CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- It's a new year and a new product (Fila) for Michael T. White and his Deep South Classic, but the bottom line remains the same: So much talent continues to migrate here for three days during the spring evaluation period that college coaches are forced to do the four-hour commute to and from Hampton, Va. -- home of the Boo Williams Invitational -- to see it.
What they saw, in addition to a geographically diverse group of elite prospects, was the expansion of what already is a spirited debate about the top of what is emerging as a supremely gifted 2011 class.
Up north, a fitting faceoff between Elizabeth Williams and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis in the Boo Williams championship may have presented the illusion of a shootout for the top spot in the class. But at least two, maybe three, forced their way into the conversation here, making for a fascinating battle over the coming summer and next, not to mention the rising prospects for the USA Basketball U16 squad.
Among the flash and sometimes flim-flam of basketball, you need players like Alyssa Baron. The 5-foot-10 guard from Miami, Fla., is a well-sized athlete who has good leverage on her 3-point stroke. She makes plays for teammates and can ably put the ball on the floor to create her own shot -- mostly pull-ups around the lane -- as opposed to all-out attacks on the rim. Baron also puts in effort at the defensive end and shows good anticipation in the passing lanes.
There's a lot to like from an explosive athlete with Whitney Bays' size, who can put the ball on the floor and shoot an authentic jumper. The 6-3 forward gives a lot at the defensive end, where she can be extremely disruptive blocking or altering shots, or even on the ball against wings and some guards. Bays, who is from Huntington, W.V., has been showing a tendency to get frustrated at the offensive end and essentially shutting herself down. Overcoming that is a key to her joining the class' elite prospects.
Desiree Bradley was not as spectacular as the last time we saw her because she was overshadowed a bit by Richa Jackson on her own team and spent a lot of time on the perimeter without the ball, or trying to mix it up inside. The 6-2 wing is a better rebounder than she showed and is also a pretty good interior passer. Bradley, out of Oklahoma City, Okla., continues to intrigue with her combination of size, speed, handle and shooting skills.
Ta Nitra Byrd packs considerable power in the lane, however, she's more suited for the red-zone wars at the high-school level because, though solidly built, she's only 6 feet tall. What the Long Beach Poly rising senior has, she uses well, acting as a put-back machine and finisher at the offensive end and a defender who can use strength and leverage against taller opponents.
Kingston, N.Y., may be a good two hours north of the Big Apple, but why Rachel Coffey isn't a bigger deal is a major mystery? Think Allen Iverson with a hair clip. She's generously listed at 5-7, but like Iverson is fearless going to the hoop, with rapid-fire dribble moves and a creative, mainframe mind that strings the moves together in most unexpected fashion. A small crack between defenders? No problem -- between the legs, back to front, into a blur of a crossover. Coffey has a nasty hesitation off the dribble that puts defenders into suspended animation. Closing defenders have little recourse against her quick-release threes. We'd love to see her have to defend bigger guards and go through a gauntlet of elite teams during a crowded summer event.
Stephanie Golden is a 6-4 post out of Miramonte, Calif. probably would be on more scouting radars if she were a slight bit more assertive on offense because she is a nice finisher with both hands and has a soft, short-range jumper. She is a solid one-on-one defender who could use the same athletic stance and footwork to become more polished when posting at the other end.
Teammates Jennifer O'Neil and Bria Hartley work very well together, but make a paired entry here mainly because of how they are being viewed by college coaches. There are some very interesting shopping comparisons being made, and the fact they are on the same club team heightens that. There is a lot of buzz around O'Neil, the Bronx, N.Y., fireball who has entered the discussion as one of the country's top point guard. "Prototypical, tough-as-nails New York City point guard," is how she's often described, to which we whole-heartedly agree. We've also loved Hartley, of North Babylon, N.Y., for her length at 5-9 and ability to push the tempo of the game, even in half-court situations. Some wonder about her ability to score off the dribble, but one game in Chapel Hill, she put on a clinic, going behind her back right into a pull-up and using her length and speed to make a steal, race up court and pull up again off the dead sprint. O'Neil, meanwhile, is a more animated point who more overtly takes charge.
Exodus is lacking the go-to type of wing that Shenneika Smith was last year, so when situations get tight, O'Neil tends to take over. This sometimes creates the illusion that O'Neil forces shots, while Hartley is not a scorer. Taken individually, either would be a great get for any top-20 program.
She may be a little undersized for forward, but Latorri Hines-Allen brings oodles of energy and athletic ability to the floor. At 6-1, she can jump over similar wing/forward tweeners from the box and is good for 2-to-3 dribbles on the attack from the elbows, wing or short corners. The forward out of Montclair, N.J., displays a positive attitude and a relentless approach, particularly around the glass, prompting one opponent to complain to her coach, "Dang, I can't box her out."
At 6-2, Jessica Kuster has height and wingspan but a slim build, which means she's got to be in motion to make an impact on offense. In fact, Kuster comes alive around the ball, going to the floor to retrieve it, using her elastic arms to keep it in play off the glass. The forward out of San Antonio, Texas, has decent body control and lift in the lane, if not outright explosiveness. That helps her influence the game mostly at the defensive end, blocking and altering shots. Once in a while she intrigues with nice-looking, eight- to 10-foot jumpers from the baseline and elbow regions. When her offense catches up with her defense, Kuster will have a shot at being wooed by Duke, what her father and coach describes as her dream school. Coming from a military family, she is not afraid to travel.
Like Coffey, Keylantra Langley is close enough, in Bridgeport, Conn., to major media centers to be a bigger deal than she's been. A speed merchant with nice size at 5-10 for the point, Langley uses change of direction well off the bounce and can get penetration off quickness, rather than technique. Her shot's a little on the flat side, but is true enough and can be launched from a standstill or off a pull up.
Old-schoolers will recognize Tyaunna Marshall of Upper Marlboro, Md., as the new-generation, reincarnation of Gus Williams, who was a one-person fast break for the SuperSonics then the Bullets (now Wizards). The 5-10 Marshall is a bundle of fast-twitch muscles, one of the fastest players in the class who may need to be assigned a person when she's on defense because she can be so devastating on run-outs. All that leg strength makes her effective from three-point range and she can get to the rim in half-court situations by racing past defenders. She'd be an even more formidable open-court performer with a better-developed left hand.
Dawnn Maye is a smallish combo guard at 5-8, but she takes size out of the equation with her toughness and explosiveness. Those attributes make her a ballhawk on defense and a challenge on offense. She is a clever passer off penetration, can attack the rack, finish strongly with either hand in traffic and has a decent pull up off the bounce. Maye, out of Lauderhill, Fla., also has the physical ability to get off a nice-looking 3-point stroke; the next step will be developing consistency.
After several viewings now, it's difficult to imagine a scenario in which Richa Jackson cannot excel. She's got as good a pull-up jump shot as there is in the class. The last time we saw her, we pegged her as a forward, but, at 6-1, she's definitely perimeter material with an ability to drop down onto the boxes against many matchups. Jackson, out of Oklahoma City, Okla., is built like a tank and scores with power and against contact. If a defense tries to faceguard and deny her the ball, she can get the ball in the backcourt and looks perfectly comfortable running her team. She has good handle and goes very strong to her left.
Aziza Patterson emerged from simply being heralded teammate China Crosby's sidekick of Manhattan Center to a star in her own right this past season. Size may be a question mark for her, but Patterson is 5-6 and compact, adept at penetrating and pitching and can get her 3-pointer off the dribble. She is more accurate from long distance on the catch and can get on major rolls from the outer limits. More leg strength likely will add consistency from beyond the arc.
At 6-4, Thaddesia Southall has been an imposing defensive presence since her first days on the high school and club scenes. She has an impressive wingspan and is quick off the floor, so she influences or blocks a lot of shots and can be dominating around the glass. The Long Beach Poly rising senior has improved from essentially a non-factor on offense to one who is more assertive in the red zone. That usually means garbage points. The next step in her offensive evolution is being more consistent with a face-up-and-go, one-dribble swoop, which she shows maybe once a game, then abandons. Other good additions for her would be a six- to 10-foot jumper and improvement at the foul line, where she can make frequent trips.
Erica Radanovich really has taken to the role of 3-point specialist. She's always where teammates expect her, with hands and feet ready, and a hair-trigger release when she gets the ball. The 5-10 Santa Clara commit will play hard on defense and put the ball on the floor, but probably can be more productive with her dribble, using her range to draw defenders out and the dribble to leave them behind. Radanovich, out of Diablo, Calif., may be too programmed to make herself a 3-point outlet to get to the point of attacking the rim very much, but could also contribute with mid- to long-range flings that don't always earn three points.
At 6-1, Alyssa Thomas has a great basketball body -- long, springy and strong. She can post out high, wide or even receive on the perimeter and power past defenders with the dribble. In the lane, she is a powerful finisher who can take a lot of contact. On the low box, the forward out of Harrisburg, Pa. has a very quick drop-step move, but needs to develop a counter, as well as a reliable face-up shot out to 10-12 feet. Thomas can be a more effective defender because she has all the physical tools, merely with more frequent use of an athletic stance.
Many have tried to pigeonhole Melisa Zoring as a point guard, but she is a scorer through and through. She can make plays for her teammates, based on that scoring ability. We've been watching her for a while, but she's rarely looked better than this past weekend with the Sparks at Deep South. Zoring, out of Coto De Coza, Calif., sometimes is overlooked as a scorer because she's really so unconventional. Whether with one-handed floaters off the break, quick-spin moves off either low box, mid-range pull ups or a three-point launch, the 5-9 Zoring may not always look the part, but the ball has a tendency to settle into the bottom of the net. On the break or against converging defenses, she also has an ability to put the ball where her scorers need it. Based on her first major outing with the Sparks, Zoring is the kind of player who does better with more-talented teammates and against tougher competition.
Cierra Burdick is a 6-2 wing or maybe even a guard with shake, shimmy and swagger. She is another branch sprouting out of the basketball family tree -- meaning she has a chance to be an evolutionary kind of player. She is explosive, knows her way around the low post and can go old school with her Kareem-like sky hook. But Burdick, out of Matthews, N.C., is one of those rare players, at least in the ponytailed version of the game, who can create her own shot, whether it be a high-lifting perimeter hoist, mid-range pull or all-out attack on the cup. What's more, she's probably more inclined, at this stage, to use her abundant gifts to make plays for teammates and still is collecting the ingredients to cement an assassin's mentality that could elevate her to the very top of her class.
Very physically developed for her age, Sharane Campbell gets placed on the low boxes a little too much. Only 5-10, she can post high on the lane and successfully attack the cup with a dribble or two. Campbell, out of Spencer, Okla., shoots the ball across her body a bit, impacting accuracy when the delivery is not perfect. The bulk of her offense now is jumping over defenders at point-blank range, but at her height she's likely destined for perimeter duty.
On our radar for some time now, Ariya Crook-Williams is getting to stretch her wings a bit at shooting guard this spring and summer. A tremendously explosive, small package at 5-7, she has the strength to deliver easy heaves from long distance and has the speed, shiftiness and armor to be a devastating finisher off the bounce. Plus her mid-range game continues to grow. As a freshman at Long Beach Poly, she was the big-shot artist on a star-studded roster. Now a rising junior, Crook-Williams remains one of our favorites from the point because of her take-charge attitude, ability to make plays for teammates by piercing defenses or forcing them to collapse around her. She also can be a pesky on-ball defender with quick feet and hands.
A bundle of energy with good size, the 6-1 Erica Payne will mix it up against bigger players, outwork them on the glass, hit the deck, whatever is needed to come up with the ball and even transport it up court, if necessary. Until she develops more consistent range, Payne is a 4 who is more effective posting high or even near the short corners, where she can spin or face up, put the ball on the floor one or two times and leave bigger defenders in her wake. She is good with blocks coming from the helpside and will get into opponents. Though she's a younger player, Payne, from Danville, Calif., shows an inclination to take responsibility when the stakes are raised.
If Kacy Swain was just a wee-bit-more animated, you probably couldn't keep her off the sports pages of the L.A. Times. A 6-3 wing-forward, she is an ultra-intriguing prospect with great size and length and a super-smooth stroke that reminds you of Tracy McGrady. She also has handle from the wings, but needs to be more productive with it -- either creating a mid-range pull up or raiding the rim. For now, it's more for show and emergencies. Swain, out of Temecula, Calif., has good hands and is so long and big, she can vacuum up rebounds and, at the offensive end, convert them into buckets. If she learns to play with a little more urgency and consistency, Swain has a shot at being one of the very best in the class.
Uncoupled from her more heralded Mater Dei teammates -- Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Jordan Adams -- Alexyz Vaioletama mounted a scathing campaign for a spot among the 2011 elites. Mission accomplished, with us and the college coaches, many of whom witnessed her being more than the army of bigger Exodus NYC defenders could handle. The ultra-athletic, 6-1 lefty is super tough in the lane. She cannot be dislodged and when she's allowed to receive the ball, can get off the floor quicker than most and take contact before making deposits with soft, sure hands. The whole package makes Vaioletama a force at the defensive end and around the glass. If she shows a smidge more handle and range by the end of summer, she will demand a spot near the very top of the class.
Even though she was just a rising freshman, Katie Collier was an eye-catching prospect last summer at 6-2 with an unexpected skillset for someone her size and experience level. She spent a season deferring to older sisters at a tiny school in the Seattle area that won the Washington State 2A championship and still is rounding into go-to mode for her Tree of Hope club team. Until she gets there, Collier still grabs attention with her smooth athleticism, which she puts to great use at the defensive end as a shot-blocker and alterer, and cleaner of the glass. We've seen her put the ball on the floor and hit mid-range jumpers more in the past, and expect to see more of the same this summer.
Carondelet High School has a devastating inside-outside attack with Payne, Radanovich and their younger teammate, Hannah Huffman. At 5-9, she has a good combination of size and strength, seems in charge with the ball and makes plays at both ends of the floor. She also shows a nice-looking shot.
Home in the recent past to college All-American candidate Dymond Simon, now at Arizona State, St. Mary's High School of Phoenix, Ariz., has had a time in the national spotlight. With 5-11 Shilpa Tummala and host of other talented, young players, it looks destined to return. Tummala has a great basketball body, particularly considering her age, pursues the ball with gusto around the glass, and can wander out beyond the three-point arc with effectiveness. She will be touring the rest of spring and summer with an exciting incoming freshman class, offering a preview of what's to come, both on the club and high-school circuits.
