The Below Armour Subsequent Elite 24 showcase concluded on Saturday, with the highest girls’s basketball gamers within the nation competing towards one another in a televised “all-star” sport, seeking to show themselves forward of the upcoming fall season.
Twenty 4 of the highest recruits from the Class of 2025, 2026, and 2027 got here out to show their abilities, with 18 of the bunch being five-star recruits.
Listed below are three fast takeaways from the Below Armour’s Subsequent Elite 24 girls’s showcase on Saturday.
Kaleena Smith dominates
Anybody who was watching over the three-day occasion in Brooklyn might shortly inform that Kaleena Smith was in a league of her personal, regardless of taking part in towards recruits each older and greater than her.
Smith began her weekend with just a few robust sequences within the scrimmage on Friday, exhibiting how easily the sport to her.
However on Saturday, the No. 1 participant within the 2027 class left all the things on the desk, dominating the sphere as the most effective participant in attendance.
Smith confirmed out early in a battle towards 2025 five-star guard LA Sneed, drawing a foul and hitting a 3 on consecutive possessions, whereas additionally recording a steal within the sequence.
Within the second quarter, the gifted guard simply made play after play, dominating along with her determination making within the pick-and-roll, consistently discovering an open curler, though her bigs missed quite a few layups off the entry passes.
Not solely did she consistently get teammates concerned with good passing utilizing each her dominant and off hand, however Smith confirmed her means as a three-level scorer, absorbing contact for an and-1, whereas controlling the tempo in transition to search out her spots.
Within the second half, the guard continued to take over, hitting a troublesome, deep stepback three-pointer on 2026 five-star Kate Harpring, who closed out onerous on the competition.
Not afraid to drive into visitors, Smith was capable of arrange a number of open appears to be like from deep for her teammates, drawing consideration to the paint as she kicked out to both the nook or the wing.
Total, it was simply the innate really feel for that sport that the No. 1 recruit confirmed off, proving that the heightened stage towards a number of the hardest competitors within the nation wasn’t too large a problem for her.
And, even along with her skills on the offensive finish, Smith remained scrappy defensively, combating for rebounds, regardless of her smaller body, whereas seeking to strip the ball away and report steals as nicely.
To finish issues, Smith hit the game-winning shot, sending Staff Fireplace to the win column, probably incomes her MVP honors.
Total, Smith ended with a team-high 20 factors, hitting eight- of-12 photographs, together with three- of-seven from deep. Moreover, she added 4 assists and 4 steals on the day.
She was the most effective participant on the court docket over the three-day interval, cementing herself as the highest 2027 recruit and probably even the highest recruit in school basketball, no matter age.
Transition leads the best way
Saturday’s sport had extra of an all-star contest really feel, so there have been extra fireworks than you’d count on, however there was nonetheless a powerful competitors on either side.
Fom the start of the sport, it was clear that this one would thrive in transition, as each groups appeared to run from the soar and push the tempo.
It started early within the first quarter when guard Dee Alexander hit ahead Kaelyn Carroll with a superb lead go, however the latter couldn’t convert on a contested layup. From there, we had a two-minute stretch the place either side have been pushing the tempo, creating photographs in transition. Nevertheless, neither group might actually convert in a sloppy stretch general.
Kaleena Smith thrived in transition along with her entry passes, as she had a pair of consecutive passes to fellow guard Natalie Kussow, who hit a layup and was fouled on one other to generate some offense for “Staff Fireplace.”
In direction of the top of the primary half, the duo related on a 2-on-1, give-and-go in transition
However, it wasn’t solely a one-sided battle, as guard Future Jackson of “Staff Ice” thrived in transition, consistently pushing the tempo along with her velocity and attacking the protection, leaving teammates open for three-pointers and layups.
One of many key drills on Thursday was working chemistry in 3-on-2 and 2-on-1 conditions, and you might clearly see these conditions occurring within the sport itself, with guards pushing the lead go and letting issues work from there.
When it got here to the highest participant on both aspect, be it Kaleena Smith for Staff Fireplace or Future Jackson for Staff Ice, working in transition was key to serving to their group make profitable performs.
Standouts
Smith was a transparent standout of the day, however she wasn’t the one participant who made their mark on the aggressive contest Saturday.
Future Jackson was the opposite high standout, however the guard excelled exterior of the transition house as nicely.
Jackson showcased her passing skills, each within the open court docket and within the half court docket, proving to be an all-around level guard.
However, when her group wanted factors within the second half, the guard took over as a scorer as nicely, tallying a number of baskets, together with a troublesome, switch-handed layup, protecting the sport shut.
Jackson completed the sport with 12 factors, 4 assists, and three steals, capturing four-of-eight from the sphere.
The general hustle and depth that she introduced on either side stood out, marking Jackson as one of many high gamers on the showcase.
Elsewhere, I appreciated what I noticed from five-star Saniyah Corridor, who was one of many extra spectacular shot makers in attendance.
Whereas there have been some ugly moments from each groups, together with a ton of missed layups, Corridor was a spark offensively for Staff Ice, beginning her day with a three-pointer after sizing up her defender.
Corridor’s confidence wasn’t ever down in the course of the day, as she hunted her alternatives, which led to a three-pointer late when the sport was an in depth contest with the Elam Ending in play.
She had a game-high 21 factors, whereas grabbing 9 boards as nicely and capturing 9 of 15 from the sphere in a powerful outing.
Moreover, I used to be impressed by five-star 2025 guard Deniyah Prawl, who proved herself as a scorer.
Early within the sport, she received a feed on a kickout from five-star Zakiyah Johnson, pulling down an open three.
Later, within the second half, Prawl actually received right into a groove, stepping right into a midrange jumper, hitting a 3, whereas additionally scoring a pleasant layup going to her left.
Total, with the aggressive juices flowing, Prawl was capable of knock down the jumper, whereas scoring in any respect three ranges.
She ended the day scoring 10 factors, though the effectivity wasn’t as robust, capturing four-of-11 from the sphere.
Total, it was a day stuffed with expertise on either side of the sport, with a number of gamers discovering methods to face out among the many competitors.
