When Joe Fowler brings his Capital City Comets from Ohio to the Deep South Classic, his team will feature a number of players who have been targeted as mid-major prospects. Fowler knows his squad will be facing teams loaded with major D-I recruiting targets, but the coach is sold on his players.
“We have a great group of kids returning from last year. We may not have the great, great athletes that some teams will have, but these kids are very competitive,” Fowler said. “We have a bunch of ‘lunch pail’ type players. They are gritty, they work hard, and they compete.”
The 2014 Deep South Classic will be played in Raleigh, NC, on April 25-27. Now in its 17th year, the Deep South Classic annually hosts many of the nation’s elite travel teams in a field that will eclipse 200 squads, and hundreds of collegiate coaches will be on hand searching for talent. The 2014 event will mark the second year that the Deep South Classic has been held at the Raleigh Convention Center. The venue was a tremendous success in its debut last year, with all games played at one site on 18 courts, and it is in a convenient central location.
The Comets will be powered by Gina Conti (2017, 5-9, G), Damonique Patterson (2015, 5-11, G-F) and Devyn Bonner (2016, 5-11, WF). Fowler was still waiting on confirmation from Jill Blacksten (2015, 6-2, F), who played with the Comets in 2013.
“Gina is from a volleyball family, and she always played volleyball as a kid, but now she is going with basketball, and she is the real deal,” Fowler said. “She can play either guard spot, she is a good defender and she sees the floor. The loves to play the game, she just needs to understand how good she can be.
“Damonique is a long athlete who can do it all. For us, she could play anywhere except center. From is from West Virginia, and she is new to travel ball. She is getting mid-major looks, but I think she could go bigger. Devyn is another 5-11 athlete. She is a physical slasher who is also a good shooter.
“Jill is a three-four player who is a very good shooter, even out to the three-point line. She is a legit 6-2, and she has a nice mid-range game.”
Bret McCormick, the analyst at All Star Girls Report, also gave his insight on the Comets’ top prospects.
“Bonner is one of those athletic slashers who can do a little of most everything for a team,” McCormick said. “Conti is a player to watch. She is an athletic combo guard who is a smart player and a good passer. Patterson is a multi-positional player who can get to the rim. Blacksten would be a good addition for their team. She can rebound and score inside, but she is also comfortable out to the arc.”