The future for Team Penny in Memphis is very, very bright. Even though the team will be powered by youngsters from the Class of 2016, they may be ready for success this spring.
“I think people will look at us and think we have a young, up and coming team because we are loaded with 2016’s, but we may shock a lot of people this year,” said Team Penny coach Eric Daniels. “I feel very good about what we will be putting on the floor.”
Team Penny will get an early challenge in Raleigh, NC, on April 25-27 at the Deep South Classic. 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 crew from Memphis will be paced by a trio of stars from the 2016 Class. Brandi Beasley is a 5-8 guard who is rated as the No. 57 recruit in the class by the All Star Girls Report, Taylor Baines is a combo guard who is listed at No. 74, and Kayla Williams is a talented 6-1 wing forward.
“Brandi runs the team for us on the court, but she also has the ability to penetrate and create her own shot,” Daniels said. “Taylor is a strong, physical athlete who plays hard at both ends of the court. Kayla gives us size on the wing, and she rebounds, defends and slashes to the basket.”
Bret McCormick, the analyst for ASGR, is also impressed with the Team Penny trio.
“Beasley is a quick, strong, explosive point guard. She is a great passer, and she can be acrobatic when she attacks the basket,” McCormick said. “Barnes is a strong athlete with a nice handle. She can slash to the basket or hit the deep three. Williams is a good inside-outside player who can do a little of everything, and she is a player to watch this spring.”
