Following a team tournament that saw some of the regions if not the nations top prospects face off was an individual showcase that saw some of the regions top seniors face off against a host of hungry underclassmen ready to establish a name for them against top competition. All in all the Peach State Basketball Spring Showdown was a success.
We will have a recap of the weekends highlights for you today, followed by the release of the all tournament team later this week.
Spring Showdown Highlights
Georgia Elite 16 (GA) vs. Georgia Pistols Gordon (GA)
Georgia Elite is a well established club basketball team that has a number of state AAU championships to their name. Elite has a great combination of athletes and skill players as well as one of the nations best guards in Andraya Carter (5'8 PG Buford HS, GA 2012). In addition to Carter Elite boasts 1st team all state selection Lauren Coleman (6'’ W Parkview HS, GA 2010 ). Elite faced off against a team that was equally loaded. The Georgia Pistols boast one of Georgia's best post players in Eboni Wells (6'3” C Harlem HS, GA 2011) in addition to Wells the Pistols have a talented wing in Destinee Gibbs (5'10” W SW DeKalb HS, GA 2011). Gibbs and Wells give them a talented inside out combination to go with a host of other talented players.
The match up between the two teams was played at a surprisingly high level of intensity given the fact that it was the first game of summer basketball for the two teams. Elite who likes to run a lot sets offensively was able to take control of the game early, and despite a number of runs by the Pistols, Georgia Elite was able to earn the win.
Georgia Ice (GA) vs. Georgia Elite 16 (GA)
In the second game of the first day for both teams the Georgia Ice faced off against Georgia Elite. The Georgia Ice are lead by a duo of high major wings in Kayla Davis (6'1” 2013) and Diamond DeShields (6' 2013). When watching these two play together and realizing that there is not a game of high school basketball experience between them it is impossible not to get excited about the future of the women's game. Davis has an excellent combination of skill and athleticism for her age. She can handle the ball well enough to play the point, and scores the ball well enough to force all five defensive players to know where she is at all times. DeSheilds is the more explosive athlete who projects to be one of the best scorers in her class nationally.
Georgia Elite relied on great team defense in playing against two players of this caliber. Getting big performances from players like Erica Ford (5'9” G Chattahoochee HS, GA 2011) and Stephanie Wheeler (5'8” G North Gwinnett HS, GA 2010) on the defensive end helped Georgia Elite win the game and secure a top finish in the pool.
In addition to great team performances the event saw some great individual play in the individual showcase. Officially Peach State Basketball holds the showcases as evaluation camps allowing prospects the chance to showcase their talents and earn an invitation to one of the elite camps such as the Fab 5 camp, the Junior Fab 5 camp, and the rising stars camp, all of which HSGirlshoops.com will be in attendance for. The first evaluation camp saw some of the nations finest seniors participate as a tune up for the WBCA all American game. The UNC bound Krista Gross (6' W Charlotte, NC) and Baylor bound Mariah Chandler (6'1” Atlanta, Ga) were on hand to compete against the likes of Taylor Hall (6' New Tazwell, TN 2010) and Sydney Wallace (5'8” G Northview HS, GA 2011)