Ypsilanti, MI – LBI’s 6th Annual Jam Fest tournament took place this weekend at the Ypsilanti Lincoln High School campus and also at Romulus High School. As usual, Jam Fest brought out some of the top teams not only in the state of Michigan, but the region as well. During pool play on Saturday and bracket/championship play on Sunday, we saw players and teams step up and show great heart and resiliency. We also saw upsets, “comeback” teams and players step out of their shell. A huge thank you to all who participated! LBI has already started working on making next year bigger and better!

Division Champions

Super Platinum Division Champs: All Ohio-Black

The All Ohio-Black EYBL squad looked like a totally different team than the one we saw at the Motown Spring Classic. Their chemistry was high and so was their game. The All Ohio team came to the gym locked and loaded, firing threes left and right. They literally out shot every single team they competed against, going an impressive 6-0 and winning by 15+ points every game. During the championship game, Destiny Pitts (#5, 2017) would go 7-8 from three point land and finished with 32 points for the game. Kynnedy Azubike (#12, 2017), Constance Chaplin (#10, 2019) and Victoria Morris (#0, 2017) also performed very well this weekend on both ends of the court. All Ohio-Black is loaded with shooters and defenders. They proved this every time they stepped on the court at Jam Fest. Congrats ladies…You earned it!

Platinum Division Champs:  Indy Gym Rats-Gold

Gold Division Champs: Indy Gym Rats-Red

Silver Division Champs: Michigan Crossover 13u-Black.

2017

Cloe Guingurch (#30)  6’1”  Post  Grand Rapids Storm
Guinurch is the type of player you want in the game if you’re behind. She plays hard every minute and doesn’t mind doing the dirty work. She plays well posting up with her back to the basket and has good foot work to be able to turn and score. She hustles and rebounds strong.

Mariah White (#41)  5’9”  Guard  Toledo Thunder Elite 
Mariah was most impressive on the defensive end, playing gritty resilient on the ball defense, wearing down opponents and making it difficult for them to finish at the rim or get off a decent jump shot. She has a nice vertical for her height and often was crashing the board, snagging down rebounds over taller players. Mariah also uses her vertical to knock down short jump shots.

Elysia Matlos (#32)  5’5”  Point Guard  Lakeshore Elite
Handling the ball and making notable moves to the basket, Matlos was a great leader for her team this weekend. She had great court vision and knew when to penetrate the gaps and when to pass to her teammates. Elysia also did a great job of being a spark of energy for her team when they were down.

2018

Mickie Ivy (#22)  6’0”  Wing  Grand Rapids Storm
A solid defender that caused many problems on the court, Mickie is a classic wing that is also able to defend in the post. She has a wide wingspan that alters shots and gets easy steals in the passing lane. Her long arms also allow her to score over defenders.

Kennedy Taylor (#11)  5’8”  Guard  All Ohio-10th Grade
Taylor was a hardnosed defender and her efforts often led to steals and easy buckets for her team. She played every minute like her team was down, even when they were up. Her hustle and energy enabled her to rebound consistently and finish tough shots in traffic.

Arielle Cummings (#32)  6’3”  Post  Toledo Thunder-Red
Cummings did a great job of running the court and filling the lanes in transition and on help defense. She consistently blocked and altered shots in her area and forced bad shots as well. Arielle was most prominent cleaning up the boards, getting rebounds for second chance opportunities.

2019

Shaila Beeler (#5)  5’7”  Guard  Indy Gym Rats-Gold
When the game is on the line, you want Beeler with the ball. She is a strong floor leader that was vocal, even tempered, and has the ability to get to basket and finish. She executes on offense and does not allow her team to get rattled in tough situations. She is very athletic and usually out hustled her opponents on both ends of the court.

Tayah Irvin (#12)  6’0”  Post  Indy Gym Rats-Gold
Slim frame with long arms, Irvin was a key piece in her squad winning the division championship. She plays in the post but is quick and long enough to check smaller players on the perimeter. She runs the court well and makes herself available to receive passes for easy baskets. Tayah was a rebounding force and made great decisions with the ball in her hands.

Alexis Johnson (#24)  6’0”  Post  Michigan Crossover 14u
Johnson played her best game on Sunday in the semi-finals of the Platinum Division. She played very hard and was the spark in her team’s run to come back from a 14 point deficit. She displayed strong post moves facing and with her back to the basket. She did a good job of getting back on defense and crashing the boards. In the final crucial minutes, Alexis was the go to player.

Alyza Winston (#22)  5’7”  Guard  Michigan Crossover 15u
Winston is the kid on the court that no one wants to check. She has the kind of speed that makes even great defenders very nervous. She has the ability to make great moves with the ball and get to the basket for even better finishes. She also has a high enough IQ to get the ball to an open teammate when she draws multiple defenders.

2020

Daija Tyson (#0)  5’3”  Point Guard  Michigan Storm-McAllister
Tyson is a tough kid that can score and defend. She is very quick and uses her speed to get easy steals from bigger players. She also is great in transition where she can zip the ball up the court and finish at the rim or award her teammates that run the court with her. Daija will also make you regret leaving her open at the perimeter.

Nyam Thorton (#3)  5’8”  Wing  All Ohio-9th Grade
Thornton is an athletic wing that can handle the ball like a point guard and rebound like a post player. She is not afraid to give or receive contact and it showed on both ends of the court. Nyam gets to the basket with strong moves and finishes with contact. She is a smart defender and was able to be very effective while staying out of foul trouble.