NYBA #PrimeTime Showcase Tourney Standouts
The NYBA #PrimeTime Showcase was nothing short of amazing. Talent was wall to wall, and here are some of the standout ladies that were in action… Aaliyah Ryan (5’9/SF/’27/NYBA Team Tae) Aaliyah is a developing prospect that has good size coming…
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Continue ReadingThe NYBA #PrimeTime Showcase was nothing short of amazing. Talent was wall to wall, and here are some of the standout ladies that were in action…
Aaliyah Ryan (5’9/SF/’27/NYBA Team Tae)
Aaliyah is a developing prospect that has good size coming out of the 8th grade. She is raw in many areas but showed potential, and her length cannot be denied. The strength of her game was seen on the glass and on the defensive end of the floor as she often contested and altered shots. As she gets ready to embark on her high school career, she will need to continue to work on developing her offensive game. Significant time in the weight room will also benefit her as she will come to know that the game at the next level is faster and the players are stronger.
McKenna Miller (6’0/SF|PF/’29/FBC Nashville)
Instagram: mckennam723
I had to go back and look at the profile form that McKenna completed because when I saw my notes and saw her classification, I was a little thrown off. McKenna is a 6th grader that has a lot of promise. She has excellent positional size for her grade and showed a lot of grit battling older players of similar size. Her length caused a lot of problems for opponents as she was a factor on the glass, and she played the passing lanes. Often with players McKenna’s age, you have to push them to play more aggressively, but that is not the case with McKenna, as she has that part of her game in operation. Like many of the young ladies I saw throughout the tourney, McKenna falls into the same category: the need for offensive development. I am really looking forward to seeing Mckenna’s growth because with her size and aggressiveness as a 6th grader if she can add some tools, she can develop into a prospect to keep an eye on.
Nataya Wardlow (4’11/PG/’25/TN Flight ’24)
Twitter: @Tayawardlow2
If I could give Nataya a nickname, it would be ‘Lil Bit’ because she stands 4’11, but she does not let her size stifle her. She is lightning-quick with the rock in her hands, and there was no one that could stay in front of her. She is a gritty little player on both ends of the floor, and she does not back down from anyone. ‘Lil Bit’ competed with tremendous effort, and it was evident that she had the keys to the team and was in the driver’s seat of her squad. She uses her speed to create off-the-bounce for herself and her teammates. She gives teams headaches with her speed in the open court, which results in continuous pressure on opponents’ defensive transition. She is a high-energy player, providing a distinct advantage for her squad in the transition game.
Akasha Muhammad Akasha Muhammad 5'10" | SF Lead Academy (Nashville) | 2025 State TN (5’11/C/’25/FIE)
Instagram: Kashi3806
Akasha is a difference-maker for her squad. She arrived late in the first game I saw her compete, but when she arrived and got in, you could immediately tell the difference. She has good positional size and knows how to carve out space in the interior. She scored it well in the paint and around the rim and showed to be the number one scoring option for her team. She is somewhat of your throw-back stereotypical post player in the lady’s game as she depends on guard play to get her the rock within the arc, and then she goes to work. She did, however, show the ability to put the rock on the floor to lead the break, and when she was in that mode, she was looking to finish at the cup. Depending on her time in the lab this off-season, she could possibly be looking at a breakout Junior campaign.
Kayla T. Lee (5’7/PG/’24/Franklin Lady Warriors )
Instagram: kaylalee.1
Twitter: @kaylatl33
Kayla is a listed PG that has a good balance between facilitating and scoring. In the game I saw her compete in, she looked for her shot early and often and asserted herself in the scoring column, leading her squad in points for that game. She has a lot of tools in the toolbox that she put on display, along with her skillful ball-handling. She blends together visionary passing, scoring ability, tough shot-making abilities, a good feel for the game, and a good knowledge of the game. Compared to others in this article, much of her game can be based on her maturity level. She is a seasoned player who knows how to impact the game on both ends of the floor, not just with her physical play but with her mind as well. She still has to hone her offensive game and get stronger as she prepares for her senior campaign.
Nevaeh Marange (5’8/SG/’27/Franklin Lady Warriors)
Instagram: nevaeh_marange
If it was one player that had me anticipating more every trip down the floor, it was Nevaeh. She has a good feel for the game, albeit being an eighth-grader. She shot the ball well early, disappeared, then reappeared late in the game. She shot the ball well early, then deferred for a while until she looked as though she had her mind made up to be more impactful. She is a listed SG that has the ability to put up bigger numbers than she put up throughout the weekend. When she is focused on getting buckets, she knows how to manufacture points. Whether she needs to score off the bounce, hit the offensive glass, or get open for a catch-and-shoot from beyond the arc, she showed that she knows how to get her attempts. Hopefully, she will settle into getting up more attempts because she brings more to her team when she can get more looks and attempts as one of the team’s options for scoring.