The Bmore Hoopsters started the travel season with a lot of impressive pieces, but those pieces just didn’t fit together in the spring. However, as the temperature has risen, the Hoopsters have melded together.
“We got off to a fair start. I would say we were holding our own,” said Coach Tyrice Jones. “We have a lot of raw talent — very athletic, very fast and very quick, even if we aren’t as big as we would want to be. We had a lot of individually skilled players, but they weren’t playing together. Now they are starting to gel together, so we’re ready to really have some success.”
The Baltimore club will have a great opportunity to make a statement at the nearby DC Nationals, which will be played from July 6-8. The event will be held at the NEW 24 facility in District Heights, MD.
The Hoopsters have been powered this summer by four players from the Class of 2015, including Deja McKenzie (6-0, G), Daishia Madden (5-2, G), Sabria Hendrick (5-2, G) and Ashley Downs (5-10, W).
“Deja has great footwork and speed, and she is a great decision maker,” Jones said. “Daishia is another smart player who makes good decisions, and she handles the ball very well. Sabria is consistent and competitive, and she also has a very strong handle. She leaves it all on the court every time out, and she is our leading scorer and she leads us in steals. Ashley’s thing is shooting the three. She is a long athlete, and she is a heck of a shooter.”
Bret McCormick, the analyst for the All Star Girls Report, also added his perspective on the Hoopster standouts:
Deja McKenzie: “McKenzie is an athletic slasher who is a good passer. She is a blue collar type who just gets it done.”
Daishia Madden: “Madden is a quick, smart ballhandler who knows how to make her teammates better.”
Sabria Hendrick: “Hendrick has good size on the perimeter, and she is a multi-positional player who can really shoot the ball.”
Ashley Downs: “Downs is quick and strong, and she can really explode to the hoop. Plus, she plays with a high motor.”
