Atlanta, GA – The name of the event explains it all. Teams and programs with long-standing reputations of being talented, fearless, and extremely competitive all took center stage in front of a sea of sideline next level coaches to end their summer with some heavy interest and the ultimate goal of an athletic scholarship offer.
War Games 28.5 STANDOUT TEAMS…
FBC The Xperiment
Sometimes things happen in your life just as friendly reminder of why something is so special to you. Why you fell in love with that particular thing in the first place. I have to say, that is why I had the pleasure of watching this young and talented group of young ladies play. The entire roster consists of players that are in the classes of 2026 and 2027. (That’s current 4th and 5th graders) Their love for the game was pure and real. Even though they were playing against 7th and 8th graders, they expected to win! Their court etiquette and game IQ goes far beyond their age, not to mention their skill set. These lady ballers are amazing and can play. Period! Watching them play reminded me why I love this game so much, and why I do what I do. Thank you FBC Xperiment! I look forward to covering your careers in the future!
FBC United – The Family 2024
It is a beautiful thing when you see any team, especially a young team that plays the game the right way. They know each other’s strengths and make sure that they set each other up for success. This FBC squad embodied that mindset. Filled to the top with athleticism, any player can hurt you at any time offensively. Madison McNeal (2024, 5’1”, PG) has great court vision and makes smart decisions with the ball. She is all about getting the ball in the hoop, regardless of how or who makes that happen. Shakirah Edwards (2024, 5’8”, SG) is a scoring machine. She can drive to the basket, shoot from the perimeter, and finish strong in transition. She’s quick with her hands and her feet and it shows on defense. Ashlyn Lange (2024, 5’7” SG) has a quick release and can shoot from almost anywhere on the court. Her form is pretty and her shot is pure. This is just a snapshot of the talent on this team. They are loaded!
Team United
Team United is a well-coached team that is filled with shooters, slashers, rebounders, and athletic scorers. From beginning to end, this group of lady ballers played hard and hustled every possession. They moved the ball well on offense and in transition and played high energy defense, frustrating opponents’ game after game. Mallorie Haines (2021, 5’10”, SG) shot the lights out of the gym, show how deep and deadly her range is. She also did a great job of utilizing picks set for her to get such great looks at the rim. Reigan Richardson (2021, 5’11”, SF) is versatile and able to play multiple positions. She is athletic, can score and is an awesome defender. Jamia Blake (2020, 5’8”, PG) has strong ball handles and an arsenal of moves to match. She is a true floor general that can score in multiple ways. As a unit, Team United lived up to their name and did not disappoint the numerous college coaches that were there to watch.
FBC United Hunt
The chemistry, talent, hustle and skill set that left me amazed back in April, the first time I watched FBC United Hunt play, as only gotten stronger. Despite only playing eight players, this team had two of every positon…meaning they have multiple players that can effectively play multiple positions. Raven Johnson (2021, 5’9”, PG) fresh off of a gold medal performance, was impeccable. She was clicking on all cylinders on both ends of the court, creating turnovers and steals that lead to multiple easy baskets for her and her teammates. Even with twenty point leads, she knew when to slow her team down and run their offense. With sharpshooting from Treasure Hunt and Tate Walters and smothering defense from Olivia Cochran and Madison Hayes, FBC United Hunt was once again the dominant and most impressive team of the tournament.
AL Southern Starz 2021 – Looney NIKE
Impressive in every game, whether it ended in a win or a loss, this AL Southern Starz team is packed with talent and players with great game IQ. This team plays together and they feed off of each other’s energy. Whoever has the hot hand or the high motor running, that’s who they get the ball to, and that’s who leads the team. On Day 2, Karoline Striplin (2021, 6’3”, PF) put on her cape and was the superhero of the day. Her footwork left observers with their mouths open in amazement, along with her opponents. She was able to score with ease on both sides of the rim, facing the rim and on the block. She dominated the boards and blocked numerous shots. Combined with a strong backcourt of Jada Knight, Jenna Walker, and fellow frontcourt partner Sara Puckett, the AL Southern Starz 2021 squad left a lasting impression.
War Games 28.5 STANDOUT PLAYERS
Kyla Oldacare 2022 6’5” PF All Ohio Xpress
Kyla is a force that was hard to defend or ignore. She snatched down rebounds aggressively, clearing out her space to do whatever she wanted to do next. She finished strong on both sides of the rim, with and without contact and even led the way on a few fast breaks.
Gracie Barnes 2023 5’8” SF All Ohio Xpress
Usually, wing players are either great shooters or have the size and quickness to defend guards and post players. Gracie has all of the above. She’s tough and will get on the floor to create turnovers and take advantage of fast-break points. She also can shoot from mid-range and long-distance. She stepped up big in the clutch a few times for her team.
Jada Bates 2024 5’10” SF A.O.T. Lady Rebels 2024
Long, athletic, and an all-around go-to kid, Jada was fun to watch and very impressive. She gets to the rim at will. Whether she is fouled or not, you could see in her body language that she expected to make every shot. She handles the ball well and did a good job of getting others involved. If she keeps working, she has the potential to become one of the top players nationally in her class.
Sara Puckett 2021 6’2” SF Alabama Southern Starz 2021-Looney NIKE
A versatile player that is skilled and tough enough to play the wing and PF positions, Sara let her presence be known on both ends of the court. She can shoot, she can defend, she battles on the boards and rebounds, and does not get rattled easily. She is a strong floor leader and effected the game whether she had the ball in her hands or not.
Karoline Striplin 2021 6’3” PF Alabama Southern Starz 2021-Looney NIKE
Karoline is quick for her size and ability to score facing the rim or with her back to it. She has long arms and does a good job of rebounding on both sides of the basket, as well as altering and blocking shots. She can finish strong with contact and consistently knock down the short jumper.
Peyton Pinkney 2021 5’11” SF WPA Bruins 16u UAA 21/22 Combo-Murray
A nice blend of athleticism and solid fundamentals, Peyton did a little bit of this and that for her team. She knocked down a couple of crucial three-pointers, had some key defensive stops, and did not hesitate to get in the paint and get banged up for her team. Her presence was felt on and off the court.
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs 2022 6’0” PF Mavs THSS Elite
Darianna has a nice inside/outside game. She runs the court well in transition. She did a good job of blocking shots and crashing the boards. She is light on her feet and had some nice floaters and baby hook shots in the paint. Darianna is strong enough to defend bigger players but long and quick enough to defend on the perimeter as well.
Emma Smith 2022 5’7” PG All Alabama Roadrunners 2022
A feisty floor leader that can get the job done, Emma was the brains and brawn on her team. She is a smart player and made great decisions with the roc. She is a tough defender, never giving up easy or wide-open shot opportunities. Emma also can shoot the ball from long range and shoot it well.
Journey Thompson 2022 6’1” SF Western PA Bruins 16u UAA 2021/22 Combo-Murray
Journey did a good job of using her wide wingspan to fill the lanes on defense, creating turnovers and getting steals. She had great footwork and showed that she is able to put the ball on the floor and post up on the block. She is also a strong rebounder.
Mikaylah Williams 2023 5’11” SF Mavs Elite 2023
Mikaylah is the type of player that if you had to, you would wait all day to see. She is as strong as she looks but much quicker than you would think. She gets to the room at will using her crafty footwork and strong ball handles to do so. She is an offensive monster and a matchup nightmare. Mikaylah is also a solid defender and will battle on the boards for rebounds.
Halena Hill 2023 5’5” SG WPA Bruins 2023-Stefko
Halena was a ball of energy, all over the court doing whatever her team needed her to do. She shot the ball well, was great on the ball defender and seemed to never get tired. She is a tough player and gave 120% every possession.
Emma Dziezgowski 2022 5’6” PG WPA Bruins 2022-Zeise
Emma plays much bigger than she is. She was able to get in the paint and to the rim amongst the trees and finishing strong. She had very few turnovers, making great decisions with the ball in her hand. Emma has a way of seeing things that most don’t, allowing her to get some great passes to open teammates for easy shots.
Maddie Millar 2022 5’8” CG AL Southern Starz 2022-Bush
A shooter that can knock down a shot off the bounce, Maddie had the hot hand during multiple games. She never forced anything, making her shot selection percentage very high. She is also a strong defender, able to do so without getting in foul trouble.
Molly Heard 2022 5’11” SF All Alabama Roadrunners 2022
A versatile player that has so many offensive weapons, Molly is a scorer that will always find a way to get it down. She drove to the rim strong, often finishing with contact and making the free-throw line her home. She also was able to spot up and knock down some very deep three-point shots.
Madison French 2023 5’10” SG All Ohio Xpress
Madison used her length to her advantage in every game. She rebounded well. She showed that she can keep the ball high, shooting over shorter opponents. Madison also used her length to alter shots and force turnovers.
Zyaira Miller 2023 5’7” PG All Ohio Xpress
Zyaira is a strong and tough point guard that bullied her way to the bucket, drawing the foul or finishing strong. Nothing seemed to slow her down or intimidate her. She is fast which made her the best defensive player on her team. Her on the ball defense was often the energy her team needed to get over the hump in tough games.
Nyla Jean 2021 5’6” PG East Coast United 2020-Murray
A point guard that is an aggressive offensive threat and can take over a game, Nyla was all heart. She did a great job of penetrating the gaps and getting to the hoop. She uses her high IQ to created scoring opportunities for her teammates. She has a quick first step but knows how to slow the game down if she needs to.
Eno Inyang 2021 6’3” PF East Coast United 2020-Murray
Eno is a strong player! On one possession, there were literally three players swiping and hanging onto her, but she still managed to get the rebound, put the ball back up and earn the old fashion 3 point play. She also did a great job of helping to create shot opportunities when the set play would break down.
