Arizona Elite 14th Annual Spring Classic

•  Khadidja Toure (WA12): 5'8 guard, Kamiakin high, Richland, WA.  Probably the fastest, most athletic guard in the whole tournament. Explosive off the dribble. Not only does she have blazing speed, she does it with the ball in hand.  This girl can get up the court in neck-breaking pace while dribbling, control her dribble, change directions, slice through defenses and elevate at the rim. She is so quick with so much control, all she needs is the smallest of cracks to get inside the paint to get to the cup.  She is explosive to the rim and finishes strong.  With the kind of speed I'm raving about you can only imagine what kind of defender she is.  Opponents have to be wary of the passes they are making and be crisp because Khadidja will appear out of no where and pick them off if she gets but half a read on them.  I didn't see her connect very often from outside but didn't see her take a lot of outside shots either and I can't fault her.  If I was able to attack the basket at will and finish over players the way she can I would be doing the same thing.  She is a player that will get to the line 7-8 times a game minimum. Her ability to attack off the dribble really puts a lot of stress on opposing defenses.
•  Brooke Reilly (WA13):  Another 6ft+ wing player that really knows how to get it done in a variety of ways.  Provides the team with a lot of energy, can rebound, use the dribble, shoot outside, defend inside/outside.
•  Jaime Nared (OR14): 6'2 small forward/wing, Westview hs, Portland, OR.  The most developed 2014 player I've seen this year.  Plays like a well seasoned veteran in a division consisting of mostly 2012 players.  A very versatile small forward who can extend the floor with her range.  She can mix it up a little inside.  Most players this size that have an outside game tend to play too upright but Jaime probably does the best of any 6ft + player receiving the ball outside to attack or shoot.  Jaime is a scoring guard and a long athletic defender that can give shooters complications.  Jaime is still very young and might be the reason she tends to disappear from the game at moments. I'm looking for her to be a more steady force for a full 32 minutes for an entire weekend and not slip into a passive lull. Her growth physically and mentally will no doubt suit her to be an impact player for any team.
• Tess Picknell (OR12): 6'5 Center, South Medford high, Medford, OR.  Huge upside, Tess is an undeniable presence under the basket. Got off to somewhat of a slow start and was defended well in her first match-up.  Throughout the weekend she seemed to be getting more and more comfortable.  Tess draws a lot of attention inside and is capable of finding open teammates out on the perimeter when doubled. She seems to be under a lot of pressure to play up to her stature.  Her team and her self seem pressured to force things at times rather than just play the game a little looser, have fun and let the game come to her. She has got to learn how to be more instinctive, have a better feel and get all the "I have to's" out of her head. 
• Jordan Reynolds (OR13): 6'1 guard, Jefferson hs, Portland,OR. Jordan can run both the point guard and shooting guard positions with efficiency. She reminds me a lot of another guard with a similar build and athleticism who goes by the name of Chelsey Gray, who just had a very successful freshman campaign  for Duke University. I watched Chelsey as a junior & senior. Those are big shoes to fill but no doubt Jordan has the right make up.  With continual improvement and improved ability to create her own shot, Jordan has a lot to look forward to, or we have a lot to look forward to in her game.
• Elleson Tinkle (MT12): 6'2 forward, Big Sky hs, Missoula, MT. A fierce competitor.  A player that looks to step up her play, rises to challenges and will try and carry a team on her back. Solid from 15ft.on the shot and possesses the ability to lead the break with the dribble, sees the floor very well. Can learn to play not so erect and extend her range to beyond the arc but a solid forward that can help out on the boards and will fight. 
• Kailee Johnson (OR13): 6'4 forward, Central Catholic, Portland, OR. Another colleague referred to her as "the truth". You have to see for yourself. The detail in which she defines her position at such a young age is remarkable. Probably the most college ready player I viewed this weekend. She can stop on a dime, catch and pull up from beyond the arc like a shooting guard, attack the basket, post big, block shots.  Despite her array of offensive repertoire what most impressed me was the energy she plays with despite such talent and to guard out on the perimeter.  I watched her close out on perimeter players, use her length and keep guards at bay.  She stays low defensively, moves her feet and takes up so much width, makes for a difficult pass on a drive.  She can also defend the paint and rebound.  Did get muscled a little on the boards by very strong older post players last game on last day.  She still has over 2 1/2 years before she steps on a college campus.  I have a feeling she will be ready. 
• Rachel Mendelsohn (OR12): 5'8 G, Jesuit high school, Portland, OR. Don't let this soft spoken young lady lead you to believe she is as meek on the court as she might be off the court.  Very cunning ability to make plays happen for her and her teammates.  Makes reads very well and demonstrates good basketball IQ. Can hit the outside shot and run a team.  I saw Rachel during last summer and was pleased with her game but in a year I have seen more confidence, more assertiveness and growth.  It's always a good sign when kids have good, steady continual growth.  
• Taelor Ross(OR12): 6'2 F, St. Mary's Academy, Portland, OR. A kid who can bang inside, very broad strong shoulders, she is the player who is going to do all the dirty work, defend the paint, rebound, set screens, get the ball inside and suck in the defense.  Can be a little more aggressive at times. I like to see her attack off the bounce more from hp area, has the strength to take to the basket hard and finish. 
• Ivonne Cook Taylor (CA12): 5'10 wing, Terra Nova hs, Daly City, CA. Extreme athleticism. Notes say "speed that kills with a SWEET J!" Ivonne has great open court speed, quickness in the half court and awesome elevation. She has a sweet mid-range jumper she gets great elevation on.  She possesses undeniable athleticism, seems to glide along the court effortless. She has great length, good reaction and is a great perimeter defender.  Ivonne is a game changer, a hard to guard player but  tends to have lulls in her game.  I did watch her in late night game, late in the tourney but she was at times performing a disappearing act.  I would have liked to see her be more assertive and demand the ball more at times when her team needed that spark because her speed rendered opponents indefensible.  She has the ability to make thinks happen.  She is more of a driver than shooter, often dismissing the open outside shot. Never saw her shoot the three which makes me wonder about her ability to connect from outside.  She shows good mechanics, release and follow through on her pull-up, so I know the base is there. Confidence, comfort ability and recognition might be all she needs. 
• Sharise Portia (ID13): 5'6 PG, Centennial high school, Boise, ID. Good build, athletic, quick, fast guard who really knows how to control a game.  One of the truer point guards viewed this weekend. Didn't see a lot of true pg's at AZ Elite Classic, combo guards filling roles between point and shooting guard.  Does a great job of setting up her teammates.  Very good at dealing with pressure defenses. Is a pass first PG.  Doesn't look to get much of her own.  Not much of an outside shooter is more wrapped up in getting ball up the court and allowing teammates to make plays. 
• Jasmine Hotchkins (AZ13): 5'4 PG, Xavier College Prep, Phoenix, AZ. This tournament was deep in talent with 6ft + players, dynamic wing players and versatile post players, but Jasmine was one of the rare point guards that stood out at the AZ Elite Classic.  She Possesses fantastic quick dribble that she can use to set up defenders for the take, jump shot, or break pressure.  We saw on several occasions where she mounted her young team on her back and put them in contention against much more talented squads.  She never seemed troubled by any defender or defense & attempted to run her team with efficiency. Jasmine is a guard that in the past largely relied on her ability to connect from downtown to be effective but recently has been taking charge, controlling game tempo with aggressive offensive and defensive play, impacting games.  She is a bully with her ball pressure on other guards and very disruptive. I have seen a lot of growth from this young player who brings a lot of energy to the court. 
• Jamee Swan (AZ12): 6'2 forward, Marana high, Tucson, AZ. Very energetic small forward that provides huge rebounding detail for her team.  Jamee has a nose for the ball, goes after it hard and pulls it in strong.  This is not a girl you should have to remind to rebound.  It is what she does.  She has a much improved outside shot.  She can be safe with the dribble, not going to make a bunch of plays with it but can handle it in a straight line, enough to help in the back court if needed. Pretty good shot blocker. Great leadership. Good talker on the floor, instructs, motivates, rallies team.  Plays a little tight offensively, can learn to be a more effective driver, create own shot. Not real offensive minded. 
• Jaime Weisner(WA12): 5'10 guard, Clarkston high, Clarkston, WA.  A fierce competitor,very tough scoring guard.  She plays a big game, very active, effective and makes huge impact on games.  Moves great without the ball. Can catch and shoot as well as put the ball on the ground.  Jaime can take contact at the rim and still finish.  She has a very strong build physically.  Seems like a very dedicated player with not just her basketball skill but conditioning and strength training as well.  She was making the same shots deep into the tournament as she was making on the first day. Has a great touch on her shot.  Everything she put up that caught any part of the rim fell in.  I never witnessed her game taper off in any of her games I watched.  She possesses a lot of heart and tenacity.
• Chelsea Waters(ID12): 6'1 forward out of Lewiston Idaho, is a 5 tool player.  She can handle the rock like a guard, shoot from outside, post hi & lo, pass like a pg, defend multiple positions & rebound. I can't say enough about how much this young lady impressed. She left my jaw on the ground more than any player in the tournament. I did my best to keep my composure but can't say how many times I wanted to say out loud "OMG, this girl is incredible". She can do it all folks. I saw her cut up a press on her own displaying every change of direction move in the book and finish with a PG like pass at the end.  She has great hands, court awareness, vision and moxy.  She really seams to enjoy the sport and playing.  She has an array of moves from the perimeter, low post, high post, and several ways she can finish.  She is a solid HM prospect that can be an impact player.  Needs to develop more strength (but I say that about just about every player), and consistency with her outside shot.

This is the first eval on my blog from the Elite Classic. I will be posting more over the week. I will be posting evals @ SCP where you can find more prospects and evaluations on your favorite players.