From showcases and tournaments in Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Indiana, Washington, D.C., Georgia and South Carolina, the nation's elite recruits were on the move in July. Here are six players who dazzled along the recruiting trail.
Peyton Carter: This 5-foot-6 point guard from Monarch (Louisville, Colorado) may have been the biggest stock-riser of them all during the busy July evaluation period. She proved to be a cerebral leader on the floor throughout the month. She was consistent, executing plays in the half-court game and delivering a scoring punch both off the dribble and from beyond the arc. The 2017 prospect led her Boulder Rockies team to impressive wins at both USJN Nationals in Washington, D.C., and in Augusta, Georgia, at Blue Star Nationals. Most importantly, Carter was a superb game manager.
Taya Corosdale: A stretch-4 with range to the 3-point line, the 6-2 Corosdale outperformed her competition, bringing a consistent offensive and defensive presence to the court. Corosdale, a senior-to-be at Bothell (Washington) was effective on the offensive glass, scoring on misfires from her teammates while also being a versatile defender. An integral part of the success for her team, Seattle based Tree of Hope made a run to the semifinals of the Gold Bracket at Nike Nationals.
Khayla Pointer: Already committed to LSU, where she will play for her aunt, Nikki Fargas (formerly Nikki Caldwell), the 5-6 point guard was perhaps the main reason why her Team Elite-Pointer, coached by her father, Kirk, won the Gold Division at Nike Nationals. The high-riser in the 2017 class displayed a calm demeanor, read the defenses, broke pressure and distributed to her teammates. Additionally, Pointer, of Holy Innocents (Atlanta), scored both in up-tempo and off the bounce. Pointer positioned herself as one of the best elite floor-leaders in July.
Alissa Pili: If you are looking for a no-nonsense power player who simply gets the job done, may we suggest a trip to Alaska? We hear it's nice this time of year. Pili, a sophomore-to-be at Dimond (Anchorage) who played for Alaska Lady Hoops at the End of the Oregon Trail in early July, is versatile in addition to reliable. The mobile 6-foot power forward can defend numerous positions. On offense, she brings superb footwork to the paint and consistently delivers in traffic.
Ashley Joens: Looking for points? This 5-10 shooting guard from Iowa City (Iowa) brings solid fundamentals and a deadly offensive arsenal. The junior-to-be can take her defender off the dribble, finish the play in traffic or deliver from deep. Either way, Joens is a superb backcourt prospect, helping her All-Iowa Attack team to a quarterfinal appearance in the Gold Division at Nike Nationals.
Megan Walker: The rest of this list focuses on players who are on the move. This entry is about one who is staying put. The nation's No. 1 prospect, fresh off a gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Valdivia, Chile, cemented her status at Nike Nationals, helping lead her Boo Williams Team to a final-four finish in the Gold Division. Walker, a 6-1 shooting guard at Monacan (North Chesterfield, Virginia), was simply spectacular in transition as well as off the dribble. Averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds per game during the grueling Nike event, Walker delivers with consistency like no other prospect in the class of 2017. Enough said.
Dan Olson is the owner and director of Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, which partnered with espnW HoopGurlz in 2013.
