Fired Up Freshmen Bring the Heat at CMU Team Camp

High school basketball is back, and I couldn't be more excited. I plan to provide Prep Girls Hoops coverage in every region of Michigan this June. It's like following a treasure map, and I know there will be dozens of hidden gems to discover along the way. The first stop on my coverage journey brought me to Mount Pleasant for Central Michigan University Team Camp. CMU has a rich history of hosting high school girls' team camps. Head Coach Kristin Haynie and the CMU WBB brought it back this summer, and the event was a major success. Teams from all across Michigan came out, and I had the opportunity to see a fantastic variety of prospects and teams throughout the day. Prospects fit for every level of college basketball appeared, and one of the coolest features of camp was that every team had an opportunity to play a game on CMU's main court in the arena. To maximize my coverage and ability to see as many teams as possible, I held down the fort in the SAC. Four adjacent courts are a scout's dream, and I had a fantastic time watching the games.   Many prospects stood out and demonstrated qualities in their game that translate to the next level. Here are five players who are on the Prep Girls Hoops radar now after attending CMU Team Camp:    Giovanna plays much taller than her listed height, competing with aggressiveness and determination that impacted the game on both ends of the floor for Alma at CMU Team Camp. She ripped the ball away clean from a driver and jumped up to snatch rebounds at their highest point. Giovanna worked hard to secure multiple offensive rebounds with strength and displayed excellent footwork, using pivots to score contested layups off two feet with both hands. Giovanna communicates on the court, calling out switches on the defensive end, handles the ball with poise, and can shoot the three. She's a dual-sport basketball and volleyball prospect.     Emma looks ready for a breakout freshman year at Munising. She put on an impressive display during CMU Team Camp. Emma was queen of the assist, dishing out several assists with great timing and touch to thread the needle through small windows. She deflected the ball away on the perimeter, pushed it towards the rim with pace, drew the last defender, then made a great dump off pass to give a teammate a wide open look. Emma creates space with her shifty inside-out dribbles, crossovers, and step backs to shoot, drive, and dish. Operates with a high IQ on the court and knows where to go. Emma split the gap to score a drive-by floater before the help could arrive, finished with a crafty side-step layup in traffic, and buried a smooth straightaway three. She's a Yooper Hooper to have on the radar.     Karter doesn't look or play like an incoming freshman. Her length, athleticism, physicality, and high motor gave Munising an edge at CMU Team Camp. She was a force on the offensive glass and extremely effective in the pick and roll. Karter caught passes with strong hands and powered up off two feet to score multiple layups in traffic. She put the ball down and attacked with a burst off the dribble, kept her defender in of jail with her hip, and finished off two feet. Karter contributes in every phase and a breakout season is just around the corner.     Eloise has length, quickness, and sharp instincts that instantly stand out when she steps onto the floor. I was very surprised, and excited, to hear she's an incoming freshman. The future is bright for this Mason Bulldog. Eloise worked hard for inside position to secure offensive rebounds, made high IQ decisions, and knows how to play without the ball. She cut backdoor to score smooth, catch and finishes off two feet, while also earning trips to the free throw line. Eloise penetrated with her dribble and kicked the ball out for assists on threes. She pivoted and made a fast read to hit the open girl, beating the press. Eloise drained a long straightaway jumper with balance off the catch and passed up a good look from the perimeter, to give a teammate a great look using a strong skip pass.     Morgan was a newcomer who made her mark with Alma at CMU Team Camp. Her length and athleticism provide versatility to excel at the guard, wing, and forward spots. She immediately pushed the ball with pace using both hands in transition to create scoring options, but was patient in the half-court to let the offense develop. Morgan buried a smooth corner three off the hop and attacked hard off the dribble to get downhill. She maintained a good defensive position and used her length to create steals. Morgan contributed on the boards and is an all-around difference maker.

High school basketball is back, and I couldn't be more excited. I plan to provide Prep Girls Hoops coverage in every region of Michigan this June. It's like following a treasure map, and I know there will be dozens of hidden gems to discover along the way. The first stop on my coverage journey brought me to Mount Pleasant for Central Michigan University Team Camp. CMU has a rich history of hosting high school girls' team camps. Head Coach Kristin Haynie and the CMU WBB brought it back this summer, and the event was a major success. Teams from all across Michigan came out, and I had the opportunity to see a fantastic variety of prospects and teams throughout the day. Prospects fit for every level of college basketball appeared, and one of the coolest features of camp was that every team had an opportunity to play a game on CMU's main court in the arena. To maximize my coverage and ability to see as many teams as possible, I held down the fort in the SAC. Four adjacent courts are a scout's dream, and I had a fantastic time watching the games.