Game Changers from Spooky Nook

I watch a lot of games, especially at live period events where teams played as many as many eight games in the five days that Select Events held, with games being played in the Midwest Summer Classic, Select Super Showcase, and the middle leg of the Power 24 and Select 40 schedules. Almost all of these players I did not know before last week as they are from as far away as Michigan and Arkansas from where I live in Georgia. Each kid made play, after play, after play impacting the games I saw in a big, positive way. I saw each of them play multiple times and whether it was with their skill on the offensive end of the floor or competitiveness and activity on the defensive end, they made plays consistently throughout the five days. Each will be very good players in college.    Barrett played very well in the game versus Legends U showing her versatility on the offensive end as a playmaking combo guard. She made several plays throughout the game that made me take notice and appreciate what she was doing against another team full of future college players. Kenady took a handoff coming out of the right corner, took two dribbles with her left hand into the paint, gathered herself, and knocked down a nice pull up jumper over the defender. On another play a few moments later, she caught a quick pass and smoothly laid the ball up off the glass scoring on a reverse layup. She also scored cutting backdoor on the baseline and drew a foul in the same sequence. The most impressive play Barrett made was grabbing a defensive rebound and going coast to coast scoring after a quick, compact spin move and hit a fadeaway jumper. The defender was bumping her the whole way, but because of her size and strength it had no effect. She currently holds offers from double digit schools including Murray State, Tulsa, Louisiana Tech, and the home state Arkansas Razorbacks. Her most recent offer from High Point came days after the action in Ohio concluded.     Thrasher was another player who played really well against Legends and the rest of the [program_tooltip program_id='715977' first='AAO' last='Flight'] games I was able to check out. She made several impressive plays for her team in a closely contested game that was surrounded by a standing room only crowd. The first play that caught my attention was Thrasher brought the ball over half court, hit the defender with a quick inside-out move, calm crossed the ball over as she got into the paint, and rocked the cradle before laying the ball off the glass for two. On another play, Thrasher made a good look to one of her teammates but as the pass was deflected, she was the first to react to the loose ball by scooping it up and laying the ball up with a left handed finger roll off the glass. She is a tough kid who was not afraid of contact and competed hard on every possession. With offers from schools like Drake, Murray State, Louisiana Tech, High Point, and Abilene Christian heading into just her junior year of high school Thrasher will have her pick of programs to play for in college.     Tatum was a player I was not familiar with coming into the week, but whose game I came to respect after it. She is a very skilled player, but her big motor and high energy had a direct impact on the games I watched United NJ play. Defensively, Sharpe caused a lot of problems with her length and very good athleticism deflecting and stealing passes while making life miserable for opposing players when she was on the ball. Offensively, she was able to add to her point total in almost every game I saw by hitting the offensive boards hard and being the first to loose balls. When she did have the basketball and room to operate, she showed good patience on one play letting the cutter get through with her defender before driving to the block, giving a head fake, and then pivoting into the paint and scoring on the up and under. She was a constant threat to score when her team had the ball in transition and also made some very nice passes to open teammates. The Lafayette College commit should have a good career playing for the Pards in the Patriot League.     With excellent guard play all round for IBelieve's 2027 P24 team, it took a lot to standout and Kanoute did just that against Duval Elite. She was active in most of the action when she was in the game, and she made good use of her time in front of a baseline full of college coaches on both ends of the floor. Offensively Paola showed a lot of skill and confidence handling and shooting the basketball. One of her best plays of the game came when she hit her defender with a nice hesitation move before getting to the basket in a flash and finishing with left handed finger roll off the glass. Kanoute hit multiple shots from the outside of the paint as well. On defense she did a good job keeping her hands off the ball handler while still applying pressure and quickly moving her feet often beating them to their spot. She has offers from Boston University, Howard, Quinnipiac, Radford, and the latest coming from Tulane.     Philistin is another player who made good use of their time in front of the college coaches there to see Duval Elite and IBelieve. She has very good size for a small forward but did a lot of damage offensively from behind the three point line, hitting one shot from the corner and the other from the wing. On an another play, Abigail beat her defender down the floor in transition and did a good job coming to a jump stop while making the catch. She then waited on the defenders to fly by in the air before laying the ball up off the glass. She has very good size and strength for her position which showed in a positive way on the defensive end and rebounding the basketball. She currently holds offers from Florida Tech and St. Claire College. I would not be surprised to see serious interest from new schools after her performance in that game.     Bowling had a nice overall game against Team Northeast on both ends of the floor, but it's her size and skill at the wing position that have colleges interested in her. She didn't waste anytime when she got the basketball or dribbles attacking her defender off the bounce. Kailen caught the ball on the left wing one play, put her head down, and got to the opposite elbow before pulling up quickly and knocking down the shot. On a kick a few plays later, Bowling let her defender rush out and then blew by her going to the basket, taking a big bump by another defender, and knocked down a tough running one hander. She is a legit three level scorer who, because of her size and physicality, can guard four positions on defense. She currently holds offers from Oral Roberts, Northern Illinois, and Bellarmine with several others watching and close to offering to her head coach TJ Perry.     I have been watching Ava play for a couple of years now and I am not sure I have seen her play a better overall game in person than she did against Cap City. Her full offensive arsenal was on display as she buried two corner threes from the same spot in the first half. In between those shots she got a steal off of a [player_tooltip player_id='1862581' first='Zoey' last='Cochran'] deflection and scored an uncontested layup, made a nice cut to the basket and converted a tough finish where she showed great footwork avoiding the defender in tight quarters before laying the ball up and in. She did not just impact the game scoring the basketball. Defensively, Ava was at the head of the press and her size and length gave problems to the inbound for Cap City. She is a very underrated athlete who leapt above everyone on the court for one rebound tipping it to [player_tooltip player_id='1862581' first='Zoey' last='Cochran'] who found [player_tooltip player_id='1275457' first='Jannah' last='Newkirk'] on the baseline for a 10 foot jumper. Ava is a well rounded player who has been hitting the weight room hard the last twelve months, and it showed with her play in Ohio.

I watch a lot of games, especially at live period events where teams played as many as many eight games in the five days that Select Events held, with games being played in the Midwest Summer Classic, Select Super Showcase, and the middle leg of the Power 24 and Select 40 schedules. Almost all of these players I did not know before last week as they are from as far away as Michigan and Arkansas from where I live in Georgia. Each kid made play, after play, after play impacting the games I saw in a big, positive way. I saw each of them play multiple times and whether it was with their skill on the offensive end of the floor or competitiveness and activity on the defensive end, they made plays consistently throughout the five days. Each will be very good players in college.