High Ceilings for Canadian Girls Basketball Players; Toronto Showcase Follow Up
Toronto Girls Showcase was a success! Thank you to Humber Hawks for hosting us, and thank you Coach Ajay Sharma for talking to our Canadian girls basketball players about what it truly takes and means to be part of a Championship culture. Thank you to Justin Alliman for helping me run a high level camp with quality instruction and teaching. Lastly, big time shoutout to pro hoopers and business professionals Kayla Davis, Jose Ann Johnson, and Brey Jonhnson for coming out and sharing their lessons learned through their individual basketball journeys.
NPH Showcase MVP
2019 5’7 G Keturah Balabyekkubo sealed the deal on the honors with her relentless defensive pressure and intensity, her vocal leadership and display of player-coaching, as well as her maintained focus and intensity throughout the 2 day camp.
Ket is a high level athlete with strength, speed, energy and a motor which keeps her going on both ends of the floor. Scoring primarily comes from rim penetration and strong finishes through contact. Delivers nice kick passes to open perimeter shooters and facilitates the offense with her off ball activity. Runs the break off D boards, good handles, and she’s hard to stop in the open court. Don’t sleep on her!! Culture kid who leads by example, displays good sportsmanship and high coachability.
Highly touted prospect 2022 5’11 G T’yana Todd has been working on her game and you can tell!! Knocked some really tough shots down with defense, off the dribble, deep range, crunch time etc! High success rate attacking the rim; proven ability to score in traffic and with contact. Defensively guards 1-4 and blocks shots; length tips passes and blows up the offense. Seems to be getting stronger and confidence is growing. With her work ethic and physical makeup, she’s a weapon on any roster.
2021 5’4 PG Tineya Hylton showed that my first impression on her was on point – TOP 3 PG’s I’ve seen thus far!!! High level powerful athlete with speed, handles, vision, and the best passer I’ve seen thus far. Relentless on rim penetration! Hang time and soft touch allows for a large variety of finishes at the rim. 3 ball and midrange pull up are a threat. Will turn from PG to Floor General when she decides to be vocal.
NPH Showcase Breakout Player
2024 4’11 PG Dihanna Manning was not playing ANY games this week!! She came out with an appetite which she tamed by getting bucket after bucket. Solid handles, creative and natural feel for the game, good vision. She was able to create her shot and pull it from beyond the arc or get to the rim and finish in traffic. With a few more inches and more strength, this small PG is following closely in the footsteps of some other mini-killers we’ve got in Canada right now. The killer instinct has already been triggered.
Guard play in the 2022 class is deep! 5’5 Alarice Gooden showed off great court vision and decision making in transition and well as the ability to get to the paint and create off penetration. 5’6 SG Rain Jhaj has a smooth, effortless and consistent stroke from beyond the arc. Tight handles and crafty finishes around the rim. 5’6 Anna Buklarewicz caught me off guard with her craftiness, ability to read defense, delivery and timing of high quality passes, and her stroke from beyond the arc. I was sleep on her!!
2022 6’0 F Skylar Forbes is the prospect I identified with the most upside long term. Strong, lengthy athlete with the ability to slice through the D and finish softly at the rim. Displayed a nice stroke from 3 point range and high IQ and vision in the half court offense. Skillset is still raw, but with her genetic makeup and natural flow and production on the floor, there’s no telling what will stop her.
The volume of players and level of talent I’ve seen in the 2022 class is HIGH! This group is highly competitive at a young age and I’m looking forward to following the growth and progress of these young girls.
6’1 F Ella Okubasu and 2023 6’0 F Niamh Heath for me excited for the length and versatility in the 2023 class. Both demonstrated high IQ, the ability to get to the rim, and strong rebounding on both ends of the floor. Okubasu finished with contact on O boards and showed off her midrange jumper. Heath got to the rim off penetration and finished well going both ways with contact.
The talent and potential for Canadian Girls Basketball is skyrocketing and I’m thankful to be a part of the growth and progress. Western Canada tour is up next!!
