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Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational 2022: Monster-sized event with big punch

By Bob Corwin, 01/03/23, 9:00PM PST

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Emma Risch of Palm Bay High School, MVP of ENG Sports Division of 2022 Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational (Photo credit: MARRS MAPPING, LTD)


Mjracle Sheppard of Montverde Academy, MVP of She Got Game Classic Division of 2022 Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational (Photo Credit: MARRS MAPPING, LTD)


Teya McConnaha of Souderton Area High School, MVP of Clearwater Beach Division of 2022 Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational (Photo credit: MARRS MAPPING, LTD)

The 7th Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational was held December 28-31, 2022, at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Wesley Chapel, Florida (just north of Tampa). Presented by Florida’s Sports Coast, the event saw 121 varsity girls’ teams compete over the four days of the event with most off on the second day of the four. Concurrent to the was a smaller (but still sizable) boys’ event that was held at surrounding high schools although taking center-stage in the building on day 2. Eighteen girls’ teams cancelled late mostly due to the airline flight cancellation issues that plagued the nation over this year’s Christmas Holiday period forcing a late re-working of brackets.

Below briefly the championship games (each team played three in the event) of each of the top three divisions (starting with the top) are discussed and the all-tournament team of each of the three divisions is listed. Within each division, players are listed alphabetically with listed height, position, graduation year and school with state location in parenthesis.


Caption: Montverde Academy, winners of She Got Game Classic Division of the 2022 Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational (Photo credit: MARRS MAPPING, LTD)

She Got Game Classic Division 
 
Final: Montverde Academy (FL) 58-47 Rutgers Preparatory School (NJ) 
Like its two prior games in Wesley Chapel, nationally ranked (and undefeated as of this event) Montverde was challenged but never trailed in the last minute. Here Monteverde led 24-17 at half and 36-30 after three quarters. Monteverde has a team loaded with future Power 5 players but point guard Mjracle Shappard (MVP) had the answers when it mattered finishing with 26 points in addition to running the offense and playing stout defense. She continues to play like a state player-of-the-year candidate well above her #86 ranking by ESPN HoopGurlz. Point guard Mikayla Blakes (all-tournament selection ranked #21 in class by ESPN HoopGurlz) led Rutgers Prep with 13 points. 
 
She Got Game Classic Division 
All-tournament Team 
 
Mikayla Blakes, 5-9, point guard, 2024, Rutgers Preparatory School (New Jersey) 
Aalyah Del Rosario, 6-6, center, 2023, The Webb School (Tennessee) 
Vivian Iwuchukwu, 6-4, forward, 2024, Montverde Academy (Florida) 
Paige Kohler, 5-6, point guard, 2023, Olmsted Falls High School (Ohio) 
Ariel Little, 5-6, point guard, 2024, South Shore High School (New York) 
Mjracle Sheppard, 5-10, point guard, 2023, Montverde Academy (Florida) MVP

Caption: Palm Bay High School, winners of ENG Sports Division of 2022 Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational (Photo credit: MARRS MAPPING, LTD)

ENG Sports Division 
 
Final:  Palm Bay High School (FL) 58-45 St. Thomas Aquinas High School (FL)  
Both teams were expected to be amongst Florida’s elite prior to the season but injuries have caused several speed bumps for both teams which played well in the event. This contest was over early as Palm Bay led 29-13 at half led by MaxPreps Florida pre-season player-of-the-year Emma Risch (MVP) who had 14 in the half and 30 (efficient) points for the game. She is considered one of the elite perimeter shooters in the 2023 class. Karina Gordon (all-tournament selectee) led St. Thomas Aquinas with 12 points. 
 
ENG Sports Division 
All-tournament Team
 
Jasmine Brown, 5-8, shooting guard, 2023, Example Academy National (Illinois) 
Karina Gordon, 5-9, shooting guard, 2023, St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Florida) 
Kayla Nelms, 6-1, forward, 2024, Miami Country Day School (Florida) 
Emma Risch, 6-2, wing, 2023, Palm Bay High School (Florida) MVP 
Sarah Strong, 6-2, forward, 2024, Grace Christian Sanford (North Carolina) 
Alonya Waldon, 5-5, point guard, 2023, Palm Bay High School (Florida)

Souderton Area High School, winners of Clearwater Beach Division of 2022 Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational (Photo credit: MARRS MAPPING, LTD)

Clearwater Beach Division 

Final: Souderton Area High School (PA) 47-43 The Galloway School (GA)  
Souderton was only moved up to this division as a result of teams dropping out due to the airline flight cancellation issue. To their credit, they proved their worth beating a talented Galloway team with good ball movement and inside toughness provided by MVP Teya McConnaha, who in this event regularly posted double-doubles in points and rebounds (finishing this game with a team leading 15 points). In the fourth quarter (7:40 left in game) with the score tied at 37, McConnaha, bleeding from a nasty collision, was forced to leave the game to get cleaned up (person and uniform). To her credit, she managed to return to the game in the closing minutes to help secure the win. All-tournament selectee Tianna Thompson led Galloway with 18 points while running the offense. 
 
Clearwater Beach Division 
All-tournament Team 
 
Jailyn Banks, 5-9, shooting guard, 2023, Middle Tennessee Christian School (Tennessee) 
Sophya Barreiro, 5-5, point guard, 2023, Colonial High Schoo (Florida) 
Casey Harter, 5-11, guard, 2023, Souderton Area High School (Pennsylvania) 
Adelaide Jernigan, 5-8, guard, 2025, Bishop McGuinness High School (North Carolina) 
Teya McConnaha, 5-11, power forward, 2023, Souderton Area High School (Pennsylvania) MVP 
Tianna Thompson, 5-10, point guard, 2024, The Galloway School (Georgia)