#APBShowcase Recap (Female) – August 19, 2015

Adrian Penland hosted the #APBShowcase last weekend, which featured many of the area’s best female prospects. This event was attended by national media and college coaches. Read about the stars from the Saturday workout. Photo cred – Adrian Penland

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga., – Although the NCAA evaluation period ended a few weeks ago, the #APBShowcase provided a great opportunity for prospects from Georgia and surrounding states to gain exposure. Elite Basketball Academy trainer Adrian Penland hosted his annual showcase, which is designed to give prospects a platform to build a name for themselves on the basketball court. Forty prospects from Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee all played in front of ProspectsNation.com national evaluators as well as coaches from local Division III. Here is a rundown of a few of the showcase’s standouts.

By: @JLHemingwayPSB

Endia Banks (Duluth, Ga.), Duluth HS / EOTO – 2017

After blazing through the July circuit and picking up interest and offers from Power Conference schools from across the nation, the 5-foot-10 power guard displayed her talents on Saturday morning. The left-handed slasher navigated through defenders at a near effortless pace. Banks also looks to be in the best physical shape that we have seen to date. She has positioned herself as one of the top prospects not only in Gwinnett County, but in the state of Georgia. If she continues with the focus that she displayed this summer, look for Banks to help her high school team to a successful season.

Taylor Hawks (Gainesville, Ga.), Gainesville HS / Gainesville Wildcats – 2017

The left-handed point guard has developed a reputation as being one of the premier lead guards in her class in the state of Georgia. She backed up that distinction with her play at the showcase. Her ability to slash to the basket while changing gears makes her very hard to guard. Almost as important is her ability to hit the open jump shot, which keeps the defense honest. She projects to be the Red Elephants leader going into her junior year. Consistent effort and decision making will be key for her success this year.

Halle Hughes (Cleveland, Tenn.), Bradley Central / Tennessee Flight Select – 2017

One of the best parts of the camp setting is getting know a new name. The 5-9 shooting guard impressed our staff with her ability to shoot the long range jumper during game play. Her easy release and high follow through are all signs that Hughes is a knock down shooter. However, it is what the junior does before she catches the ball that makes her such an effective shooter. She moves without the ball to find space on the perimeter and gets her feet set before the ball arrives. These are the small details that often go unnoticed by casual observers, however they are the ingredients of future success.

Deja Mitchell (Duluth, Ga.), Duluth HS / EOTO – 2017

One of the important parts of the camp setting is to check in how well certain kids are developing. Mitchell, a 6-1 forward, has been on our radar as a prospect of potential for more than a few years now. She is athletic and versatile, however it has been clear that her most productive days of basketball are still in front of her. She demonstrated at camp that she is making strides with skill while also giving consistent effort. Her attention to detail during the skill stations give us a clue that she is still developing as a player. Mitchell’s productivity during game play was equally impressive as she cleaned the glass and scored consistently in the lane. Watch for her to play a major role in Duluth High School’s success this season.

Torrion Starks (Hartwell, Ga.), Hart County HS / DL Impact – 2019

While game play was mostly dominated by the upperclassmen, Starks made her impact known early and often at the showcase. A talented point guard, Starks has the ability to slash through the lane to make plays. She has a good first step and plenty of bounce in her legs to lift past defenders in the paint. To add to her array of physical tools, Starks stands at 5-8 which is an ideal height for the point guard position. Starks has plenty of promise as she heads into her freshman year of high school. It will be up to her to see how much she can develop from here.

Media Exposure / Showcase Opportunities 

Jonathan Hemingway is the Assistant Director of Scouting for the JumpOffPlus.com International Scouting Report, is on the Naismith Trophy Board of Selectors and owns CoachHemi.com, the go-to source for coaches for X’s and O’s.  He is the floor director of #TeamEBA camps, a site director for #TeamPSB tournaments and can be reached at [email protected].