Destinee WalkerSUWANEE, Ga. Seven courts at Suwanee Sports Academy were abuzz this weekend as 80 teams got their first chance to compete in the spring season. Prospects from all over the Southeast, including the states of Arkansas, Florida and Georgia, found top-shelf competition at this years Spring Showdown. Here is a look at some of the top performers from the tournament.
Destinee Walker (Orlando, Fla.) Central Florida Elite 2015
'15 ELITE 25 guard Destinee Walker.
*Photo by Ty Freeman.
Not every talented basketball player has the it factor. For some, the game comes too easy and for others winning is not always important. For Walker, she showed this weekend that she definitely has it. With the game in the balance versus the Georgia Hoopstars on Championship Sunday, Walker nailed two 3-pointers from well behind the arc that sealed the game for her Central Florida Elite squad. The most important quality that Walker has is the confidence to win the game when her team needs her the most.
Walkers physical ability is not a secret as she has been tabbed an ELITE 25 prospect by ProspectsNation.com. The 5-foot-9 shooting guard is a natural scorer. She is a dead-eye marksman from the arc and she is explosive enough to score around defenders in the lane. What ultimately separates Walker from the good and earns the title ELITE is her competitive greatness.
Around the Rim
♦ The Georgia Hoopstars have a strong core of players returning this year, lead by Class of 2015 prospect Alexandra Frazier of Lawrenceville, Ga. Her development has been steady over the past 12 months.
♦ Another stock riser from the weekend was Class of 2014 forward Nyala Shuler of Winter Garden, Fla. The 5-11 wing consistently knocked down the open jumper and provided a presence on the glass.
♦ A new name for our staff at the Spring Showdown was Jasmine Eckermann of Pine Bluff, Ark. The left-handed driver in the 2015 class is a tough match-up for most perimeter defenders.
♦ Finally, a new star was born this weekend with Khayla Pointer of Marietta, Ga., in the Class of 2017. Although the point guard has never played a minute of high school basketball, she plays like a seasoned veteran. Her buzzer-beating half-court shot put an exclamation mark on a dominant first half performance in the championship game of the PeachStateTV division. Follow @JLHemingwayPSB
Hemingway is the Assistant Director of Scouting for the JumpOffPlus.com National Scouting Report. He can be reached at jonathanhemingway@peachstatebasketball.com.
