The Babies Are Coming #TJShowcase

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I had a chance to catch some old and new faces of younger players from the event and here are a few that stood out </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='915490' first='Ellie' last='Mae Lester'] (Phoenix 2029)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lester is proving she's a Tip Sheet waiting to happen and after going completely off at <strong><em><a href="https://girlzprepreport.com/2024-all-eyez-on-me-the-babies-are-coming/">#AllEyezOnMe</a></em></strong> nothing changed at the #TJShowcase. Her upside is high and her intensity on both ends can change the momentum of a game. She can score off the dribble, drop the mid to long range, and see the floor plus she applies baseline to baseline heat</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lilah Culbreth (Phoenix 2029)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Culbreth is "long and athletic" which is and always will be the base and the first thing she did that grabbed my attention was playing the passing lane. She also rebounded on both ends, scored around the basket and off the dribble, and played solid defense</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Emma Pierson (Phoenix 2029)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pierson also did a good job of playing the passing lane yet she handled the ball afterward which is a plus. She also showed she could attack the basket and score and defended in the set</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='966336' first='Madelyn' last='Long'] (Phoenix 2029)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Long gave me the "hands and footwork" to finish around the basket. She also rebounded, on both ends and scored on putbacks but she and her <strong>TWIN</strong> sister left a lasting <strong><em><a href="https://girlzprepreport.com/2024-all-eyez-on-me-the-babies-are-coming/">FIRST IMPRESSION at #AllEyezOnMe</a></em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='966330' first='Scarlett' last='Long'] (Phoenix 2029)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Scarlett also showed hands and footwork to score around the basket yet she picked some pockets using her quick hands as well. Rebounded on both ends and played defense inside the paint</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kyky Funderburk ([program_tooltip program_id='713017' first='Waco' last='United'])</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Funderburk is an athletic guard who already understands how to use her athleticism on both ends. She's electrifying in the open court and her acrobatic finishes are ahead of her years. Her first step, coupled with nice body control helps her finish after contact, she can drop it from outside and she plays the passing </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1240327' first='Braelyn' last='Horn'] ([program_tooltip program_id='713017' first='Waco' last='United']) </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Horn sounded loud as she's a "long and athletic" guard, which is also the base who did a good job defending "on the ball" as well as scoring off the dribble</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Janiah Ford ([program_tooltip program_id='713017' first='Waco' last='United'] )</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ford was throwing blistering "on the money" passes in traffic, which in itself dropped the mic yet her "on the ball" defense and scoring off the dribble proves once again, #sizedontmatter when you can play</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Harmoni Thomas and Oriena Bates ([program_tooltip program_id='713017' first='Waco' last='United']) </strong>continue to show progression from the last time I saw them and their upside is very good so I can't wait to get a good look at them the next time around</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->