Griffin Dempsey of the West Virginia Thunder continues to impress with her feel for the game.
*Photo by Ty Freeman.

SUWANEE, Ga. –The 2013 Peach State Basketball Tip-Off Classic showcased some of the premier travel teams from across the country. This event guaranteed every player in attendance a legitimate opportunity to play in front of college coaches from over 100 schools during the NCAA-certified evaluation period. The talent pool was deep and there were several players that performed well at the first evaluation event of the season. The following is a look at a few players that rose to the challenge.

Griffin Dempsey (Proctorville, Ohio) - West Virginia Thunder – 2014

The many elements of a basketball game are tough to master. Those players who are able to grasp the fine nuances of these elements shine in game time situations. Dempsey is one of those who gets it and has shown she can rise to the occasion when her number is called. She is the type of player who will always give 100 percent. Dempsey is definitely a go-to player at crunch time. The 5-foot-6 guard can not only beat the press with her crafty ballhandling skills, but she has great court awareness that affords her teammates scoring opportunities. The key element to her game is her ability to knock down shots from beyond the arc. Her range is unlimited when she is tuned in, which cause defenses to scratch their heads in amazement as she confidently knocks down shots from 24 feet. This was very apparent in the championship game of the Prospects Nation division. Dempsey scored 26 points with 21 of those coming from well beyond the 3-point line.

Dempsey has drawn attention from college coaches all across the country. This kid can flat out play and understands the game. She is every coach’s dream player. As the song goes, “Put me in coach, I’m ready to play.” I know that’s a baseball phrase, but No. 11 for the West Virginia Thunder was ready to play every day; locked and loaded.

AROUND THE RIM

♦ Amber Skidgel out of Bethlehem, Ga., continues to draw our attention, as well as many college coaches in the Southeast. The 6-0 small forward has the ability to score from the perimeter as well as create shots of the dribble. This creativity is an asset that will make defenses adjust.

♦ A player that can give you quality minutes on both ends of the court is Lindsey Levings of Blue Star Florida. The 6-2 forward can defend the perimeter as well as the post. Her ability to knock down outside shot, with range beyond the arc, adds to her stock as player that can add dimension to a team at the next level.

♦ The athletic ability and scorers mentality of Chassity Carter was very apparent at this weekend’s Tip-Off Classic. You can see in her eyes that she is trying to make scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates. As her ballhandling skills develop so too will her overall game. She impressed with how she was able to get to the rim and score with contact. The 6-0 small forward certainly can score.

♦ One of the teams that caught attention at the Tip-Off classic was Team All In from Memphis, Tenn. A couple of players that stood out were 6-2 post Manaya Jones and 5-9 guard Michaela Campbell. Jones had a commanding performance in the post as she aggressively tracked rebounds and has a nice drop-step move. Campbell was great in transition and her shot selection was very good. This kid is a playmaker. Follow @StephenPeckPSB