The Westchester Hoopers have a strong reputation in the New York area, and now they are looking to build on that foundation. This summer, the Hoopers hope to establish themselves at the DC Nationals and the Nashville Tournament of Champions.
The highly competitive DC Nationals will be played from July 6-8. The event will be held at the NEW 24 facility in District Heights, MD. The Nashville Tournament of Champions will follow from July 10-12. The TOC will include 48 elite travel teams, with games being played at the newly expanded Hooptown facility in Smyrna, TN. Hooptown is conveniently located near popular restaurants and hotels.
The Hoopers have a solid mix of veteran performers and rising young stars. The 2015 class features Amber Jones (5-8, CG), Asjha White-Silas (5-11, W) and Kristalyn Baisden (5-9, SG). Baisden, who is rated as the No. 293 recruit in the class by the All Star Girls Report, is a St. Joseph’s commitment.
“Amber can shoot the three, and she plays tough defense on the ball,” said Coach Bryan Williams. “She also has lightning speed going up and down the court, and she is a fearless competitor. Asjha plays bigger than 5-11, so she can defend taller players. She rebounds well, runs the court, and has a great mid-range game. Kristalyn is an intelligent player who can shoot the basketball, and she is a good defender.”
Among the many youngsters loaded with potential for Westchester are Sidney Lowery (2017, 5-10, SG), Ashley Martin (2016, 6-0, W), Lanay Rodney (2016, 5-9, CG) and Teisha Hyman (2019, 5-9, PG). Martin has made an early commitment to Boston College.
“Sidney is a tough, gritty, intelligent player with a great pull-up and mid-range game,” Williams said. “She handles it well, defends, and she is smart on and off the court. Ashley plays bigger than she is, especially on the defensive end. Offensively, she handles the ball well and knows how to go to the basket. She also has a great basketball IQ. Tiesha is a long, lanky guard who makes great decisions, and she can score on anyone. She plays well beyond her years. Lanay is just a prolific scorer. She hits threes, and she goes to the basket.”
All Star Girls Report analyst Bret McCormick also added his perspective on the Hoopers’ standouts:
Ashley Martin: “Martin understands the game, and she does a lot of the little things to help her team. She is a good athlete who can slash to the basket.”
Sidney Lowery: “Lowery is a strong athlete who can get to the hoop. She can go coast-to-coast, hit the three, or put up a nice pull-up jumper.”
Amber Jones: “Jones has good quickness and a good open floor game. She plays hard, and she can hit the three.”
Asjha White-Silas: “Offensively, she can score inside and shoot it out to 16 feet. Defensively, she has the ability to defend multiple positions.”
Teisha Hyman: “Hyman is a long athlete who is very skilled. She knows the game, and she can hit the three.”
Lanay Rodney: “Rodney has a scorers mentality, and she can score the basketball in a number of ways.”
Kristalyn Baisden: “Baisden is an athletic, smart guard. She can shoot it from the arc, and she is a good on-ball defender.”