Stephanie Watts
'15 Watch List wing-guard Stephanie Watts of Wesley Chapel, N.C. *Photo by Ty Freeman.
SUWANEE, Ga. -- The second day of action at the Elite Basketball Academy Super 64 camp saw the prospects play through some fatigue but also play with a little less nerves with a day under their belts already. With top shelf skill work to complement the game play, Super 64 provided more than 200 players a chance to shine and improve.
Stephanie Watts (Monroe, N.C.), Weddington HS - 2015
This weekend was not Watts first EBA camp nor our first evaluation of her. What the 5-10 wing-guard did for us over these two days was answer some outstanding questions we had about her. She is a super active perimeter player who has the scoring skills to make defenses shade her direction with additional defenders. The question we had coming in was mainly, could she be effective while playing with other really good players?
In this era of I need touches to score basketball, the player who can score while also making non-scoring plays is rare and super important for winning at the highest levels. For Watts the answer is yes. She regularly punished a defender that didnt come ready to play but also used her tremendous length and aggressive style to penetrate and kick out to teammates. Her length is also a huge factor on the defensive side of the ball as she can make passing lanes disappear. If there is any area to make special note of for future improvement it is shot selection. Watts carries the utmost confidence on the floor and has range past the 3-point arc, but she needs to figure out when her green light should be yellow.
AROUND THE RIM
♦ Speaking of kids that are not strangers to TeamEBA, Tayrn McCutcheon, a 2016 prospect from Blennerhassett, W.Va., got her first shot at the older group this year and she didnt disappoint. She got an early introduction to the physicality of it, courtesy of Tea Cooper, but adjusted well after hitting the deck a few times. Her shooting range, ballhandling and vision all translated to the big girl division. This should be an exciting year as she adjusts her game to playing against bigger, stronger, faster, at the same time.
♦ We first saw Alyx Fast of Centralia, Wash., at the USA Basketball trials. The 5-8 guard brought the same energy and toughness to Super 64 Camp. She is the rare guard who will set a screen to get her teammates open. The 2016 prospect has improved her handle and confidence in just a couple of weeks and continued to knock down open jumpers off the catch.
♦ Tiara Murphy, the 2015 ELITE 25 prospect from South Bend, Ind., has been written about plenty this spring, but she keeps doing things that make you take note. She did a terrific job here of running the camp offenses while also establishing herself as one of the better perimeter scorers in the event. She continues to play top competition and her constant improvement, even as a prospect already considered elite, is impressive. Follow @ChrisHansenPSB
