Stephanie Brower
Nelson Udoda of the Georgia Metros program showed her ability to impac the game on both ends of the court. *Photo by Ty Freeman.
SUWANEE, Ga., - The End of the Road Championships presented by Peach State Basketball attracted 90 of the best teams nationally while hosting 150 college coaches. The number of nationally ranked prospects and quality of teams from across the nation made this the premier tournament on the fall evaluation weekend. Here is a recap of some of the top performers from the weekend.
The Carolina All-Stars Bond took home a championship largely behind the efforts of Kia Abrams of Raleigh, N.C. The 6-foot wing showed great athleticism and range on her jumper. She proved to be one of the most talented uncommitted wings at the event.
Sydney Fields of Conyers, Ga., could have made the biggest jump after the weekend. The 6-1 wing forward quickly heard from a number of college coaches after playing with the Georgia Hoopstars. Her height and athleticism give her an edge on smaller defenders.
Editor's note - Fields signed with Florida International on November 12th
Briana Laidler of Port Orange, Fla., played with energy and a purpose this weekend at the PSB End Of The Road event. The 6 feet 1 forward used here athletic ability to alter shots on the defensive end and got key rebounds in the championship game of the PSBChrisHansen division Blue Star Florida. Laidler showed that she has the potential to score when her number is called.
Editor's note - Laidler signed with Lamar University on November 12
A player that emerged as a stock-riser from the weekend is Stephanie Brower of Wesley Chapel, Fla., while playing with coach Jarrett Harvey’s Tampa Thunder team. She made a name for herself while competing at the EBA Super 64 and EBA All-American camps. The 6-2 wing-forward showed even more versatility this weekend with her ability to attack the lane with the bounce.
Coach Scott Johnson showcased one of the most versatile and productive wings of the event in Tonysha Curry of Louisville, Ky. The 5-10 left-hander showed her craftiness with the ball and scored effectively for the Thunder. Although she does not classify as an elite athlete, her body control and touch certainly could be mentioned as such.
Kelly Fitzgerald of Apex, N.C., drew attention with her quickness and her tenacity on both ends of the floor. The 5-7 shooting guard can create scoring opportunities off the dribble which makes her tough to defend with her quick pull-up jumper. Fitzgerald has a true jump shot with a high release point.
Braxtin Miller of Centerville, Ohio, continues to show that she is a player that can perform well in the leadership role. She has great length at 5-10, which allows her to play both guard positions. Her game is evolving, which was made evident at this event by the way she stepped up her defensive game for the Cincy Angels when things were not going as well on the offensive end of the floor. Miller has a solid all around game and will be a player to watch in the future.
Point guard Saadia Munford of Jonesboro, Ga., with Kirk Pointer’s Team Elite EYBL team continues to show improvement with each outing. The 5-7 ball handler has the quickness and tenacity necessary to compete on the big stage.
Florida Future’s point guard Jarya Outten of Forty Myers, Fla., displayed the talent that landed her within the ProspectsNation.com ELITE 100 this fall. She is a confident ball handler who does a great job of distributing to her teammates. She also impressed with her ability to create space off the dribble.
One of the best new names coming out of the weekend was Ruona Uwusiaba of Decatur, Ga. The 6-3 post is a great athlete who does a great job of defending and rebounding the interior. She also showed glimpses of offensive skill set that could have her phone buzzing for months to come.
Madison Wise of Greenfield, Ind., with the Indy Magic is not a secret in the Midwest as she has already garnered offers from several schools in her region. She made a name for herself in the Peach State this weekend with her versatile skill set. The 6-0 forward is without a position, but she is productive both in the lane and at the arc.
Abby Cornelius of Knoxville, Tenn., caught a lot of attention with her aggressiveness on offense and her decision making with the ball in her hands. Her confidence was apparent and looked to score when her Tennessee Fury team called her number. The 6-1 forward showed that she can catch and shoot the ball without hesitation from the perimeter and also can score with her off hand around the basket. Cornelius has gotten stronger and it showed with her ability to hold her own when the game got physical. She is becoming a more versatile player as she gains more experience in game situations.
Forward Victoria Saxton of Rome, Ga., proved why she is the No. 29 player in the ELITE 60 in a marquee match-up the Georgia Metros EYBL on Sunday afternoon. At 6-1, she may not have the length that other true post players have in the lane. However, she has the bounce in her legs to rebound and score with many of the best nationally.De’Sha Benjamin of Augusta, Ga., is primed for a huge sophomore high school season after her fall performance with the Georgia Sting. The 6-1 guard has the size of a frontline forward, but has legitimate lead-guard skills. Her aggressiveness and productivity this weekend points to many successful future outings.
The No. 16 player in the 2018 ELITE 60, Christianna Carr of Eden Prairie, Minn., had her skill set on full effect this weekend. The 5-11 playmaker has the ability to create shots for herself or others.
Lawren Cook of Greenville, S.C., proved why she is the No. 47 ranked player in her class while playing with coach Willis Holiday and the South Carolina Stars. The 5-10 forward is strong and powerful on the block, but she has the finesse to handle the ball facing the basket.
A player that reemerged upon our radar this weekend was Morgan Jones of Jonesboro, Ga., while playing with the Lady Pistols NBA. The dynamic 6-1 wing helped her team all the way to the championship game on Sunday afternoon. A number of power conference schools have already tracked her progress.
Aysah Mitchell of Covington, Ky., is a big guard that has a good feel for the game. She gave the Cincy Angels leadership in the backcourt with her good court vision and ability to get the ball to her open teammates for easy baskets. Mitchell is a solid defender and her perimeter shooting ability make her a player to keep an eye on.
Another big stock-riser coming out of the weekend is 6-4 post Olivia Nelson-Ododa of Winder, Ga. Her strength currently centers on being able to protect the paint with her length and athleticism. However, her offensive skill set is very intriguing to many college coaches. She showed range on her jumper out near the arc with a pretty high release. Given her trajectory, we can expect Nelson-Ododa to become one of the most pursued post players nationally.
Youth Movement
There were a number of teams who cut their teeth on exposure basketball last weekend. Kentucky Premier’s teams coached by William Trumm made a positive impact while competing against older competition at times. Players such as Evie DePetro of Knoxville, Tenn., and Sydnie Hall of Bonnyman, Ky., will be names to track in future events.
Brent Stallings’ Tennessee Flight Select was group of kids that showed great cohesion and teamwork during the tournament. Emma Capps of Crossville, Tenn., backed up her reputation that she built at the EBA All-American Camp with another solid performance with the Flight Select.
Jonathan Hemingway is the Assistant Director of Scouting for the JumpOffPlus.com National Scouting Report, is on the Naismith Trophy Board of Selectors and owns CoachHemi.com, the go-to source for coaches for X’s and O’s. He is the floor director of #TeamEBA camps, a site director for #TeamPSB tournaments and can be reached at jonathanhemingway@peachstatebasketball.com.
Stephen Peck is the owner of Dream In Motion Athletics and is a national evaluator for the JumpOffPlus.com National Scouting Report. He also serves as a on-floor skills coach at the Elite Basketball Academy events. He can be reached at StephenPeck@peachstatebasketball.com.
