend was an eight-point performance in an 43-15 victory over Lady OTOD 2025 and an 11-point outing in an overtime victory (51-49) against Charleston Raptors 2025 Red. As those two games displayed, she is a potent scorer who has a 3-point shot as part of her overall offensive repertoire. What made Elliott’s performance in the first game all the more eye-catching was her ability to give her team productive minutes off of its bench. While listed as being as Williams Middle School, she played her first season at the high school varsity level in 2022-23 at West Ashley.
Speaking of standouts who played their first seasons at the varsity level before they were freshmen, that too applies to Suddeth. The tag of two-sport athlete also applies to her as she plays volleyball in addition to what she gets accomplished on the basketball court. Her Charleston Raptors 2025 Red team had a come-from-behind victory over Upward Stars Upstate 2025 on the first day of the Triumph Region Kickoff. Suddeth led the way with 20 points in that overtime victory. She is a double-double threat on a consistent basis and can also deliver with steals and blocked shots. Suddeth is a name that will be on the radars of college coaches as she advances into her veteran years.
Zimmerman certainly played up to her travel team’s namesake as she looked like an all-star from start to finish at Upward Star Center. The standout from NC GBB Academy in Durham stands at 5-foot-10 and primarily operates at the three. Zimmerman began the Friday of play with an onslaught of 3-pointers en route to a 14-point performance to defeat Charleston Raptors/TMP 2025 Black by a final of 47-42. Defensively, she maintains a high level of activity with her hands outstretched and also will put forth effective defense on the perimeter. The free throw line is another area of the court where Zimmerman can consistently place points on the board.
Charleston Raptors/TMP 2025 Black may have finished 2-2 this past weekend in South Carolina, but Johnson was a consistent scorer from start to finish for her club team. Not to mention, both of her team’s losses were only by single digits. Johnson got her weekend started with a 15-point outing against a tough Carolina All-Stars assembling. She plays with a high basketball IQ which includes the ability to convert on inbounds passes and attack the rim. Johnson also possesses the ability to create additional possessions for her team with the steals she collects and she will take – and connect on – her fair share of 3-pointers.