The Below Armour Subsequent Elite 24 showcase concluded on Saturday, with the highest ladies’s basketball gamers within the nation competing in opposition to one another in a televised “all-star” sport, trying 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 skills, with 18 of the bunch being five-star recruits.
Listed here are three fast takeaways from the Below Armour’s Subsequent Elite 24 ladies’s showcase on Saturday.
Kaleena Smith dominates
Anybody who was watching over the three-day occasion in Brooklyn may shortly inform that Kaleena Smith was in a league of her personal, regardless of enjoying in opposition to recruits each older and larger than her.
Smith began her weekend with a couple of 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 every part on the desk, dominating the sector as one of the best participant in attendance.
Smith confirmed out early in a battle in opposition to 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 proficient guard simply made play after play, dominating together with her resolution making within the pick-and-roll, continually discovering an open curler, though her bigs missed a lot of layups off the entry passes.
Not solely did she continually 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 tricky, deep stepback three-pointer on 2026 five-star Kate Harpring, who closed out onerous on the competition.
Not afraid to drive into site visitors, Smith was capable of arrange a number of open seems to be from deep for her teammates, drawing consideration to the paint as she kicked out to both the nook or the wing.
General, it was simply the innate really feel for that sport that the No. 1 recruit confirmed off, proving that the heightened stage in opposition to among the hardest competitors within the nation wasn’t too massive a problem for her.
And, even together with her skills on the offensive finish, Smith remained scrappy defensively, preventing for rebounds, regardless of her smaller body, whereas trying to strip the ball away and report steals as properly.
To finish issues, Smith hit the game-winning shot, sending Staff Fireplace to the win column, doubtless incomes her MVP honors.
General, Smith ended with a team-high 20 factors, hitting eight- of-12 pictures, together with three- of-seven from deep. Moreover, she added 4 assists and 4 steals on the day.
She was one of the best participant on the courtroom over the three-day interval, cementing herself as the highest 2027 recruit and doubtlessly even the highest recruit in faculty basketball, no matter age.
Transition leads the way in which
Saturday’s sport had extra of an all-star contest really feel, so there have been extra fireworks than you’d anticipate, 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 seemed to run from the bounce and push the tempo.
It started early within the first quarter when guard Dee Alexander hit ahead Kaelyn Carroll with lead move, however the latter couldn’t convert on a contested layup. From there, we had a two-minute stretch the place either side had been pushing the tempo, creating pictures in transition. Nevertheless, neither group may actually convert in a sloppy stretch general.
Kaleena Smith thrived in transition together 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 tip of the primary half, the duo linked 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, continually pushing the tempo together with her pace 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 would clearly see these conditions occurring within the sport itself, with guards pushing the lead move and letting issues work from there.
When it got here to the highest participant on both facet, be it Kaleena Smith for Staff Fireplace or Future Jackson for Staff Ice, working in transition was key to serving to their group make successful 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 prime standout, however the guard excelled outdoors of the transition area as properly.
Jackson showcased her passing skills, each within the open courtroom and within the half courtroom, 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 properly, tallying a number of baskets, together with a tricky, switch-handed layup, maintaining the sport shut.
Jackson completed the sport with 12 factors, 4 assists, and three steals, capturing four-of-eight from the sector.
The general hustle and depth that she introduced on either side stood out, marking Jackson as one of many prime gamers on the showcase.
Elsewhere, I favored 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 through 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 properly and capturing 9 of 15 from the sector 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, flattening 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.
General, 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 sector.
General, it was a day full of expertise on either side of the sport, with a number of gamers discovering methods to face out among the many competitors.
