The Summit: Heart Over Height Elite Five Footers

Height has always been one of the first measurements coaches look at, but it has never been the only one that matters. Every year, players around five feet tall continue to prove that skill, toughness, basketball IQ, and relentless competitiveness can outweigh inches on a roster. These guards may be the smallest players on the floor, but they consistently make some of the biggest plays, disrupting defenses, controlling the pace, knocking down shots, and refusing to back down from anyone. This group has earned recognition not because of their size, but because of the impact they make every time they step between the lines. Here are five of the top players from The Summit in Baltimore that fit the description.    Braylin handled the ball well in transition and had no problem dealing with pressure defense. Listed at 5'3" she will still go in for rebounds as she did on her floater miss, she got the rebound over everyone for the putback in the paint. Double teams did not affect her either as she spin faked two defenders for a bucket. She was one of the best players in the building regardless of size.     Kerringtyn is quick, very quick. She had multiple blow-bys in her game against Power Move, putting constant pressure on the defense. She is a scorer who also shares the ball well, showing good vision to find cutters and teammates spotting up as defenders collapsed on her drives. She changes speeds effortlessly, keeps defenders off balance, and consistently created quality looks for herself and others. Her ability to attack the paint and make the right read makes her a difficult matchup for opposing guards.     Naiara shot the three well, forcing defenders to extend and opening up the floor for her teammates. She also showed the ability to attack off the dribble and finish through contact, displaying both strength and body control around the basket. She earned multiple trips to the free-throw line while I was watching and was perfect from the charity stripe. Her ability to score efficiently from all three levels makes her a difficult player to defend.     Mackenzie had multiple drives to the basket where she fought through heavy contact to finish at the rim. Even when the whistle didn't come, she never got discouraged, continuing to attack the paint with confidence and determination. She used the euro-step effectively in transition, creating angles and avoiding shot blockers on her way to the basket. She also moved the ball well, making smart reads and showing that she could dominate the game without dominating the basketball. Her combination of toughness, efficiency, and unselfish play made her one of the more impactful performers on the floor.     Dream attacked well and got in the lane for floaters, despite getting a couple of shots blocked because of her size she was still fearless and had successes. She went up against one of the tallest shot blockers in the gym and finished with a double pump scoop layup with the inside hand to avoid the block. She ran the floor well getting out in front of the pack for transition layups. She also shot the three well, particularly the corner three off the catch.

Height has always been one of the first measurements coaches look at, but it has never been the only one that matters. Every year, players around five feet tall continue to prove that skill, toughness, basketball IQ, and relentless competitiveness can outweigh inches on a roster. These guards may be the smallest players on the floor, but they consistently make some of the biggest plays, disrupting defenses, controlling the pace, knocking down shots, and refusing to back down from anyone. This group has earned recognition not because of their size, but because of the impact they make every time they step between the lines. Here are five of the top players from The Summit in Baltimore that fit the description.