The BTR Another Level program in Oklahoma has a team loaded with talented 2016 prospects who have forged a solid bond while playing the summer circuit.
“The core of that group has been together since they were in the seventh or eighth grade,” noted Coach Antoine Smith. “We’ve added a couple of pieces over the years, but they’ve basically grown up together. We don’t have the biggest team, but we’ve got speed to burn. These girls will get physical, they are heady, and they play team ball.”
The year, for the first time, that team will be headed to the prestigious Deep South Classic.
“It’s a little bit of a leap of faith, but we’ve always heard good things about the Deep South Classic,” Smith said. “We had a new coach join the organization from Florida, and he had a relationship with the All Star Girls Report people, so we thought it was time to see what we could do in that tournament.”
The 2015 Deep South Classic will be played in Raleigh, NC on April 24-26. The Deep South Classic, which annually features the nation’s top travel programs, will once again have the entire tournament in one facility — the tremendous Raleigh Convention Center.
BTR Another Level will be paced this summer by a quartet of 2016 prospects, with Areana Combs leading the way. Combs is a 5-11 combo guard who is ranked as the No. 162 recruit nationally in her class by ASGR.
“Areana is an incredible defensive player because of her length, athleticism and speed,” Smith said. “She handles the ball well, finishes at the rim, and she is a good mid-range shooter.”
“Combs is just a tremendous athlete,” observed ASGR analyst Bret McCormick. “She is an explosive leaper who is good in the open floor. She can shoot the three, and she passes well.”
Smith will also be looking for big contributions from Micayla Haynes (2016, 5-6, PG), Michaela Mack (2016, 5-6, PG) and Zharia White (2016, 5-11, F).
“Micayla Haynes is incredibly quick, and she is a knock down shooter. She hits the three, and she has a great pull-up jumper,” Smith said. “She is a great scorer, and she is a very good defender. Michaela Mack is a left-hander who is a pass first guard. She can also get to the rim, and she is a great defensive player. Zharia is a strong player who is great at posting up, and she can shoot it from 15 feet. She is strong and physical, and she can finish with either hand.”
“Haynes is a quick player who handles the ball really well,” added McCormick. “She can attack the basket, and she has a good mid-range game with a nice pull-up jumper. Mack is an athletic true point guard. She is an intelligent player who knows how to run an offense. White is a strong player who can bang down on the block. She can score inside with either hand, and she has a good motor.”