Midwest Showdown Tip Sheet II

By Brandon Clay
ESPN HoopGurlz
Posted Thu, 05/29/2008 - 08:54 Our second tip sheet looks at the 2010 and 2011 classes from the Midwest Showdown.

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STORY BY BRANDON CLAY; PHOTOS BY GLENN NELSON

CINNCINNATI, Ohio –The talent on hand at the Nike Midwest Showdown was not limited to just 2009 graduates. The underclassmen displayed their skills as well and proved that the future looks bright for the girls’ game. From the opening set of games until championship day, a mix of younger players stood out in various divisions of play. Unlike their 2009 counterparts who are just starting to come off the draft board during the spring of the junior school year, several of these kids have already committed to BCS schools as far back as this time last year.

The most impressive thing about these players and a lot of the underclass players that I saw this weekend is how much better the game is getting at an earlier age. As a trainer, I am always harping on skill development and consistent play from players of all ages. When I step back and evaluate where the game is now as opposed to five years ago, I am amazed at the level of play across the board and these players are a big reason why.

Lauren Avant (Memphis, Tenn./Lausanne School) is definitely a star at the point guard spot. The 5-foot-7 Tennessee commit showed SEC caliber speed and decision making in one viewing as she penetrated gaps to kick out to shooters or finished if no help defense came over. There is still room for added range to her jump shot and her body to fill out but she’s a big time player in the 2010 class.

Stefanie Dolson (Slate Hill, N.Y./Minisink Valley) is a legit 6-5 2010 post player with good size. She hit a free-throw line jumper and finished a couple times on the block. When she or one of her teammates did miss, she caught and kept the ball high to put it back in the basket. Her size makes her a big asset on the defensive end making it hard for guards to get where they want to go.

Samantha Drake (Bardstown, Kent./Nelson County) quickly became a player to keep an eye on with a solid performance Sunday afternoon. The 6-2 2010 post committed to Kentucky last fall. She’s a solid athlete who is probably best suited to be a high-low post player in the SEC. Her offensive skill has progressed since last summer and defensively her long arms allow her to affect a lot of shots even though she’s not a shot blocker.

Every team needs a player like 6-0 2010 forward Taylor Hall (New Tazewell, Tenn./Claiborne County). A summer teammate of Avant with Memphis Elite, she does everything little in addition to finding ways to score around the bucket and makes her teammates better. Hall gets on the floor for loose balls, will mix it up in the middle and is a solid defender too.

Arguably the best underclass shooter was 6-1 2010 wing Antonita Slaughter (Louisville, Kent./Christian Academy). In a game Sunday afternoon, the Louisville commit bombed away, hitting five three pointers, but also showed the versatility to finish off the dribble on a couple of possessions too. Slaughter has a bloodline to explain her skill as her older sister, Toni, went to Louisville in the early part of the decade as well.

Elem Ibiam’s (Griffin, Ga./Spalding) body build reminds of current Georgia center Angel Robinson (Marietta High School). The 6-4 post is a definite Watch List kid in the 2011 class. She ran the floor, finished underneath and even hit a couple of turnaround jumpers in the paint.

If there are five players in the 2011 class better than Kaleena Lewis (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei), the class would be one of the best in a long time. Lewis, a 6-0 wing, plays with the West Coast Premier top team and still managed to make an impact. She’s got a tight jumper and a nice handle for a big wing. If she really works on the ability to create off the dribble drive we could be talking about the ESPN Hoopgurlz No. 1 player in the class before it’s all over.

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Brandon Clay is a contributor to ESPN HoopGurlz. He is the owner of Peach State Basketball, Inc., a company focused on developing young female basketball players and exposing them to colleges across the United States. Brandon also is the founder of the Jump Off Plus, an online magazine devoted to grassroots recruiting news, and has been involved in the women’s basketball community since 2001 as a coach, evaluator, and trainer. Brandon can be reached at bclay@peachstatehoops.com.

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