Rising Stars: Tennessee Girls Making Waves in Basketball

USE CODE "tinnon30" FOR 30% OFF THE FIRST PURCHASE OF ANY SUBSCRIPTION   Coming off this July grind, I was able to see a lot of basketball over the month. Like many of you, I walked away very impressed by how our young ladies got after it. You could tell that our kids had been balling out lately by the way they played. In particular, I know there was a team from Missouri that played two Tennessee teams back-to-back in one day, and they got a true dose of what our style of ball is like. Tough, gritty, we take it to you, and we can shoot. Oh, let me go ahead and add that we defend like crazy.   What I also came away with, besides seeing our girls get better, is that we truly have some cornerstones in our state that can go to the next level and be impactful pieces to a collegiate program. No matter the level, we have girls who can excel on any of them. If you look throughout the course of all platforms from Nike, Under Armour, Adidas, and Independent, you will find girls from Tennessee excelling and making a difference. I'm not trying to be biased at all, but these are facts: our girls have gotten better, and everyone has taken notice. Truly, we have special groups of young ladies moving forward that will be big-time players at the next level.   Here are just a few kids who will be cornerstones for their high programs and be impactful at the next level as well.    Blessed with size and length, this dynamic guard is a three-level scoring threat. She can fill it up inside and out as well as take advantage of guards who are smaller than her in the low block area. She has done a tremendous job of beating kids off the dribble and rising up above in the mid-range. She's a contributor on the defensive end, where she gets deflections, steals, blocks, and rebounds. She is a heady ballplayer whose game keeps growing every time she steps on the floor. KJ is a D1 prospect who will be a solid asset for any program at the next level.     A true big who is so impactful. I am a big fan of hers because she not only competes, but she also excels at exploiting an opponent's weakness. A true student of the game, she is a heady ballplayer who plays with poise. She has a bevy of back-to-the-basket moves, is solid in the screen game, and can knock down the mid-range shots with ease. A skill of hers that is undervalued is her passing ability. She can pass out of double teams, giving her teammates solid passes they can step right into to catch and shoot. Add in her ability to own the boards, and this kid is one solid prospect whose stock continues to rise.     This kid can score from all three levels, but what stands out the most is her ability to run any offense efficiently and effectively. She has been battle-tested on the circuit this year, playing in two different age groups and excelling. Her ability to see the floor is uncanny, delivering timely passes to those on the floor with her. She has tight handles, can change speeds, and whatever needs to be done, check, it's gonna be done. She plays with a chip on her shoulder. Don't let the size fool you, as this kid can play. She's gotten multiple offers as of late, and her stock isn't any near about to slow down. Solid kid who is a heady floor general.     Gritty ballplayer who just competes. This kid knows how to use her body as leverage, especially in the low block areas. She's strong. Plays the game with a certain physicality. Is just a beast on both ends of the floor. She can score over either shoulder, knock down mid-range jumpers from the elbows, or short corners. In the paint, she's going to go through the opposition for the lay. Defensively, you better believe she is gonna make it tough for her opponent to score. No kid can establish a presence or feel comfortable when she is around. This kid brings it every time she steps onto the floor and is someone who can be impactful. If I had to compare her game to someone in the W, she probably mimics Alyssa Thomas with the way she brings her physicality. Solid kid who is a problem.     Talk about someone who is hot right now, this young lady is about to be a huge problem during school ball. She's tough, gritty, and can not only pound it in the paint, but score from multiple spots outside of it. Heck, she can even handle the rock and push it in transitional breaks. She has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. She scores, defends, and owns the boards. She is a difference maker who is truly impactful. Keep an eye out for this young lady as her stock is on the rise.

USE CODE "tinnon30" FOR 30% OFF THE FIRST PURCHASE OF ANY SUBSCRIPTION