Coach Q Friday Night Stars "Sunshine State Showdown"

The Sunshine State Showdown kicked off Friday night, as some of the top teams from around the region came out to showcase their talent under the big lights. The event was filled with intense matchups, new faces in new places, plenty of buckets, clutch shots, and buzzer beaters.   Here are some of the standout stars who caught my eye during a weekend full of action-packed games at the eight-court Wiregrass facility.    Watching Victoria Boyer play with [program_tooltip program_id='713590' first='FGB' last=''] 15U GUAA, you'd never guess she isn't even technically a high schooler yet. With her size, skill, athleticism, and high energy, she already plays at an elite level. Her ability to shoot the ball with confidence, clean technique, and smooth form is poetry in motion.   cShe's not afraid to put the ball on the floor and has the creativity and skill to use her length and stride to finish around the rim in a variety of ways. Defensively, the 6-foot guard flies all over the court, forcing turnovers and making her presence felt.   Under the Friday night lights, there are no holes in her game. If she continues to develop at this pace, Victoria Boyer is poised to become not only one of the best players in her class—but one of the best in the state.     [player_tooltip player_id='1227827' first='Emilia' last='Edgar'] came out and immediately caught the attention of everyone near her game with her ability to split defenders and finish well off two feet—whether it was a jump shot or a strong finish through contact. She also showcased her skill in getting to her mid-range jumper and consistently knocking it down.   Defensively, she was a menace, causing several turnovers with her energy and instincts. Emilia is already making a strong case to be one of the breakout players of the tournament.     [player_tooltip player_id='515064' first='Kathleen' last='Crawley'] fit into the [program_tooltip program_id='713522' first='Miami' last='Suns'] squad like a glove. Her ability to shoot the ball was on full display, making opponents pay every time they left her to help on the driver.   Crawley also showcased her versatility on defense, guarding positions 1 through 5 and contesting shots at the rim. She continues to prove she can impact the game on both ends of the floor.     [player_tooltip player_id='738971' first='Gabi' last='Iturralde'] was doing it all in her matchup against the [program_tooltip program_id='713522' first='Miami' last='Suns']. She started off with great on-ball defense, forcing turnovers against some tough ball handlers. Gabi also shot the ball well and made several nice moves around the rim, showcasing her all-around game.     [player_tooltip player_id='559028' first='GiGi' last='Battle'] made her debut with CFE, and she did not disappoint. Her gritty style of play and tight ball handling fit perfectly in the physical matchup against Essence.   Toward the end of the game, she put her defenders on an island, showcasing her D1-level strength and ability to play low to the ground—putting her matchups out of position and finishing through contact while drawing the foul. A major performance in her debut.     [player_tooltip player_id='439459' first='Ashley' last='Knox'] came out on fire from behind the three-point line in her matchup against Essence, knocking down 3 of her first 5 attempts. But that wasn't all—she also showcased her ball-handling skills and ability to get to the rim, proving she's a true three-level scorer.     [player_tooltip player_id='751625' first='Terrell' last='McCoy'] reminded everyone that back-to-the-basket post play is still a thing of beauty. With the ball in hand, Terrell was decisive—taking one to two dribbles and using her strength and frame to put her matchups in tough positions before finishing at the rim. She was especially dominant when putting defenders in the spin cycle off the dribble, giving them no chance to recover.   What stood out the most was her ability to finish with no dribbles, quickly executing a drop step and scoring over either shoulder with precision.

The Sunshine State Showdown kicked off Friday night, as some of the top teams from around the region came out to showcase their talent under the big lights. The event was filled with intense matchups, new faces in new places, plenty of buckets, clutch shots, and buzzer beaters.