Run 4 Roses & EYBL: Texas Tough!

The Lone Star State was well represented in Louisville and at times, it seemed like you could find a Texas team on almost any court at any given time! Rich in talent, these girls came to play big time ball & I had a front row seat to a ton of action over the course of 3 days:   [player_tooltip player_id='307759' first='Nmesoma' last='Okola'] | Phoenix Select   I've watched a lot of film on Soma over the years, so getting a chance to watch her play in person was amazing… and she did NOT disappoint! Her athleticism was the first that thing stood out to me. An effortless mover, she floated across the court & got to her spots quickly. She has great hands, can handle the ball well & is an absolute bully in the paint! With impressive footwork, she got to the rim at will, spinning and sliding through the defense. She dominated the glass and skied up over everybody to secure the ball on both ends of the floor. Super confident player with a versatile skillset and all the goods to be a high major D1 player.   [player_tooltip player_id='307747' first='Shiloh' last='Kimpson'] | Lady Drive Nation   Shi has been playing her heart out at EYBL Session 3 & it all came together in a big way against Team Taurasi. She was phenomenal as both a scorer and facilitator and made it look easy in the process! She devastated the Cal squad from 3-point land firing off six triples, proving lethal off the pull-up. Her electric energy was infectious and got her team fired up as coaches from Baylor, UConn, Notre Dame and LSU looked on. She fired off some rocket passes through traffic and dropped off impressive dimes on the dribble penetration. This girl is a certified problem!   Sydnee Jones | [program_tooltip program_id='715168' first='True' last='Texas Hoops']   When you have a point guard as energetic as Sydnee, you're always going to be in the game regardless of the opponent! They took on a tough 3SSB team in Trae Young and Sydnee was never once rattled or shaken! Bouncy & quick, she blazed a trail in transition and made smart decisions with the ball in her hands. Her head is on a constant swivel bringing the ball up the court as she looks for shooters lurking in the wings. Her willingness to pass up a good shot for an even better one and always get her team involved says a lot about her selfless play and team-first attitude.   [player_tooltip player_id='388141' first='Ayla' last='McDowell'] | CyFair   With tremendous size and versatility, Ayla imposed her will early on and had opponents in shambles. Ultra crafty getting to the hoop, she showed off blitzing speed, great hands and exceptional footwork. The way she absorbed contact was something to see, never looking fazed or bothered by it all. Her inside-out game was clicking as she shot it from the perimeter with confidence and was tenacious in the paint. She dominated down low and was a rebounding machine on both ends. AND MADE IT LOOK EASY! In the words of Michael Jackson, she's a "smooth criminal!"   [player_tooltip player_id='385709' first='Makiyah' last='Rigsby'] | Lady Drive Nation   An undeniable hustler, Makiyah did a little bit of everything for her team! She got on the floor and fought for possession and at times, was seen flying out of bounds to scrap for the ball. Super bouncy and energetic, she had her way with the defense on the dribble drive. She put her head down and went to work! Her defense was rock solid as she broke apart plays and disrupted post-entry passes. Off-ball movement was fluid and quick, getting to her spots around the perimeter and knocking down 3's in true Makiyah fashion. This girl was a two-way beast at Roses!   Kyiah Prestridge | [program_tooltip program_id='716188' first='[program_tooltip program_id='714504' first='[program_tooltip program_id='712898' first='[program_tooltip program_id='712777' first='Proskills' last='']' last='']' last='']' last='']   WIth a solid 6'1" frame and the ability to decimate from inside and out, Kyiah had it all going on at Session 3! Fundamentally sound and full of swagger, she got after it and ran the floor hard, blazing to the basket for easy points. She maneuvered her way around the defense and got open behind the arc to showcase her shooting from long range. Playing an intimidating style of big guard basketball, she bullied smaller defenders off the dribble and forced the help defense to slide over and try to contain her. Very much a matchup nightmare!   [player_tooltip player_id='764242' first='Brittan' last='Richey'] | ITL Texas   When your court vision is as sharp as Brittan's, good things happen for everybody! She was impressive moving the ball and facilitating to her teammates spaced out around the floor. She manufactured in traffic, finding gaps in the defense and threading the needle beautifully. As selfless as she can be, Brittan also did a fantastic job creating for herself and spotting up to drill some buckets of her own.   Madison McGhie | [program_tooltip program_id='715168' first='True' last='Texas Hoops']   A 5'10" floor general, Madison was one of the most active, passionate and vocal hoopers I got eyes on at the Classic. She used her dribble and sharp acumen to dictate play, set the tone and execute half-court sets. While she shares the ball nicely and feeds open teammates, she has no hesitation to pull the trigger and drain shots of her own. She faced tough pressure defense and still dribbled her way out of it, never looking rattled or bothered. Word of advice to opponents moving forward: Don't even think about leaving this girl open from 3!   [player_tooltip player_id='782609' first='Jules' last='Roberts'] | [program_tooltip program_id='713058' first='San' last='Antonio Lady Hoopers']   It doesn't take long to take notice that Jules is a total gym rat. It's obvious in the way she plays and how she excels on the court. A strong 5'8" guard, she played assertive basketball and made her presence felt on both sides of the ball, but especially on defense. She takes a lot of pride locking opponents down and keeping her hands all over the ball to force turnovers and ignite the fast break. Absolutely smothering, suffocating ball pressure. She's what I refer to as a "blue-collar defender" and one who isn't afraid to get banged up and bruised scrapping for 50/50 balls and fighting for every possession. Jules does NOT take a play off!   [player_tooltip player_id='885450' first='Josie' last='Cramer'] | Phoenix Select   I was able to catch two of Josie's games this week and boy can she ball out! She kept her foot on the gas with a two-way game that shined under the brightest lights! She played super selfless basketball and distributed the ball cleanly to teammates spread out around the floor. Her mid-range pop was clicking as was her electric rim-running. Josie's defensive prowess took center stage as she disrupted the opposing flow and forced a multitude of turnovers. She defends 94 feet and maintains high energy throughout the duration of the game, never once letting up in intensity.

The Lone Star State was well represented in Louisville and at times, it seemed like you could find a Texas team on almost any court at any given time! Rich in talent, these girls came to play big time ball & I had a front row seat to a ton of action over the course of 3 days: