Dena Jarrells
Elissa Cunane has elevated her game this Spring for the Greensboro Gaters. *Photo by Larry Rheinhart.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia – The second session of the PSB Tip Off Classic saw 160 teams and more than 100 college coaches head to the suburbs of Atlanta looking to make a match for the future. Here are some standouts from Sunday’s action.
Elissa Cunane (Summerfield, N.C.), Greensboro Lady Tigers – 2018
Cunane came into spring ranked in the ELITE 100 and this performance suggests her stock should be on the rise on her No. 73 spot. Standing approximately 6 feet 5 inches, she is mobile and shows terrific hands, making numerous tough catches in traffic against a tough West Virginia Thunder team. When attacking from the high post her spin move was impressive. She drew defenders, spun back to the middle and finger rolled it over the front of the rim, making it look easy in the process. She started the break on a couple of occasions and was terrific playing in the high-low game.
SPOTLIGHT PLAYERS
Dena Jarrells (Dunlow, W. Va.), West Virginia Thunder – 2019
Jarrells is lightning quick with the ball and has one of the shiftiest crossovers in the class. The 5-4 point guard has a great feel for the game. She has a way of setting up defenders to sling passes by their heads. Her range was on display, hitting multiple threes from deep behind the high school arc. When sizing up what a lead guard needs to be, she checks the boxes with range, ability to create and ability to get teammates shots.
Fujika Nimmo (Haines City, Fla.), Blue Star Florida – 2019
This 5-9 Georgia Tech commit showed well against a really good Midwest Takeover squad. Her quickness played well on both ends of the floor. She has evolved from just a shooter to one that contributes in other areas while still being a long range threat. The clip below shows her ability to start the break, kick ahead and find space to do what she does best; shoot it.
Fujika Nimmo of @BlueStarFlorida with the long distance knockdown here at #PSBTipOffClassic @PeachStateBBall pic.twitter.com/oI5KvprH3u
— Chris Hansen (@ChrisHansenPSB) April 30, 2017
Taniya Gordon (Tampa, Fla.), Blue Star Florida – 2019
Sometimes players find that zone where they are nearly unguardable. In stretches of her team’s final game she was just that. Her athleticism and quick first step kept defenders on their heels and she had a stretch where even contested jumpers were falling. She elevated quickly and above the closeout where even a hand up was insufficient. Even playing the 4 spot she was touch to defend.
AROUND THE RIM
Mary Martha Turner of Atlanta, Georgia, and the Tampa Thunder had the moment every player dreams of, hitting a game winner in overtime. The 6-1 forward continues to impress with her face-up game.
Elizabeth Kitley of Summerfield, North Carolina, is progressing. She showed terrific passing skills on the interior. She has all the size you want in a post and her skill set as a finisher and versatile frontcourt option.
Only catching a few minutes of Yasmeen Chang of Fort Myers, Florida, is enough to see she is a dynamic combo guard. Her guard skills and ability to penetrate were on display Sunday.
Chris Hansen is managing editor of ProspectsNation.com and serves on the McDonald’s All-American and Naismith Trophy selection committees. He was a co-founder of and the national director of scouting for ESPN HoopGurlz from 2005 until 2012 and is the director of the Check Me Out Showcase. He can be reached at chris@prospectsnation.com.
