The Expo Tennessee: Team 8 Evaluations

The roster for Team Eight was loaded with players who all will have the chance to play on the next level in college. Three of the ten will almost certainly play division one basketball with the potential to reach the Power Four level. The others should find themselves with suitors following graduation as well. With all of the individual skill on this team it would have been easy, especially in a showcase, to play selfish basketball. This team worked together and played the right way and earned the results they got.    It was not a surprise when I looked and saw that Layla was ranked in the top 5 in her class in Tennessee. She was, without question, one of the very best players at the showcase which featured several other high-level players. No one was able to guard her alone, whether it was on the perimeter or using her size and strength to finish on the inside. Layla knocked down three-point shots over smaller defenders on the outside and put them in a blender around the basket using excellent post moves and footwork to score. Hall has a very polished offensive game and did not waste dribbles or motion putting the ball in the basket. She looks and plays like a kid in college now and still has two high school seasons left. With offers from Austin Peay, Towson, St. Johns, Delaware, Bradley, Hampton, and North Alabama, Layla is already one of the more in-demand prospects in the 2028 class. I expect that list to grow substantially with more than one Power Four school joining the party. Looks a can't miss player to me.     Ella was another one of the very best players at a showcase full of high-level players, several of whom already holding scholarship offers. Porter, herself, has offers from Union, Arkansas-Fort Smith, Tennessee-Martin, and the latest coming from in-state Lipscomb. It was no surprise to see that she was a part of a state championship team last year with Greenfield as she made winning plays throughout the four hours. She scored the ball with ease and a little bit of flair routinely from all three levels, but most of her damage came getting to the basket and finishing. Porter weaved her way through the defense like it was Swiss cheese and used a variety of finishes with both hands at the rim. I would not be surprised at all to see her sign with a division team when she graduates in three years after competing at a very successful high school career.     Shiloh appears to be the next in a long line of very good players at Ensworth. The 6'2 freshman received her first offer less than 24 hours after camp from her coach at the event, Greg Tipps, and Tennessee Southern. It was impossible not see her potential. She has the instincts to go with the size as she swatted and altered shots around the basket while also demonstrating very good athleticism snatching missed shots out of the air. Gamby has a great attitude, competed hard, and had a lot of enthusiasm about the game when I talked with her after. With continued development on the offensive end, Shiloh will almost certainly be a priority for multiple division one programs over the next four years.     Ragan was a walk up who wasn't on my roster initially, but whose play had me asking within a few minutes of her hitting the floor, "Who is this kid?". She was as quick as a cat and virtually impossible for defenders to keep in front of them, with or without the basketball. With the ball in her hands, Jaslyn was able to use her excellent ball-handling ability in concert with her quickness to blow by and slide around defenders. Without the basketball, Ragan was in constant motion cutting to the basket and then popping back out to the perimeter where she hit multiple shots. Defensively, Ragan used the same quickness in her feet, along with her hands, to disrupt the flow of the offense by applying maximum on-ball pressure and jumping into the passing lanes and tip and intercepting the ball. Some college will get a steal with this kid.     Hollins was very impressive picking and choosing her spots when to score and when to facilitate the offense for her team. Hollins kept her dribble low and her head high as she weaved in and out of traffic with the basketball, setting up easy scores for Team Eight more times than not it seemed. When defenders gave Taylor space, she punished them by knocking down shots from three-point range. When they chose to crowd her, Hollins used one or two quick escape dribbles before hitting a dribble combination and going by them. She was also a positive, vocal leader on the floor and on the bench keeping her teammates laughing and engaged. Elite handle with the ability to score from all three levels.     Burford was a standout on the offensive end during both three versus three and five-on-five play. Her biggest strength appeared to be catching and shooting from the perimeter which she did well to start, however as the day went on Burford scored multiple times in the painted area as well. Her solid fundamentals/base allowed her to score efficiently and effectively without being a ball stopper. She definitely has the size, skill, and knowledge of the game to play on the next level. However, basketball may be her second-best sport as Jemiah is a very skilled and highly thought of wide receiver playing flag football. Whatever sport Burford chooses, I believe she will be a meaningful contributor in the right situation in college.     Lentz was another of the very impressive group of players from the 2030 class in Tennessee at The Expo. Lentz has very good size and length to go with sneaky athleticism and a lot of skill. Layla scored throughout the day in a variety of ways. She finished over smallest defenders at the rim and elevated over them when shooting from the perimeter. She did a great job sprinting out on the break in transition and being in position to finish when opportunities presented themselves. In man-to-man situations, Layla did a nice job utilizing the triple-threat position as a base to attack defenders. She is a very promising young player with a lot of potential.     Tankersley did not play at all like a 2030 running the offense of a very talented and much older squad. Her play actually mirrored [player_tooltip player_id='1252939' first='Taylor' last='Hollins'] almost exactly when the two subbed in and out for one another during the hockey substitutions. She is a very good ball handler who kept her dribble tight, compact, and low to the ground while surveying the floor and picking out her open teammates. When given the time and space, Gardenia knocked down multiple shots from three and the midrange, while also getting past the first line of defense and scoring from 12 feet in. The 2030 class is loaded with talent and Tankersley proved she belongs in the discussion with better point guards in that group.     Mia was a Swiss Army knife for Team Eight doing a little bit of everything which went a long way in her team's success. Miller did everything well, but I thought Mia was best with the basketball pushing the ball up the floor on the break. Multiple teammates were the recipient of kick ahead passes which resulted in uncontested layups or wide-open jumpers. Miller scored several baskets during the live competition from all over the court as well and could have scored more if not for unselfish, team play. Mia competed hard and played with a big motor and should have the chance to play on the next level in a couple years.     There is a lot to like about Coker's game, but the easily the most impressive aspect is her shooting ability from outside. Amelia has excellent form and follow through on her jumpshot which allows for the consistency players and coaches are looking for. Coker did not need a lot of time or space to get her shot off, but did not force shots that weren't there. Instead, Coker kept the ball moving on the perimeter and stayed in perpetual motion making herself an open target often. Coker was very good defensively and worked hard on both the offensive and defensive boards.

The roster for Team Eight was loaded with players who all will have the chance to play on the next level in college. Three of the ten will almost certainly play division one basketball with the potential to reach the Power Four level. The others should find themselves with suitors following graduation as well. With all of the individual skill on this team it would have been easy, especially in a showcase, to play selfish basketball. This team worked together and played the right way and earned the results they got.