The Spartan Classic which is held on the campus of Michigan State University is the best middle school tournament in the state of Michigan. This event brings out the best young talent that our state has to offer. Here is a brief recap of some the top players that we saw this weekend.

Alyza Winston 5’7”  PG  Midwest Elite  2019

This kid can really play! She plays the game with a lot passion when she’s on the court. Winston scored in a variety of ways this weekend. She has a nice first step that allowed her to score off the dribble on either side of the floor. She shoots well from deep on the court and she’s also a good passer. Alyza had a game high 30 points in a matchup against the Hoosier Premier. Winston is one of the Top 3 players in the State of Michigan’s 2019 class.

Rickea Jackson 6’ 0”  WF  Michigan Crossover  2019

Jackson is a long athletic player that can play numerous positions.  Jackson showed some nice moves on the low block, ran the floor well to score in transition and rebounded the ball to get some put backs. With her length and athleticism, Jackson can block and alter a lot shots and get rebounds that are not in her immediate area. She can definitely become a special player from the Motor City.

Mauriya Barnes 5’5”  PG  Midwest Elite   2019

Another good guard from the west side of the state, Barnes is very good with the ball in her hands. She can set up teammates for open shots and in transition she can hit a moving target. When Barnes wasn’t being a facilitator she was getting to the basket scoring through contact or knocking down shots from three point range. She will be one of the top players in the Michigan’s 2019 class.

Destiny Strother  5’ 9”  WG  Michigan Storm  2019

Strother is very long and athletic. She was able to defend ever opponent’s best player, utilizing her speed and length. Destiny has the ability to knock down outside shots consistently as well as finish around the rim. Playing multiple positions on the court is also on this young lady’s resume, making her a threat on both ends of the court.

Olivia Brown  5’7”   WG  West Michigan Drive  2019

Brown is a talented player that did a lot of good things. She made a couple of shots from deep and showed a nice pull up off the dribble. Olivia was very active on defense where she did a nice job guarding on and off the ball and was not afraid to go inside and fight for rebounds.

Shine Strickland 6’ 0” F   J. Richardson Lady Ballers 2019

Strickland was a monster on the defensive end. She blocked a ton of shots that led to easy transition points for her a team. She was also very effective in her team’s press defense by getting a lot of deflections and steals. She scored most of her points on put back layups where she used her superb athletic ability to keep the ball alive.

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