Talented Vogues Headed To Deep South Classic



The Vogues program in Northern Virginia has been building talented travel teams for over three decades, and the formula is simple. Vogues achieves success one player at a time.

“Our No. 1 goal is the all-around skill development of our players. We want to see year-to-year improvement in the skills of each player,” said Coach Pete Campbell. “I know that some programs are looking for wins, and some are doing whatever they can to build the profile of their players, but we just focus on developing fundamentals. We think that is the best way to give these kids an opportunity to succeed in high school, and then in college if that is their goal.”

Those fundamentally sound athletes will be showcased at the  2015 Deep South Classic, which will be played in Raleigh, NC on April 24-26. The Deep South Classic annually features the nation’s top travel programs, and it will once again have the entire tournament in one facility — the tremendous Raleigh Convention Center.

Leading the way in Raleigh for Campbell’s team will be a talented quartet of prospects from the Class of 2016. The group includes Allison Criswell (5-6, CG), Haley Blankenship (5-8, CG), Noell Taylor (5-8, W) and Carolyn Noe (5-9, W).
“Allison is a great shooter and a consummate scorer. She is also a relentless defensive player,” Campbell said. “Haley is a major gym rat who is one of the best shooters in Virginia. She has great fundamentals and a very high basketball IQ.
“Noell is the most athletic wing on our team, and she can play inside too. She can play very good man defense, and she can take people off the dribble. I think a lot of college coaches are underestimating what Noell has to offer. Carolyn is very fundamentally sound with a good basketball background. She is a good shooter with a great basketball IQ, and she is a competitor who adapts and makes plays for the team.”
Bret McCormick, the analyst for the All Star Girls Report, also offered his perspective on the Vogue leaders.
“Criswell is a good athlete with a scorer’s mentality. She can hit the three, and she competes,” McCormick said. “Blankenship has good all-around skills, she is intelligent, and she has a nice stroke from the arc. Taylor is very athletic, and she could play a number of positions. She can post up, and she can put the ball on the floor out on the perimeter. Noe is a blue collar wing who understands how to play the game. She does all the little things, and she shoots the ball well.”