Jessie Moses
OAKLAND – Few events in grassroots basketball history carry the legacy of ABCD Camp. Founded in 1984, the event ran through 2006, helping establish the blueprint for how individual camps featuring the nation's top players could shape the basketball landscape. Its alumni list remains as impressive as any event that has followed.
This summer, founder and grassroots visionary Sonny Vaccaro teamed up with former ABCD standout and NBA star Tracy McGrady to bring the legendary camp back to the boys' side of the game. This past weekend in Oakland, the duo brought ABCD to girls basketball for the first time, assembling 44 athletes from across the United States and Canada.
ABCD stands for Academic Betterment and Career Development, and the programming throughout the three-day event reflected that mission. But beyond the talent on the court, it was the collection of high-level staff and the presence of WNBA players and scouts that made the experience unique.
Aaliyah Edwards, Alysha Clark, Candace Parker, Layshia Clarendon, Elizabeth Williams, Erica Wheeler, Janelle Salaun, Natalie Achonwa, Olivia Miles and Zia Cooke were all in the gym and on the floor with players. Their presence created a buzz that carried into three days of competitive work and high-level matchups.
In the current grassroots climate of heavy shoe-company investment in the space, it was nice to see a collection of talent that spanned all the different circuits.
BREAKOUT PERFORMERS
Jessie Moses of Penn Valley, Pennsylvania, has been on the national radar for years, but a knee injury cost her most of her junior season. She returned to form during the club season, but her performance at the highly competitive ABCD Camp was a true breakout.
Moses showed she is not only healthy but also a much-improved lead guard capable of competing on any floor. The University of Washington commit led her team to the camp championship and earned Finals MVP honors.
There's a certainty to her game right now. She's decisive with the ball, and seemingly every time you looked over at her court, she was making a play. Moses finished tied for third in scoring and second in assists while converting nearly 60 percent of her shots.
Miami commit Zoe Coleman.
Photo courtesy of Adidas.Zoe Coleman of Pickerington, Ohio, was locked in all weekend. The Miami commit produced in nearly every facet of the game, finishing tied for third in scoring with an efficient offensive performance.
She created extra possessions with her activity, finished fourth in rebounding and was particularly sharp with the ball. The ELITE 150 prospect used this setting to show just how ready her game is to transition to the college level.
Ava Ubaka of Oakland, California, was the youngest player in camp but brought plenty of hometown swagger. Still a full year away from playing high school basketball, Ubaka competed at a level that impressed teammates, opponents and coaches alike.
She played with intensity and purpose on both ends of the floor. Ubaka averaged double figures in scoring, contributed on the glass, created open looks for teammates and made a statement that she's got next.
Zaire Hatter of Chatsworth, California, is a nationally ranked junior who impressed with the balance and versatility of her game. To quote Outkast, she was "cooler than a polar bear's toenails" and looked completely at home playing alongside and against other elite prospects.
Hatter scored it well, but it was her ability to create easy opportunities for others that really stood out.
MATCHUP HEAVEN
There are a handful of events in girls grassroots basketball that bring together this level of talent. What made ABCD particularly valuable was its emphasis on basketball over media attention. The environment gave players the space to work against their peers, test themselves and push each other throughout the three-day experience.
One of the premier matchups featured a familiar pairing from USA Basketball circles, with Eve Long of Olathe, Kansas, and Caroline Bradley of Oak Grove, Louisiana, going head-to-head. There's a healthy respect between the two, and watching each player talk through the challenges and advantages of the matchup with her coaches in real time was one of the weekend's highlights.
A'zyua Blair of Arcola, Texas, is already established as a scoring point guard, but what stood out in the Bay Area was her efficiency. She didn't back down from any matchup and consistently used her speed and change of pace to create scoring opportunities while staying under control.
Blaire performed well in matchups with Jhaliana Guy, Avery Arije, Ubaka and Hatter, showing she could get to her spots against a variety of defenders.
Micah Ojo drives against Eve Long.
Photos Courtesy of adidas.The opening day of games also featured Moses going toe-to-toe with Notre Dame commit Avery Arije of Mississauga, Canada. Their frames and styles of play are different, but that contrast made the matchup especially entertaining.
Moses finished with 16 points on 12 shots, adding three assists, three steals and two rebounds. Arije countered with 12 points and five rebounds while keeping the offense moving and creating opportunities for scorers Berkley Jones and Lucia Mayorquin to do their thing.
Micah Ojo of Virginia Beach, Virginia, is one of the top prospects in the country regardless of class, and her versatility and willingness to compete were on full display in an opening-round matchup with Long.
Ojo started the game defending Long in the post and came up with a big block that helped fuel an early run. Long eventually found her rhythm, and the two went blow for blow in one of the weekend's best individual battles.
Ojo finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, while Long countered with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
The inclusion of several elite young prospects also offered a glimpse into the future of the game. In the championship, freshman Joy Pettigrew of Bolingbrook, Illinois, squared off with Ubaka, a member of the 2031 class.
The two were named ABCD Co-Rising Stars, making it fitting that they finished the event guarding each other. Both have incredibly bright futures, but their games are already built to make an impact in the here and now.
AROUND THE RIM
Nation Williams of Las Vegas, Nevada, was doing typical Nation things. She earned Defensive MVP honors after leading the event in rebounding and finishing near the top of the leaderboard in both steals and blocks. Williams also scored it well and brought her usual brand of physical, tough basketball to every matchup.
Maliya Hunter of San Jose, California, showcased one of the most versatile games in the country. There's a consistency to the way she plays that builds trust with teammates and coaches, and that reliability was evident throughout the weekend.
Amel Cook of Los Angeles, California, had stretches of camp when she was simply unguardable. The big guard has an exceptional feel for the game, and once she gets rolling, it can be a long day for the defense. She opened the event with a cool 13 points on just seven shots.
Jordyn Haywood of Florissant, Missouri, is the prototypical big guard with pro size and skill. Her fluidity and versatility allow her to fit into a variety of roles while remaining impactful. Her feel for the game and court vision helped keep defenses on their heels.
Leah Awe of Plover, Wisconsin, is developing her game and confidence right before our eyes. The versatile forward finished in the top 10 in scoring and top five in rebounding while showing she can defend multiple positions at a high level.
Caroline Bradley continues to break the mold of the traditional elite post player. Her combination of size, agility and awareness is rare, and her production speaks for itself.
But in this setting, what separated Bradley was how she worked. She asked questions, studied her matchups and actively tried to figure out the other elite frontcourt players she faced.
The LSU commit will have access to extensive feedback and film at the next level, and based on how she approaches learning and development, we expect those resources to fuel another leap in her game.
Treyana Kirstatter of Grand Junction, Colorado, is a familiar face to our staff, having worked with her at several camps and watched her compete on the 3SSB circuit. Her energy was contagious throughout the gym.
Despite being one of the youngest players in camp, Kirstatter's positivity and outgoing personality made her a magnetic presence. It certainly helps that she can score, rebound and set great screens.
Geralynn Byers-Veal of Austin, Texas, is another young player whose talent and big personality draws teammates in. She’s really still scratching the surface of how truly elite she can be but at 15 years old she had no issues competing here.
Leah Dukes of Rochester, New York, is another young prospect to keep an eye on for years to come. In her second game against this level of competition, she found her rhythm, scoring 12 points and using her length and quickness to collect 12 rebounds.
The freshman has the tools to develop into an elite matchup problem as her game continues to grow.
Sutton Villa of Vineyard, Utah, has a confidence to her game we didn't see a year ago. With multiple top frontcourt players to compete with she stood her ground and was really impactful on the defensive end.
Berkley Jones of Eagle, Idaho, has continued an 18-month run of proving she is one of the top scorers in the 2027 class. Her consistency has put the Oregon State commit in the conversation for a lot of post season awards.
Jordyn Ellis of Chicago, Illinois, is a long swing-forward who was very comfortable with her back to the basket in the low and mid post areas. She has the agility and quickness to face up and be a matchup problem for most forwards.
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 and ELITE is EARNED events. He can be reached at chris@chrishansenbasketball.com.
