Team X-Citement experienced a few high’s and a few low’s this spring according to Coach Xavier Walton. The highest moment for Walton came on June 4 when his third daughter was born, but there have been a few less than impressive moments on the court.
“We have talent, but it’s been trying at times this year,” Walton said. “We’ve had some very good wins, but we’ve been up and down. Hopefully, as the summer progresses, we’ll become more consistent.”
X-Citement will try to hit a more consistent note as it heads down the summer stretch with three major events:
* The Suwanee Tournament of Champions will be played outside Atlanta from July 5-8. The event will include 96 elite travel teams, with game being played at the Suwanee Sports Academy. The Suwanee TOC was previously called the FILA Nationals.
* The Nashville Tournament of Champions will be played from July 10-12. The event 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 Summer Basketball Playoff will follow in Charlotte, NC, from July 27-29. The Summer Basketball Playoff will feature 72 of the nation’s elite club teams. The Playoff will be held at the same time as the Nike Nationals, which will be played two hours away in North Augusta, SC.
While X-Citement hasn’t always been in perfect sync, there is no question that the program has talent. A strong group from the Class of 2015 includes Tiera Webb (5-9, G) and Tierney Lockett (5-7, PG), plus twin sisters Aaliyah and Alexis Cowan (5-10, W). The All Star Girls Report has Webb listed as the No. 363 recruit in the class.
“Tiera is the kind of player who never takes a possession off, and she comes through down the stretch big time. In one word, she is relentless,” Walton said. “Tierney is a leader, and I’m always comfortable when she has the ball in her hands. She knows what I want to run, and she can make big shots and big plays. The Cowan twins are players that may not wow college coaches with their athleticism, but you will see something if you watch the whole game. They can run all day long, and they do all the little things that help a team win. They are our glue girls.”
Bret McCormick, the analyst for ASGR, also gave his perception of the X-Citement leaders.
“Webb is an athletic, skilled combo guard who can score off the bounce and shoot the three,” McCormick said. “Lockett is quick, she has a good handle and good overall fundamentals, and she can shoot the deep three. The Cowan sisters are good athletes and they are winners. They have the fundamentals, and they are blue collar type players.”
X-Citement also has two other prospects who are getting attention. Cymone Goodrich is a 5-10 guard from the Class of 2017, and she is rated as the No. 70 recruit in the class by ASGR. Parris Bryant is a 6-3 post player from the Class 2015 who recently joined the program.
“Cymone is very athletic. I’ve been calling her ‘Westbrook’ for a couple of years. She had a great tournament at the Deep South Classic, and my phone has been blowing up every since,” Walton said. “Parris joined us in May and she had a great month. She has a wingspan that is almost seven feet, and I know for a fact that she is a major Division I prospect. She blocks shots, she has a very nice touch inside, and she runs well.”
“Goodrich is quick and strong, and she explodes to the rim,” added McCormick. “She also has deep three-point range. She is a top-flight guard prospect. Bryant is a long athlete who runs the floor, and she gives you a real presence on the inside. She is someone to keep an eye on.”
