DALLAS -- Our second tip sheet from the fifth and final Nike Regional Skills Academy focuses on eight players standing out for their ability and potential, including a rare middle schooler standing out amongst her high-school peers.
The Dallas version of the Nike Regional Skills Academy did offer one glaring characteristic: speed. Although the skills sessions offered glimpses, the 5-on-5 showed it off at full throttle. One of the elite speed merchants was Amber Orrange. The left-handed guard from Houston's Westbury Christian was very impressive during Sunday's morning session. As a true point guard, she can handle the ball well against the pressure of an opposing defender and showed the ability to distribute the ball to open teammates, especially in the post. As an off-guard, she was very aggressive slashing to the basket and elevating to the rim. When defenders lay off, she makes them pay with deep-corner range on her high-arching shot from 3-point land. Slender in build, she'll need to continue to develop her strength to truly warrant a place amongst the top shelf of the elite, but a very nice prospect.
There is no statistical measure for work ethic, but if there was, Wichita, Kan.,-native Jhasmine Bowen would lead that area. Bowen is what we refer to as a workhorse. Despite measuring a shade below 6 feet, she showed tremendous presence throughout the weekend. A high quality athlete, she can defend both on the perimeter and in the paint. She did not finish around the basket with regularity, but her relentless effort was constant. Bowen is playing this summer with the talent-laden DFW Elite club program and should return to her nationally ranked high school team, Wichita Heights, as a better overall player.
The word around Frisco High School over the weekend was standout guard Dinelle Breaux is actually a better softball player than she is at basketball. If that is true, opposing softball coaches nationwide may want to start a Breaux for basketball campaign, because she is one heck of a hoops prospect. The 5-8 point guard is a very smooth and confident operator with the basketball. She also showed very good anticipation and a knack for playing the passing lanes defensively. Keep an eye on this two-sport gem.
Dulles High School's (Texas) Sylvana Okde seems to understand her role on the basketball court quite well: take care of the basketball, run the offense and distribute the rock. Those things landed her a starting point guard position on one of the Lone Star state's top high school program last season as a freshman. It also caught the attention of several individuals attending the skills academy. This 5-6 guard has very good ball skills that make up for her lack of foot speed. She uses effective ball and head fakes to get the defense to commit before she makes them pay with precise decision making. Although Okde struggled with her outside shooting, she was constantly making positive plays for her teammates.
Communication on the court is often looked at as a personal trait, either you talk on the court or you don't. Duncanville's (Texas) Empress Davenport will never be considered a player who does not communicate on the floor. She was often seen voicing her opinion, desires or questions. This is a good thing! But let's not be mistaken here, she's got game. She possesses a great combination of shiftiness and strength. Davenport uses her body in several ways effectively: to ward off defenders, finish with contact, and even to set adequate screens. She was involved in one of the best plays of the academy when she executed a picture perfect 2-on-1 fast break with one of her teammates. She can talk the talk and walk the walk.
Courtney Walker of Edmond, Okla., can best be described as a very physical guard. A true playmaker, Walker dominated every time she hit the floor with her open-court play. She was one of the few guards that took the initiative to rebound from that position. Once she secured the rebound, she made excellent decisions with the ball. A true team player, she found streaking teammates in transition with the pass or settled her team into good half-court sets. Walker did not show a lot of range on her shot, but her game and size translates well at the next level.
Kristina Higgins took a very unique approach to retaining the skills being taught. She decided to take a very slow and deliberate approach when asked to demonstrate or practice those newly-developed skills. This approach paid off for her throughout the weekend because she understood what was being asked of her. At 6-4, Higgins has a great upside and showed agility and quickness not becoming of someone her size. If her approach is effective and she truly "gets it", watch out. This young lady could develop into a legitimate All-American candidate.
One of the most impressive prospects was also the youngest. Brianna Turner, a seventh grader, standing a very slender 6-1 and has all the tools of an emerging star. Despite being only 12 years old, she was competing against all comers. She could be found defending the quickest of point guards in one session and grinding for position against a post twice her size in the next. What is most impressive is her willingness to compete, play after play, and never give up. She reminds us a lot of a young Dewanna Bonner. Her desire and passion for the game were evident throughout. Her size and skills now represent the future of the game. She is a tall perimeter player that can cause defenses all sorts of problems and this Houston native has a very bright future.