My Immediate Thoughts From #PGHTop250ExpoAL

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">The #PGHTop250ExpoAL took place in Hoover, AL, at Spain Park HS. The gym was full of talent, and here are my initial thoughts on a few standouts…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":775998,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/PGH-Serenity-Rutledge.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-775998" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1165419' first='Serenity' last='Rutledge']</strong> ( 5'5/GG/'27/Moody HS) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: serenity_rutledge_0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Perhaps the best player in camp was Serenity. While posting throughout camp, we posted her under her mother's name, Elisha, as her mom signed her up under her name. The PH writers went by the given roster, resulting in the post about Serenity being posted under her mom's name. Now that I have got that out let me tell you about Serenity, who was absolutely brilliant throughout camp. She has a brilliant floor game and can hurt a defense in so many ways. She can score the rock with the best of them and was sensational in getting by defenders and living in the paint. She is a freshman who plays beyond her years and showed a lot of promise. Not only did her stock rise at camp, but she quickly became a name many will discuss in grassroots basketball.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":775997,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/PGH-Top250-Samarian-Franklin.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-775997" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='323418' first='Samarian' last='Franklin']</strong> (5'5/PG/'25/Wenonah) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Samarian was one of the toughest players in camp, regardless of class and position. She is a workhorse that gets it done on both ends of the floor. She is a talented floor general who constantly puts pressure on the rim. She orchestrated the offense, scored from multiple levels, and was always under control with her low center of gravity. Samarian showed a high skill set, intelligence, and toughness, which separated her as one of the best players at camp.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":775996,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/PGH-Sophia-OKeefe.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-775996" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Sophia O'Keefe</strong> (5'7/SG/'27/GPS) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: sophiaokeefe78</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X/Twitter: @34sophiaokeefe</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Sophia is a freshman who showed her strength and stuck to it throughout the day. She is a shooter who looked for her shot throughout the day. She is embarking upon her freshman season, and a lot of development is still needed, but as far as her ability to knock down the trey ball, she is ready right now to stretch the floor. Sophia needs someone to get her the ball, but when she can emerge as a player who can put the ball on the floor and create her own shot, she will see her game be more impactful.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":775995,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/PGH-Top250-Zamyra-Goode.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-775995" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='382423' first='Zamyra' last='Goode']</strong>&nbsp;(5'7/G/'24/Bob Jones)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: zgoode12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X/Twitter: @zgoode12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Zamyra is a player who got better and stronger as camp went on. She is a physical guard who gets downhill in a hurry. She initiates contact off the bounce, and many defenders who had their chance against her today had their hands full. She was active on both ends of the floor and brought the same energy on the glass. She is an on-ball creator who can get her team into their offense, set her teammates up for scoring opportunities, and get her own off the bounce. There was something about her game that I kept trying to figure out, and it wasn't until I saw her classification that it hit me, and that was her game's maturity. She is an experienced player who displayed some intangibles that the younger players in camp are still figuring out. She will be a foundational piece for her squad this year.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":775994,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/PGH-Top250-Khloe-Ford.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-775994" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='382891' first='Khloe' last='Ford']</strong>&nbsp;(6'4/F/'26/Hoover)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: khloe._f</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Khloe was an interior presence that disrupted a lot of action on the defensive end of the floor. Her length allowed her to challenge shots and be dominant on the boards. She did not have much resistance when it came to other campers that matched her size, so she had to deal with a lot of physical play, especially when she got the ball near the rim. She is preparing for her sophomore season, and it will be interesting to see how she will be worked into the rotation. She is still developing offensively but showed some intriguing tools. She posts hard, can play out of the face-up and put the ball on the floor, and can score with her 13-15 foot jumper. I would like to see her continue to develop scoring around the rim with her right, as well as keeping the ball high and not making herself small at times. I am really excited about Khloe's development over the next couple of years.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":775993,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/PGH-Top250-Jillian-Baine.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-775993" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='600935' first='Jillian' last='Baine']</strong>&nbsp;(5'10/G|F/'25/Brewbaker Tech)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: theejilliannicole._</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X/Twitter: @imjilliannicole</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">One of the most versatile players in camp was Jillian. She plays on and off the ball and produces at both spots. She does a good job initiating the offense and setting her teammates up. She is good at facilitating, but make no mistake, she is a player who can go and get a bucket. She is at her best when she is attacking off the bounce. She has a playmaking feel for the game, and her team was much better when she had the ball in her hands and was looking for her shot because it forced help, and Jillian showed her ability to make smart decisions. She is a well-rounded big guard who will have a lot of eyes on her this upcoming year because she will find herself playing at the next level one day.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->