Guards Who Pushed Buttons at Houston Summer Slam

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm going to start with opening day as the heat was smothering at times, both on and off the court, yet that's the way I like it, off the top and from the beginning to the end, so with the help of rosters, let's do it</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1807559"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a20151c819fa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hankton falls into that <strong>"third time's a charm"</strong> group, <strong><em><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/maliyah-hankton/">see evaluations here</a></em></strong>, yet in actuality, she has been impressive from the first time I saw her, but here's the deal, she keeps adding, and watching her<strong> "entry pass"</strong> inside in traffic is one of those little things that turn out to be big, something a<strong> REAL EVALUATOR</strong> would notice to go along with her baseline to baseline heat to create turnovers. Her "catch and shoot" was also clicking, as well as her court vision</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1814609"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a20151c81ae6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bell was<strong> Clashin at the Club </strong>when I initially caught her <strong><em><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/maliyah-hankton/">see evaluation here</a></em></strong>, and it's something about high octane guards who never take a play off that keeps my adrenaline high. She did a good job splitting defenders in the open court as well as in the set to get to the basket, yet her acrobatic finishes changed the momentum several times. Always remember<strong> #sizedontmatter</strong> when you can play</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1865421"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a20151c81bb1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bonner also falls into that <strong>"never takes a play off" </strong>group, and watching both of her opening day games, her intensity never let up. She's a<strong> "long and athletic" </strong>guard who did, well, everything. Her<strong> "on the ball"</strong> pressure was nice as she picked pockets for steals, and also played the passing lane. She scored off the dribble and from outside, but seeing her outrebound taller players and go<strong> "coast to coast" </strong>to score or dish were pluses as well</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1865423"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a20151c81c6c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Earnest left a lasting first impression at <strong><em><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2025/04/2029-division-showing-smoke-shooting4dacure/">Shooting 4 Da Cure</a></em></strong>, and shooting certainly first because her<strong> "catch and shoot"</strong> as well as <strong>"stop and pop"</strong> jumpers have me looking into my imaginary crystal ball on what's coming, problems for defenders because she also can score off the dribble, which will keep them guessing. Her defense was solid, and she played the passing lane </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1309565"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a20151c81ce1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Blate is yet another one of those<strong> "never takes a play off"</strong> players, and looking back at her previous evals <strong><em><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/christa-blate-2/">see evaluations here</a></em></strong> , that's just who she is and what she does. She understands how to read the screen, as well as the floor to play the passing lane, but watching her dive for loose balls is<strong> #THROWBACK</strong>. She also attacked the basket strongly and finished after contact </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1219608"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a20151c81d52"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Johnson continues to elevate her game <strong><em><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/dazyra-johnson/">see evaluations here</a></em></strong>, and one thing I love seeing is <strong>"on the court"</strong> progression, not graphics, memes, and what others have written because I ain't down for gimmicks, so watching her <strong>"thread the needle" </strong>in traffic in the set as well as in transition was nice yet so was her scoring off the dribble as well as dropping it from outside, ala <strong>"catch and shoot"</strong> Her defense was solis and as I close, one more time<strong> #sizedontmatter </strong>when you can play</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->