Youth prevailed in 2015 for the Peak Performance program. The club has talented classes up and down its roster, but it was the youngsters who captured the spotlight this summer.
“We really had a great summer,” said Coach Bruce Price. “We played in a lot of great events, and our kids got tremendous exposure. We had a number of young kids who really burst on the scene this summer, and that was exciting to see.”
Peak Performance, which is based in Atlanta, will close out the 2015 travel season at the All Star Girls Report sponsored Marietta Tournament of Champions. The event, which will be played from Sept. 25-27 at the Suwanee Sports Academy outside of Atlanta, will feature some of the nation’s finest travel squads.
“That will be our final tournament before we turn them loose to their school teams, and we want to finish strong,” Price said. “This is also big for us because we will have great fan support in our home area. It’s great that the members of the extended families will be able to see the kids compete at a high level.”
Among the players who will be getting the most attention in Marietta will be 2017 standouts Natalie Armstrong (6-2, PF, rated at No. 175 nationally in her class by ASGR) and Lainey Gosnell (6-0, WF, No. 260). Peak Performance is also expecting big things from 2018 players Sutton West (6-1, WF, No. 90) and Tyja Traore (6-3, C).
“Natalie finishes well around the basket, and she is more of a stretch four because she can hit the three. Natalie is also a great leader,” Price said. “Lainey is an athletic wing who has a vertical jump that is out of this world. She is a good looking athlete who had an incredible summer, and she is getting a lot of attention.
“Sutton is a lean athlete who is very fast, with or without the ball. She has a high IQ, and she is working on adding bulk and improving her perimeter game. Sutton just has an incredible upside. Tyja came on the scene this summer, and she has shown glimpses of brilliance. She is athletic with a good build, and she has an unparalleled work ethic. She is raw, but she has a great desire to learn, so she is one to watch this fall.”