S.T.R.O.N.G. Showcase Day 1 Game 1: Camden Fairview vs Bryant

Preview   The Camden Fairview Lady Cardinals and the Bryant Lady Hornets met up for the first game of the S.T.R.O.N.G. Showcase on Friday morning at Jacksonville Lighthouse. Both squads are hoping to make waves this coming year with young rosters, and they both showed off their talents.   Recap   The Cardinals jumped out to a lead in the first quarter, taking advantage of Bryant's missed shots. They led 15-14 at the end of the first, but their lead who not last much longer.   Bryant's [player_tooltip player_id='1090371' first='Jaisha' last='Williams'] almost single-handedly put her team back in the lead. Her hot shooting was too much for Camden Fairview to handle, and Bryant's defense stepped up, only allowing 5 points in the entire second quarter. At halftime, Bryant went into the locker room up 41-20, and they never looked back.   The Cardinals picked up their play in the second half, but it still was not enough to stop the offensive onslaught by the Hornets. Bryant ultimately came out on top, 70-42.   Key Performances from Bryant Players    [player_tooltip player_id='1090371' first='Jaisha' last='Williams'] is coming off a great freshman season where she emerged as one of the best rebounders in the 6A classification. She has now expanded her arsenal, and she may be one of the most versatile players in the state.   Williams did most of her work in the final three quarters of the game, putting up 19 points and hitting at least 4 3-pointers (I lost count). Catch-and-shoot threes came easy to her, and I do not recall her even missing one. She is clearly a much better and more comfortable outside shooter, but that is not all that she did.   Williams crashed the glass like always, but her play on the defensive end was fantastic. She recorded 4 steals in the victory, which helped spark the fastbreak, where she often benefited from in the scoring category.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090371' first='Jaisha' last='Williams'] can play small forward, power forward, and center for the Hornets, and the sky is not even close to the limit for her.     [player_tooltip player_id='1090888' first='Keila' last='Dailey'] was one of several Bryant freshmen who stepped up in 2024-25, and she cemented herself as a shooter. After watching her in this game, it is clear that Dailey is more than a shooter.   Most of her solid play came in the second quarter and the second half. Though she had just 6 points through those three quarters, she found other ways to stuff the stat sheet, by grabbing 3 boards, coming away with 3 assists, and recording 3 steals.   Dailey's vision was on full display, as she was finding cutters and hitting open shooters. She was also ramping up the pressure defensively in the second half, forcing turnovers and starting the break.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090888' first='Keila' last='Dailey'] is one of the many great players on this Hornet squad, and she will be even better this coming year.     The other Dailey sister has shown tremendous improvement all around. I knew she was 10 times better at the Houston Hoops showcase this summer, and for [player_tooltip player_id='1183259' first='Kierstan' last='Dailey'], those improvements translated to the high school game.   Dailey was scoring effectively, putting up 8 points, mostly in the second half. She hit a 3-pointer off the catch from the wing, which looked much more natural to her than it did during her freshman campaign. She also hit her defender with a smooth euro step in transition, and she easily finished at the rim after creating so much separation.   Her defense was also impeccable, which adds to her reputation of being a stifling defensive stopper.   Bryant has such a great group this year, and [player_tooltip player_id='1183259' first='Kierstan' last='Dailey'] is one of them. Look out, NLR and Conway, because this Hornet squad is looking dangerous.    <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/lois-fabunmi/">[player_tooltip player_id='1260221' first='Lois' last='Fabunmi']</a>- Like in 2024-25, the Hornets are utilizing a talented group of freshmen this year, and [player_tooltip player_id='1260221' first='Lois' last='Fabunmi'] stood out in this game. She came in during the second half and looked right at home, putting up 7 points. She drove hard to the basket and used her length and athleticism to finish over the defense. If this game was any indication as to how she will play all year, Hornet fans must know that she will be their offensive spark off the bench.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/gia-campbell/">[player_tooltip player_id='753259' first='Gia' last='Campbell']</a>- Bryant's point guard did not have her best scoring outing, but she did not need to, as she found ways to feed her teammates. She had multiple assists in this game, along with 2 steals, which came from her aggressive on-ball defense. She also swatted one shot, showcasing her vertical. Though scoring was not coming to her this game, she still managed to hit an in-rhythm three, and her shot is so smooth, she will have plenty of outings where she lights up the defense from beyond.   Key Performances from Camden Fairview Players    The Lady Cardinals struggled overall, but not [player_tooltip player_id='1057820' first='Isis' last='Wilson'], who is stepping up in a big way this year.   Wilson, typically known as a shooter, was doing much more than that. She had 11 points through the final three periods, along with 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Those numbers may not jump out at anybody, but considering how hard she worked against a team that is emerging as a contender in the 6A central, her performance was impressive.   She ran the offense well, but she was at her best when she was finding ways to score. Wilson drove hard to the basket throughout the night, showing great control on her drives and a great handle. As Cardinal fans are aware of, though, she hit her looks from three, helping spread out the defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1057820' first='Isis' last='Wilson'] may have to shoulder the majority of the offensive load for Camden Fairview this year, but if this performance against a tough opponent like Bryant is any indication, I think she will do just fine.

Preview