Youngsters Will Shine For Southern Starz At Marietta TOC



The 2014 travel season is coming to a close, and programs around the country are starting to consider their future rosters. The Southern Starz out of Huntsville, Ala., are feeling very, very good about their future.

“We had a great summer. We faced some great competition, and the kids got a lot of great exposure. We have been getting a lot of calls from college coaches since the end of July,” said Coach Doug Bush. “We have a lot of talented veterans, but we’re also excited about the younger kids.”

The next obstacle for those youngsters will come at the Marietta Tournament of Champions. The event will be held at the Suwanee Sports Academy complex in Marietta, just outside of Atlanta over the weekend of September 27-28.

The key Southern Starz prospects from the Class of 2016 are 5-8 point guard Tyra Johnson and 6-3 forward Jasmine Walker. The All Star Girls Report currently has Johnson listed as the No. 36 recruit in the class, and Walker is at No. 31. Unfortunately, Walker recently suffered an ACL tear. Her recovery is going well, and she should be back on the court by February.

“Tyra has pure point guard skills, but she can also score,” Bush said. “She is excellent off the dribble, she handles it, shoots the three, attacks the basket, and scores with her mid-range game. Jasmine unfortunately missed playing in July, but she seems to be doing well with her rehab.”

“Johnson is an explosive athlete with a great all-around skill set,” added ASGR analyst Bret McCormick. “She is a point guard who can score in a lot of different ways. Walker is a strong athlete with inside-outside skills. She can put the ball on the floor and really elevate on her jumper, and she has three-point range.”

Two other members of the class have also had a big impact on the Starz this summer. Katie Allen is a 5-10 wing, and Alisha Davis is a 6-1 forward.

“Katie can shoot the three, and she can take people off the dribble with her mid-range game,” Bush said. “Alisha’s stock really rose this summer. She is very athletic, very active on the defensive end, and with her rebounding.”

“Allen is a good athlete with a nice shooting stroke and three-point range,” noted McCormick. “Davis is a great athlete who is a leaper. She runs the floor very well, rebounds and scores inside.”

In addition to his 2016 standouts, Bush is also excited about his 2017 roster.

“That is a very talented group, with Division I prospects across the board,” Bush said. “I really believe that we have nine players in that class who will be Division I players, and most of them already have DI offers.”