Presented by Select Events Basketball and held at the Champions Center of LakePoint Sports in Emerson, Georgia, May 17-19, 2024, LIVE AT LAKEPOINT saw 175 teams from grade 6 to rising seniors compete in the four-game guaranteed event. On the 12 courts in play, there was talent in abundance for all levels. Through the first two days of the event (this writer was not present on Sunday) 171 colleges (mostly NCAA Division 1 from all over the eastern half of the USA) attended with several schools sending more than one coach. Teams at the event primarily came from three directions: the Under Armour circuit, Select 40 circuit and total independent.

Best (older) team present: FBC United GUAA 2025

Based out of Atlanta, this program has been one of the strongest in club basketball for close to a decade. Players such as Rhyne Howard (2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year), Kamilla Cardoso (lead player for NCAA National Champions South Carolina and #3 pick in this April’s WNBA draft), Joyce Edwards (headed to South Carolina and winner of Gatorade and Wootten player of the year awards) and Jaloni Cambridge (recent graduate from Montverde Academy in Florida headed to Ohio State and MaxPreps Player of the Year for this past season) all came through this program. The team went 4-0 at the event and combined with its three younger teams went 13-3. While loaded with Power 5 talent, this year’s top FBC United 2025 team does not have the megastar power of recent years relying more on strong team play to achieve victory. It is stocked with winners as the three team members written up below were all on state championship teams.

Below some of the many quality players are discussed, mostly briefly with all being players likely to get Power 5 level or at least be strong consideration (some very young) in the future. All showed out at some point in the event. Players below are listed alphabetically within graduation class with listed height, position, and club team (player’s hometown in parenthesis).

2025

Darriana Alexander, 6-1, guard/forward, West Virginia Thunder Johnson GUAA – 2025 (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Staying home, Alexander is committed to the University of Cincinnati. She is your basketball Swiss Army knife capable of multiple tasks on a basketball court. At times she brings the ball up court to initiate the offense. She can also attack from the wing and help on the glass. In the 62-58 loss to FBC United 2025, she led her team in scoring (14 points) even hitting a three (not her greatest strength).

Aubrey Beckham, 5-11, guard, FBC United GUAA 2025 (Dacula, Georgia)

Beckham is a Power 5 prospect who checks a lot of boxes. She has above average basketball IQ, strong, mobile athletic build, will pass as needed, improved her perimeter shooting and perhaps most important her teams are winners on the high school and club level.

Jaida Civil, 5-11, guard, East Coast United Family P24 2025 (Vero Beach, Florida)

Civil is one of the top athletes (run and jump) in the class of 2025. With an ability to attack the rim and defend, relatively few D1 schools would say ‘no.’ As the game comes relatively easily to her, learning what is a good shot for her could well be her greatest challenge. In this area, she is making progress, but more is still needed.

Maya Makalusky, 6-4, wing, West Virginia Thunder GUAA Riego – 2025 (Fishers, Indiana)

Committed to Indiana University, Makalusky (trimly built) is a perimeter player who happens to be very tall. She can shoot the three and attack the basket. In the 62-59 loss to Team Curry 17U, she posted 19 points including three triples.

Alicia Mitchell, 6-4, center, Idream Black 17U (Springfield, Massachusetts)

Not well known in the South, Mitchell helped her team to go 2-2 against one of the stronger quartet of opponents in the oldest division. She is strongly built able to score down low but also has some face-up game. Word on coaches’ row was that she added Power 5 offers from her play at the event.

Aniyah Neal, 6-0, small forward, Idream Black 17U (Syracuse, New York)

A quality athlete, Neal has a smooth jumper from mid-range and can hit the three. She showed good body control in attacking the rim.

Kate Sears, 5-10, guard, Team Curry 17U GUAA (Boone, North Carolina)

Very recently committed to Virginia Tech, Sears is a lefty capable of playing either guard slot. She had multiple double-digit outings in Emerson. In a 62-59 win over West Virginia Thunder GUAA Riego – 2025, she posted 22 points hitting four threes, attacking the rim and hitting pull-up jumpers.

McKayla Taylor, 6-2, center, Supreme Team GUAA 17U (Fairburn, Georgia)

Strongly built but mobile, Taylor can hit the glass scoring near the rim. Given size, good hands and mobility, it is not surprising that Power 5 offers have started to arrive. There is always a demand for ‘bigs’ at all levels.

2026

Kimora Fields, 6-0, post, FBC United GUAA 2025 (Cleveland, Tennessee)

Fields is a strongly built undersized post player. She takes what is given in the way of shooting opportunities in the lower paint playing hard and smart. Like Beckham above and Odom below, she led her high school team to a state title.

Khloe Ford, 6-4, center, FBC United The Family GUAA 2026 (Birmingham, Alabama)

Ford was one of the “stock risers” of the event. Strongly built with good hands and mobility, she looks to score in the lower paint.

Gabrieal Minus, 6-2, small forward, Team Curry 17U GUAA (Kathleen, Georgia)

Minus is a quality athlete with size and ability to play on the perimeter shooting inside and beyond the arc. The tools are there just needing to build consistency of perimeter production.

Melissa Odom, 6-2, power forward, FBC United GUAA 2025 (Parrish, Alabama)

Odom impressed with her package of strong but mobile build able to score in the paint, at mid-range and beyond the arc.

Xyanna Walton, 5-10, shooting guard, Mac Irvin Fire Godfather (Chicago, Illinois)

Walton has an older sister who is a point guard heading to Northwestern. Their games are very different with this one showing an ability to shoot from the wing and attack the basket. She posted 24 points in a win over East Coast United 17U.

Zaniyah Williams, 5-9, guard, West Virginia Thunder GUAA Riego – 2025 (Portsmouth, Virginia)

Williams has one of the more unique nicknames (The Problem) in the sport. And indeed her play can confound both the opponent (with ability to attack, handle and shoot) but also her own coaches (with bad decisions at times). A lot of upside regardless!

2027 – as might be expected, some of these are more “works in progress.”

Rylee Canaan, 6-0, small forward, West Virginia Thunder GUAA Spreen 2026 (Evansville, Indiana)

A mobile baseliner with medium-solid build, Canaan has a decent stroke with quick release in shooting from the perimeter but is not afraid to attack the glass. She is currently a solid mid-major recruit with a Power 5 upside depending on maturation of game (like so many young players).

C’India Dennis, 5-5, point guard, FBC United The Family GUAA 2026 (Fairburn, Georgia)

Dennis has all the right stuff (IQ, handles, athleticism, passing ability, stoke) that a Power 5 is looking for. She just may be a bit small for some tastes.

Trinity Jefferson, 5-5, point guard, FBC United New Youngunz GUAA (Roanoke, Virginia)

Jefferson’s situation is similar to C’India Dennis (just above) with height being the biggest question.

Zaniya Johnson, 6-4, center, FBC United Youngunz GUAA 2027 (Biloxi, Mississippi)

Johnson’s game is simple. Use strong body to post up near block; use good hands to catch ball; find basket and finish!

Ivanna Wilson Manyacka, 6-1, forward, West Virginia Thunder Johnson GUAA – 2025 (Frederick, Maryland)

Manyacka is big enough and strong enough to post an opponent up. She can also play on the perimeter scoring within or behind the arc. She recently was named to the USA U17 team.

Erynn Moffett, 5-11, wing, East Coast United Family P24 2027 (Melbourne, Florida)

Watching her score 21 points in a loss, one could see why she is attracting Power 5 interest. She plays hard looking to score mostly via penetration but is also not afraid to hit the glass at either end.

Eni Oyedeji, 6-3, center, FGB 15U GUAA (Orlando, Florida)

You know someone special might be on the court when Power 5 coaches come up to you asking about a young player previously unknown to them. Very athletic with medium-solid build, Oyedeji can finish around the rim but would best be called a work in progress.

Jeriyah Pryor, 5-6, point guard, West Virginia Thunder Johnson GUAA – 2027 (Huntington, West Virginia)

Pryor is above average athletically with perimeter stroke to beyond the arc and able to drive to the rim.

Falisa White, 6-0, forward, Duval Elite 2027 (Jacksonville, Florida)

A versatile well-built athlete with decent passing skills able to go inside and out, she just needs to develop greater consistency.

2028

Jakaila Gaskin, 6-3, power forward, Team Curry 17U GUAA (Charlotte, North Carolina)

If you want to talk upside, this player may be a good place to start. With a highly athletic medium-solid build, Gaskin did not look out of place playing in a game with quality rising juniors and seniors. Strong, agile and mobile, scoring is primarily in the paint.

Jhaliana Guy, 5-9, shooting guard, Mac Irvin Fire 15U P24 (Clinton, Iowa)

Guy can really shoot it from deep posting seven threes in one contest. With medium build and light on her feet, she showed good understanding of when to shoot the ball. An added bonus is that she appears to take playing defense seriously.

Layla Hall, 5-11, wing, FBC United Youngunz GUAA 2027 (Murfreesboro, Tennessee)

A long rangy athlete, Hall has handles and ‘ups’ to attack the rim with force able to finish in traffic. She is also an above average defender.

2029

Savayah Mitchell, 5-6, guard, West Virginia Thunder GUAA Spreen 2027 (E. Indianapolis, Indiana)

Mitchell stood out playing on a team with mostly rising sophomores (two years is a huge gap at such a young age). With a medium athletic build, she showed a nice stroke coming off the bounce.

Carib Morris, 6-2, forward, FBC United Youngunz GUAA 2027 (Cumming, Georgia)

Morris stood out competing with players a year or two older. She has a strong muscular build unusual for such a young player. For a tall player she handles well and can shoot the three. How she matures physically over the next few years may be a critical factor in her on court development.