FRISCO, Texas -- The Longhorn State has so much talent that the Dallas area had to host two major tournaments to fit all the teams' prospects, one of which was the Premier Basketball Super 64. With the event offering 12 courts under one roof, the summer evaluation season kicked off with a bunch of new faces making names for themselves.
Ka'Nesheia Cobbins, Louisiana Lady Heat: When the Lady Heat were at there best, Cobbins was making plays either from the wings or the high post. She is such a well-balanced offensive player that when she's patient she is tough to stop because her passing on the interior is just as impressive as her athletic finishes around the basket. She can get out in transition and is definitely a wing in college. This 5-foot-10 lefty can change directions at full speed in transition and leave defenders leaning. She doesn't need to be featured to make an impact but running an offense through her seemed to make all her teammates better.
Alex Green, NCT 2011: The equivalent in baseball of Green's game would be described as a five-tool player. The Dallas native and her well-rounded game is virtually without weakness. That's not to say she does everything at a pro level but at this stage in her development there are very few things she doesn't do very well. She has plenty of quickness of which she deploys on both sides of the ball. She has great vision on the court and the ability to make plays with the shot, drive or pass. She is a competitor who plays from tip to finish. The most impressive skill she has is her mid-range shooting touch. You can almost see her shaking her head when defenders go underneath ball-screens. She has range to the 3-point line, and at 5-9 she is truly a combo guard capable of running a team or shouldering the scoring load.
Haley Texada, Cy-Fair Hensle: Some players make the mistake of trying play outside of their game when the recruiters are courtside. Texada is the opposite. She is composed and consistent. She uses her athleticism primarily to push the break and find teammates though her strong, athletic build allows her to get in the lane and finish when needed. The Wakeland High School point guard is a calming presence on the court for a team that is young, albeit talented, and she is definitely needed.
Veja Hamilton, HBA Texas Blazers: The point-forward is more of a men's basketball thing but for the Blazers Hamilton is just that. She has the size to body up guards to neutralize their quickness while still being able to see over the top and deliver the ball. To be a full time point at the next level she needs to improve her handle but for a 5-9 small forward she is more than adequate with her dribbling. She can shoot the 3 but as the minutes racked up for her handling all the ball pressure she did leave some long jumpers short. She is a savvy and smart player.
LaKeisha Lee, Louisiana Lady Heat: A 5-7 point guard is pretty average these days, but sleep on Lee and you will get the business. This Denham Springs, La., native is cool as the other side the pillow under pressure which allows her to spot cutters that many guards can't see under duress. She is heady. Knowing she isn't the fastest or quickest she uses her strong frame to steer the defender from their hips as soon as she gets half a step. From there she has enough athleticism to exploit the defender's position. She changes speeds with the ball well allowing her to create space, even against quicker defenders. The only thing we didn't see from her offensively was perimeter shooting but she spent most of her time creating for teammates, not looking for hers.
Kuaneshia Baker, Louisiana Lady Heat: If you want a shooting guard with size and the ability to create scoring opportunities for herself, Baker is your prospect. The 5-10 scorer from Gretna, La., could best be described as a young Iverson, in that she can create so many scoring opportunities and sometimes gets a little carried away in terms of shot selection. When she is dead-on and dialed in she can carry a team with her shot-making ability and athleticism. When she finds the balance in her game and maturity to know when it is time for to go get and when to play within the offense she will be a handful.
Kamy Cole, Cy-Fair Nike Elite: On a team with plenty of scorers, size and high-profiles, Cole hits the floor with a relentless way about her. She is a glue player who will give her body up for a loose ball or to take a charge. She tips a lot of passes and for a 5-9 guard she gets a good number of rebounds. Her offense comes from strong attacks to the basket. She has good lift and could stand to refine her finishing moves as she should be able to master the stop-and-pop and not always try to get to the rim. She is a high-energy player who speeds the game up.
Nicole Kornet, Liberty 360: The ESPNU HoopGurlz Terrific 25 prospect showed the skills and versatility that earned her place in the top 25 early but seemed to be gassed and sat significant amounts of games later in the tournament. Even playing tired she showed the ability to use her size and athleticism to make plays. At 6-0 and with handle she is capable of beating defenses with the pass or scoring. She is a good perimeter shooter and she makes good decisions. We've seen her turn it up and carry a team in the past so this week was a bit of an anomaly but the potential to be a major contributor at a BCS conference showed through the fatigue.
Peyton Little, Cy-Fair Shock Hensle: This University of Texas commit is going through a transition. Little, playing for the Katie Hensle-coached Cy-Fair team, is in a much more structured and controlled system than when she is let loose for her Wylie High School team. The styles are so different that the struggles are apparent, but ultimately better preparation for her and her eventual move to Austin. She can still create in the open court with the pass or stop and pop a 20-footer. She's another player that has to find those times in the game to push the tempo and create and know when to relax some and let the game come to her.
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Chris Hansen is the National Director of Prospects for ESPN HoopGurlz and covers girls' basketball and women's college-basketball prospects nationally for ESPN.com. A graduate of the University of Washington with a Communications degree, he has been involved in the women's basketball community since 1998 as a high school and club coach, trainer, evaluator and reporter. Hansen can be reached at chris.hansen@espn3.com