The Example Sports program out of Illinois was building momentum throughout the 2014 travel season and that progression is just what the coaches were seeking.
“It was a great summer, and we closed it out with some very strong finishes in some big events,” said Coach Barry Bradford. “We had a good ending to the summer, and the most important thing is the girls got a lot of looks. The interest they got from the college coaches was the key thing.”
The next step for Example Sports will be taken at the Chicagoland Tournament of Champions. The event will be played at Bolingbrook High School from Sept. 27-28.
The players for Example Sports who are getting the most looks from recruiters are Erin Hodges (2017, 5-11, CG), Vinisha Sherrod (2017, 5-10, CG), Mikayla Brandon (2018, 6-0, WF) and Nicole Johansen (2017, 6-5, C).
“Erin is a player with great length on the perimeter, she is a great defender and she can score,” Bradford said. “She is probably more of a point guard because she can run the team, but she is also very athletic. Both Erin and Vinisha have really picked up their games over the summer, and they are getting looks from big time programs. Vinisha compliments Erin very well. She is just a great defender and she can score off the bounce.
“Mikayla is a kid who could play any of the five positions. She is very, very versatile, and she is so smooth. This is a stretch, but her smoothness will remind you of Elena Delle Donne for the Chicago Sky. Plus, Mikayla has an incredible upside because she has only been playing basketball for two years. She was a big time soccer goalie before she switched, and that athleticism and toughness has translated well to the basketball court.
“Nicole is another player with a good upside. She is a very skilled player who can shoot it out to 17 feet, and she can put the ball on the floor. Like a lot of long, young players, she is still learning to be physical. Her post game is developing.”