July 30, 2018

Once again I returned to Atlanta for a full week to cover Insider Exposure's Summer Slam event and some other events as well. Summer Slam has become my favorite event because it provides hundreds of teams great exposure at a relatively low cost. This year Summer Slam moved to the massive Georgia World Congress Center and did not disappoint with the number of college coaches in the building. 289 teams made appearances in the event, with some playing for the championships, while others just popped in for exhibition games. 

The first couple of days I targeted some DMV teams I wanted to see and made my rounds.With close to 30 DMV teams in the event it was easy to get my fill. Later in the week I looked for good games or randomly went over to courts that were not being watched by a lot of colleges.  I saw two college coaches locked in on a team I had not seen before, the Georgia Sparks. Coach Rick Jones has a well coached team with some players I enjoyed watching. I hope they had more than two coaches at the rest of their games. 

Some of the top players and teams in the country were in town for this one so if you love girls basketball this was one of the "must see" events for the season. With multiple events in the Atlanta area all week it was a great exposure opportunity for the players. Here is a quick look at some the kids who I think helped themselves.  

 Aliyah Matharu, 2019, New World Elite 

Aliya is a pure scorer. She is a threat from anywhere on the court at all times. She has a tight handle which allows her to get wherever she wants to go. When she gets there she has all the tools to make something happen. Explosive, intense and fun to watch. 

 Jelissa Reese, 2020, Georgia Sparks

Exceptional athlete and she is deadly in transition. She's 5'9" with long arms she is a terror on defense when engaged on ball. Good scorer in the paint with some nice moves. 

 Madison Greene, 2019, West Virginia Thunder

A true point guard. Set the tone on defense, on ball and in help situations. Real smart player that changes speed effectively. Finished strong at the rim, knocked down mid range pull ups and threes. No real weaknesses in her game. 

Taiye Johnson, 2019, Cap City Ballers

Standing a legit 6'5" tall, Taiye was impressive on both ends of the court. She has great timing on her shot block attempts and tries to keep the ball in play. Offensively she showed off nice footwork and finished in the lane. Looking forward to seeing where she commits. 

 Laimani Simmons, 2020, Lady Team South Carolina

5'11" guard that does a little bit of everything. High energy defender and she uses her length to disrupt anything close to her. Got into the paint and finished herself or created for teammates.  

Trinity Jones, 2020, Georgia Sparks

Tenacious on ball defender. Showed off some nice pull up jumpers in the paint and drew a lot of fouls. Feisty and smart point guard. 

Janiah Ellis, 2020, Georgia Sparks

Janiah made some of the most spectacular shots that I saw in the tournament. She is an explosive player off the dribble and has range past the 3 point line. Good ball handler with excellent vision, able to make all the necesary passes. Very versatile guard. 

Kirsten Deans, 2019 Phoenix Elite

Aggressive point guard that took over games. Deadly scoring threat from anywhere and her teammates benefit because she sets them up. One of the best players in the event.  

 Kaliah Henderson, 2019, FBC Team Courtney Williams

Talented guard that scores in bunches and does it quickly. Explosive first step freezes defenders and she is strong enough to finish in traffic. Made some mid range shots as well. 

Ashlyn Bender, 2021 Maryland Blazers

Good shooter from distance who can make shots off the bounce. She is also a good scorer as she can handle the ball and score in different ways. Unselfish player who looks to get teammates involved. 

Kennedy Calhoun, 2021, 1Dream 

Crafty point guard that puts constant pressure on a defense. She is always looking to push the ball upcourt for quick scoring opportunities for herself or her teammates. Very poised player with a high IQ.  

Amhyia Moreland, 2021, 1Dream

Very aggressive and skilled post player. She scored in bunches with some nice moves in the paint. She also rebounded on both ends and got some put backs for her team. Good size at 6'1" and she does not get moved around.  

 Neah Henry, 2021, MD Lady Comets

At 5'9' she's undersized for a post but she played well. Her agility helped her rebound well and she used a nasty drop step move to score and win a game for her team in sudden death overtime. 

Tian Addison, 2019, Power Move

Fearless point guard that competed at a high level every game. Showed she can run an offense and facilitate for her teammates, but scored as well. Strapped up on defense too.  

Tyinhia Skinner, 2019. New World Elite

Slick point guard with a deadly pull up jumper. Quickly gets her shots off by creating space with her dribble moves. Defends with intensity and uses her speed to disrupt. Enjoyed watching her play. 

Jocelyn Fogle, 2021 MD Blazers

Strong power forward. She is very quick for her size and passes very well. Smart player that makes a lot of hustle plays. Good touch on her shot. Seemed to be a good leader. 

Kaela Dothard, 2019 New World Elite

Solid shooting guard prospect. Kaela played aggressive defense and knocked down the game winning 3 against a tough West Virginia Thunder team. 

 Zanai Barnett, 2022, Team Sol

Great on ball defender that plays with a lot of energy. Good shooter and her ball handling keeps improving.  

Karee "KT" Thompson, 2020, FGB Central Florida

KT is a lefty point guard that can fill it up from behind the arc. She's an exceptional ball handler with good vision. She made a clutch 3 at the buzzer to force overtime in the game I saw. 

Jesey Mayfield, 2021 Team Sol

Sharp shooting guard that you cannot leave open. 20 made 3 pointers in the event. Hand down, man down. 

Dominique Doss, 2019 Power Move

Strong, physical shooting guard that can score on 3 levels. Made some clutch shots in hotly contested games. 

 Tia Robinson, 2019 FGB Team Courtney Williams

Strong and physical guard that has range out to the 3 point line. Controlled the tempo and made good passes. Teammates feed off her. 

Emily Saunders, 2019, West Virginia Thunder

A Tennessee recruit and a shot blocking machine. Very imposing at 6'4" with excellent timing. One of the best post players in the tournament. 

Marisa Sanchez Henry, 2020 Power Move

This was a solid showing for Marisa. She moved between point and shooting guard seamlessly and defended well. She showed range from behind the arc, made tough shots inside and dished off when necessary.