ESPN Hoopgurlz 2nd Annual Tennessee Turkey Jamm Recap

image from ESPN Hoopgurlz

Tennessee commit Ariel Massengale directed traffic for a No. 4 Bolingbrook (Ill.) team that lived up to its high Powerade Fab 50 ranking.


While Thanksgiving feasts all around the country were served up last Thursday, another helping was dished out both Friday and Saturday as well in the second annual Tennessee Turkey Jamm. Participants included 14 teams from seven different states and featured six competitors from the Powerade Fab 50 high-school team rankings. Four ranked in the top 10 were on hand and of those only forth-ranked Bolingbrook left unscathed.

Both days offered up some competitive games and some early season revelations about the strengths and weaknesses of some of the teams.

Memphis Central: Entering the weekend ranked fourth, the Lady Warriors may well have had the two toughest games on the schedule. Coach Niki Bray's squad struggled in its opener Friday with Bolingbrook but recovered with an impressive win over perennial power Whitney Young Saturday evening. The maturity and confidence that has grown with her talented roster over the last two seasons wasn't apparent in the first game but after a slow start in their second outing they seemed to settle down and hit their stride. The underclass backcourt trio of Danielle Ballard, Aaliyah Whiteside and Nina Davis can offer as many scoring options in both the halfcourt and transition as you'll find anywhere. Friday's effort saw a little too much individual focus but Saturday's team effort should concern any opponent on the schedule. Forward Jalen O'Bannon offers good size and athleticism as well as the versatility to play both inside and out. Stepping onto the big stage and leaving their mark in the win over Whitney Young was a pair of freshman standouts, Tia Wooten and Jasmine Cincore. Both played with aggressive abandon and were the catalysts who helped Central overcome a slow start as well as provided them with a presence in the paint.

Overton: Overton may be unranked and only come away with a split for the weekend, but the Wolverines played some impressive basketball. Their loss to Hoover was a competitive game and one that could have gone their way with some better decision making. They more than made up for it Saturday night with a dramatic win over sixth-ranked Potter's House. The Wolverines epitomized the word attack at both ends of the floor and showed a resilience and focus that allowed them to withstand their opponent as well as their own mistakes. Junior guard Cornellia Fondren may have had one of the more outstanding performances of the weekend. She's got some elements of Odyssey Sims on defense and a little Bryona Canty on offense. Her games at both ends are not quite on that level yet, but the athleticism and potential is there for something special to happen. One of the most deceiving players in the event was Overton post Cortrice Golden. Her play is aggressive and she finishes well around the hoop. She has the strength and hands to work well on the boards but will need to focus on her fitness to find out what level she can ultimately play on.

Ridgeway: Ridgeway was able to come away with two wins in the event, including a solid win over a talented Forest Park team from Georgia. Hasina Muhammad is the senior go-to player for the Roadrunners and the Auburn signee continues to elevate her game, especially at the defensive end. Her ability to read the floor and the agility she has at 6-0 make a formidable stopper. Senior Shervonte Bright is a solid and physical-playing guard who can make plays on the perimeter and in traffic in the lane. Sophomore forward Odegua Oigbokie has taken great strides in advancing her skills and still plays with a relentless blue-collar effort. Freshman point guard Ashley Jackson demonstrated some speed and solid ballhandling at times but will have to make sure her decision making with the ball progresses as she matures. Ridgeway is effective with their press and demonstrates good anticipation off the ball. On the offensive end they seem more comfortable in transition than their halfcourt sets. Shot selection and turnovers were issues that could be a problem down the road.

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