Detroit, MI – To kick off the official spring evaluation period, LBI hosted the first annual Motown Spring Classic on the campus of Detroit Edison Public Schools. College coaches from a variety of levels stood and sat baseline to baseline to watch several talented team’s battle on the court. The Motown Spring Classic also featured a Friday Night Showcase where some of the state’s top and elite programs competed in some highly competitive games. From Friday – Sunday, several players impressed the crowd and coaches with their level of play. Below is just a small list that special group…

2020

Kaydan Lawson  5’9”  Wing  Toledo Thunder-Harris
Comfortable both on and off the ball, Lawson was a handful to cover in the two games that we watched on Saturday afternoon. She’s very creative with the ball in her hands and the defense never knows what’s coming at them. Lawson was very effective with her mid-range and pull-up game and also excelled at drawing contact when she was attacking the rim.

Makaila Zeigler  5’10”  Wing  1 Nation – 9th
A tough player that never says never; Zeigler showed that she does not know the meaning of quit. She used her long wingspan to help defend and rebound, and also to finish at the rim over the other team. She often led transition breaks and would finish strong with and without contact. 

2019

Adrian Folks  6’0”  Post  Michigan Crossover 14u
Folks is a post player but has the ability to play and guard the wing. She is a relentless kid with a lot of heart. She runs the court like a guard but rebounds as well as any solid post player. Adrian plays well facing the basket but can post up strong if she needs to. She’s quicker than most players her size which allows her to get to the basket fairly easy.

Alyza Winston  5’7”  Guard  Michigan Crossover 15u
Winston is so fast she sometimes out ran herself! Once she turns on the jets, she usually gets wherever she wants to on the court. She used her speed to weave through multiple defenders and to play impressive defense. Alyza is able to play the one or two guard effectively.

Janae Terry  5’8”  Point Guard 1Nation- 9th
One of the fast rising freshmen in the state, Terry has excellent physical tools that she combines with her athleticism. She has the ability to attack the rim off the dribble, and an ability to score the basketball in a versatile variety of ways.  Janae was very impressive the opening night and looked the part of a solid mid to high major talent in every way.

2018

Tatyana Hardwick  6’1”  Post  Michigan Sting-Dumas
Arguably one of the best breakout performers that we saw, Hardwick is a blue collar type interior talent who can score around the basket. She has a soft touch, plays hard, and competes on both ends.  She was impressive around the basket both rebounding and finishing. Tatyana looked the part of a quality talent that should be added to your watch list after this weekend’s performance.

Morgan Keeler   5’9”  Wing  Michigan Sting-Dumas
Keeler was one of the top pure shooters on the court on Sunday. She’s skilled, knows how to play, and has a lethal stroke that can take over games when she gets it going. Morgan was one of the main reasons why her squad had a successful weekend and picked up some big victories.

Aazhenii Nye  5’8”  Guard  Michigan Storm Elite ’18 (McAllister)
Nye’s aggressive game is contrary to her dollish looks and we are sure that it works to her advantage. Confident in all that she does, Aazhenii made her presence felt on both ends of the court. She handled the ball well, got to the basket when she needed to create offense for her team and had great court vision to get the ball where it needed to go.

Madison (Maddie) Barrie  5’9”  Wing  Michigan Storm Elite ’18 (McAllister)
Barrie did a superb job of running the court during transition plays on offense and defense. She was often inside battling for rebounds or loose balls. Not afraid to give or receive contact, Maddie altered shots and did a good job of finishing in a crowd.

Katelyn Sherwood  5’8”  Guard  Michigan Factory Basketball
Katelyn was an energy source for her team. She worked hard on every possession and never stopped playing. She has a nice long frame that enabled her to be a real nuisance to those she defended and also to shoot over shorter opponents. 

Gia Thorpe  5’9”  Guard  West PA Bruins-Dibble
Thorpe is an athletic guard with a quick first step and aggressive offensive attack. She often slashed to the basket with no fear and finished strong. She has long legs that allow her to play great on the ball defense. Although she is a guard, she was often in the paint snagging down rebounds and getting second chance scoring opportunities.

Jordan Edwards  5’7”  Guard  West PA Bruins-Dibble
A ball handler with good court vision, Edwards was very consistent this weekend. She is quick with and without the ball, added with her great court awareness, allows her to be a threat on offense and defense. Jordan is not afraid to shoot and will take the big shots if needed.

Cam Clegg  5’5”  Point Guard  1Nation Elite
Clegg continues to deliver consistent and solid performances this spring and day 2 at the Motown Spring Classic was no exception. She showed a solid stroke from beyond the arc and found ways to attack the rim off the bounce with success.

2017

Kiarah Copeland  5’7”  Guard  West Michigan Drive
Kiarah showed great floor leadership in every game the Drive played this weekend. She was very verbal on the court; directing traffic and calling out defensive sets. She did a phenomenal job of handling the ball and had a very low turnover rate. Copeland saw the floor well and knew when to score and when to pass. She shot well from the three point line as well.

Myka Cromwell 5’9”  Wing West Michigan Drive
Cromwell was one of the quiet talented floor leaders throughout the weekend. Cromwell continued to impress onlookers with her efforts on Day 2. She showed solid vision, attacked off the bounce, knocked down some jump shots, and was consistent in putting her team in a position to score easy baskets.

Kayla Brown  5’7” Guard  Michigan Crossover EYBL
Brown is a great leader and when needed, she can rack up points; just like she did on Friday night against the Michigan Mystics. Pouring in 19 points in a winning effort where she connected on 5 straight triples. She’s an exceptional spot up shooter and when left open she will make you pay. 

Mariah Copeland  5’9”  Guard  Toledo Thunder Elite (Johnson)
Copeland was one of the best shooters in the gym this weekend. In one game she knocked down 4 consecutive three point shots and added another two in the second half of the game. Along with being a great shooter, Mariah moves well without the ball and is a solid defender.

Kierra Fletcher  5’9”  Wing 1Nation Elite
Kierra was clearly best player in the gym as she led her team to six victories during the 3 day period. She attacked the rim when needed and came through with some big shots in the process.  When the situation called on her, Fletcher always delivered.

Ellie Taylor  5’8”  Wing  1Nation Elite
The St. Louis commit did what she does best—shoot the basketball. The sharpshooting guard was often left open and made the defense pay as 1Nation beat the Michigan Crossover 15U EYBL on Sunday afternoon. Scoring 18 points, Taylor also had some impressive drives, finishing some tough baskets in traffic.