Florida 17U EYBL Session II Stat Leaders in Birmingham

By Michael Wholey 7/27/23 7:00 AM EST   Florida had a heavy presence in Birmingham for Nike EYBL Session II.  Here are the 17U Statistical leaders.      [player_tooltip player_id='217667' first='Kayla' last='Nelms'] ([program_tooltip program_id='713522' first='Miami' last='Suns'] Team Fowles 17U EYBL) 6'2 Forward – Class of 2024   Stats: 16.6 Points Per Game   Rank: # 1   Stats: 5.0 Rebounds Per Game   Rank: # 16 (Tied)   Stats: 1.2 Steals Per Game   Rank: # 16 (Tied)   Stats: 0.4 Blocks Per Game   Rank: # 13 (Tied)   Nelms finished in the top 20 in four statistical categories in Alabama including leading 17U EYBL in scoring. She scored in double digits all five games, playing inside and out, finishing as the event's top scorer with 16.6 points per game.  At 6'2, Nelms shot an impressive 57% from the field on 35/61 from the field and 36% from 3 on 9/25 from beyond the arc.  Nelms has a strong lower base with soft hands and excellent 3-point range.  Her balanced offensive attack took her defenders down low on mismatches and stretched the defense from the top of the key as the trail post.           [player_tooltip player_id='331745' first='Eris' last='Lester'] ([program_tooltip program_id='713522' first='Miami' last='Suns'] Team Fowles 17U EYBL) 5'11 Guard – Class of 2024   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/07/Slide5.webp?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-723530" width="466" height="466" /></figure>   Stats: 8.8 Rebounds Per Game   Rank: # 2   Stats: 12.2 Points Per Game   Rank: # 10   Stats: 2.2 Assists Per Game   Rank: # 13   Stats: 1.4 Steals Per Game   Rank: # 12   Stats: 0.4 Blocks Per Game   Rank: # 13 (Tied)   Lester is considered one of the top prospects in the country for a reason, finishing in the top 20 in all five major statistical categories.  Lester is an elite athlete with big time hops who led all of the 17U EYBL in Birmingham with 8.8 rebounds per game.  She crashes aggressive and often from the wing and consistently a presence on the boards and always around the ball.  She saved her best game for last, grabbing 13 rebounds while also scoring 22 points on 8/18 shooting vs the Alabama Southern Starz on Sunday.  She scored in double digits in 3 of 5 games and continues to be a player that moves up the rankings and catches the attention of more and more college coaches.      [player_tooltip player_id='852071' first='Olivia' last='Schmitt'] ([program_tooltip program_id='713522' first='Miami' last='Suns'] Team Fowles 17U EYBL) 5'5 Guard – Class of 2024   Stats: 6.4 Assists Per Game   Rank: # 1   Stats: 11.6 Points Per Game   Rank: # 11   Stats: 2.2 Steals Per Game   Rank: # 4   Schmitt finished in the top 11 in 3 statistical categoires, and led all of 17U EYBL in assists in Birmingham averaging 6.4 assists per game. The 5'6 point guard was particularly effective in the last two games of the event, dropping 12 dimes vs Sports City Angels on Saturday and then following that up with 7 assists on Sunday vs Alabama Southern Starz.  Schmitt was not only effective on the offensive end in Birmingham but was also effective on defense picking up opposing teams points guards, working them baseline to baseline.  She finished top 5 in steals in Birmingham, snatching 2.2 steals per game.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/tracy_schmitt/status/1659780042065432576?s=20 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/TheGirlsCircuit/status/1659701844787204097?s=20 </div></figure>     [player_tooltip player_id='248320' first='Trinity' last='Turner'] (Essence TipHayes Purple 17U EYBL) 5'8 Guard – Class of 2024   Stats: 8.8 Rebounds Per Game   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/07/278255731_2032748890240268_5889427534872986764_n-825x1024-1.jpeg?w=825" alt="" class="wp-image-723545" width="268" height="333" /></figure>   Rank: # 2   Stats: 4.6 Assists Per Game   Rank: # 2   Stats: 9.8 Points Per Game   Rank: # 19 (Tied)   Stats: 2.2 Steals Per Game   Rank: # 4 (Tied)   Turner's talent was on display all weekend finishing top 10 in assists, steals and rebounds, and top 20 in points.  Turner is a very effective rebounder from the perimeter position finishing tied for first in rebounds per game in Birmingham grabbing 8.8 rebounds per game.  Turner grabbed double digits in the events final two games, with 11 rebounds vs Boo Williams on Saturday and again another 11 rebounds vs Team Durant on Sunday.  Right behind Schmitt in assists, [player_tooltip player_id='248320' first='Trinity' last='Turner'] came in at # 2 in assists with 4.6 per game for Essence.  She was pretty consistent throughout the event but had a game high 11 assists vs the [program_tooltip program_id='713522' first='Miami' last='Suns'] Team Fowles on her way to a triple double (14 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists).  Turner uses her explosive first step and shifty open court moves to blow by defenders in transition and create easy shots for her teammates.      [player_tooltip player_id='325200' first='Tayla' last='Thomas'] (Essence TipHayes Purple 17U EYBL) 6'2 Forward – Class of 2024   Stats: 7.0 Rebounds Per Game   Rank: # 9   Stats: 1.0 Blocks Per Game   Rank: # 6 (Tied)   At 6'2, Thomas is a big presence on the boards and is someone that players attacking the rim have to navigate around when trying to score in the paint.  Thomas finished top 10 in both rebounds and blocks on the weekend, proving to be very effective in the paint and a steady presence down low for Essence.      [player_tooltip player_id='752545' first='Jamila' last='Ray'] (Essence TipHayes Purple 17U EYBL) 5'10 Guard – Class of 2026   Stats: 6.0 Rebounds Per Game   Rank: # 10 (Tied)   Ray rebounded the well all event from the perimeter position.  One of the youngest players in the 17U division, Ray used her wingspan and her vertical to fly in from the wing and the baseline and snatch offensive rebounds.  She has great length and athleticism and has a huge upside.  She is a young prospect to keep your eyes on as her best basketball is still ahead of her!     [player_tooltip player_id='283846' first='Jessica' last='Fields'] (Essence TipHayes Purple 17U EYBL) 6'2 Forward – Class of 2025 (GA)   Stats: 6.0 Rebounds Per Game   Rank: # 10 (Tied)   Stats: 0.6 Blocks Per Game   Rank: # 11 (Tied)   Fields was very active on the defensive end finishing tied for 10th in rebounds with 6.0 per game and tied for 11th with .6 blocks per game.  Fields had 7 rebounds in each of her team's first 3 games while also blocking 2 shots vs Exodus and 1 vs the [program_tooltip program_id='713522' first='Miami' last='Suns'].  She played consistently all weekend and had a presence on both sides of the basketball using her athleticism and length while playing with energy and a high activity level.      Chloe Sotell ([program_tooltip program_id='713522' first='Miami' last='Suns'] Team Fowles 17U EYBL) 5'11 Guard – Class of 2024   Stats: 1.2 Steals Per Game   Rank: # 16 (Tied)   Sotell often known for her 3 point range, finished in the top 20 for steals averaging 1.2 per game across 5 games in Birmingham.  At 5'11, Sotell uses her length and wingspan well on the defensive end to get deflections and step into passing lanes.      [player_tooltip player_id='243896' first='Jade' last='Jones'] ([program_tooltip program_id='713522' first='Miami' last='Suns'] Team Fowles 17U EYBL) 5'11 Guard – Class of 2025   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/04/Jade-Jones-14.jpeg?w=540" alt="" class="wp-image-635828" width="337" height="337" /></figure>   Stats: 0.4 Blocks Per Game   Rank: # 13 (Tied)   Jones playing up to 17U is an active, versatile player that can play multiple positions on the offensive end and can guard both on the perimeter and the interior on the defensive end.  She plays hard and aggressive every possession and is constantly in the middle of the action.  Jones had some bright spots in Alabama, grabbing 11 rebounds to start the event vs Exodus and following that up with a 7 point and 2 steal effort vs CP3 Flames.  She had blocks in 2 of the Suns 5 games and played hard every second she was on the court!     [player_tooltip player_id='742509' first='Lourdes' last='Da Silva Costa'] (Essence TipHayes Purple 17U EYBL) 6'3 Forward – Class of 2025   Stats: 0.4 Blocks Per Game   Rank: # 13 (Tied)   Take a quick glimpse to the court when Essence is playing with Da Silva Costa on the court, you will do a double take.  She is an intimidating presence on both ends of the court and one of the top post prospects in the class of 2025 nationally.  She moves well for her size, finishes at the rim, has soft hands and good timing on blocking shots.  Serving as a role player for Essence TipHayes Purple 17U EYBL, she will be a player that this team will lean on heavily next year as she continues to improve, play with more confidence, and be more productive.      Michael Wholey is the lead scout for Florida Prep Girls Hoop Florida and a former division one Assistant Coach at American University, University of Memphis, and Georgia Tech.  Wholey and the rest of the Prep Girls Hoop staff, seek to cover the entire state of player, keeping subscribers up to date with player evaluations, recruiting info, and statewide news.  Our audience often supplies us with some of our best information.  If you have any information on players, teams, or statewide news in the state of Florida, emailing Michael Wholey at WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com or DM him through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.

By Michael Wholey 7/27/23 7:00 AM EST