Space City Slam: 14U First Team All Tournament

The talent pool in the 14U division at the PGH Space City Slam was on full display! I thoroughly enjoyed watching these five young players and believe we will continue to read about each individual's progression in the years to come.    Whether setting the table or creating her own, Cox is a true catalyst on the floor. She doesn't just make plays, she elevates everyone around her- as she uses her strong, battle-ready frame to drive in the lane between multiple defenders, get in the air and kick the ball off to an open man. Again in transition, she is the engine behind her team's playmaking. Cox is showing elite habits early such as jabbing every time she catches the ball, a developed jump shot and overall body control.     Williams athletics and endurance were on full display all weekend! While she may not be the team's leading scorer, she is a player that makes it hard for the coach to keep her off the court for long because of her superb read and react abilities. After she soars up for rebounds, she makes smart pivots away from the defense (all while keeping the ball high) and immediately has her head up looking to make a play in transition. With perfect anticipation, Williams intercepted passes to make precise one handed passes to open teammates 25+ feet away. She caused several turnovers by going to trap and simply ripping the ball out of the opposition's hands. She plays extremely hard the entire time she touches the floor.       Standing below 5', Childress is undersized. The near comeback performance she gave against a team with multiple 6 footers, glued me to the baseline to watch. She hit 3 three point shots in a 4 minute span! Her fight willed her to get rebounds and go up with a fight to end up on the free throw line. She plays with a motor as she is the first one down the court on both ends. Childress makes good reads off of ball screens and has a soft touch on the floater. She repeatedly finished over much larger opponents at the rack in transition.     Huffman has a long and lengthy frame. Her Tomball Fury team dominated against all teams in their 14U division at the Space City Slam. On a fundamentally sound team, what sets Huffman apart is her basketball IQ and the patience she plays with. Nothing she does is forced or rushed. She sets screens on the perimeter and understands how to create space on the roll to be in position to score. She likes to use the scoop shot to score at the basket and teams had no answer for her. On the defensive end, her length helps protect the rim. Showcasing her IQ, she anticipates in the passing lane for steals.     Goms is a 6'2 rim running post that can catch and put the ball on the floor and finish with both hands. She already understands how to use her size advantage to continuously work the lane by posting and reposting on the perimeter passes. Footwork and understanding where to be at is paramount for posts at this age. If her teammates are not feeding her on the block, she can go and get it herself off the glass. Gomis has the blueprint to possess a dangerous turnaround jumper from the low block: she posts low, feels the defense and makes the quick move one way before shooting in the middle. She also made effective rolls after setting screens on the perimeter.

The talent pool in the 14U division at the PGH Space City Slam was on full display! I thoroughly enjoyed watching these five young players and believe we will continue to read about each individual's progression in the years to come.