War Games Standout Players

Ball So Hard Events hosted their annual War Games event featuring some really talented 5th-8th grade girls programs. Teams came in from various parts of Arkansas, Texas, and Missouri to prepare for the upcoming travel season. I got to see some really good teams and individual players. Let’s take a look at a few players that stood out.

Caroline Bradley | Post | AR Mavs Elite 2027

Standing around 6’3 Caroline is a strong and physical player with a TON of potential. The good thing about Caroline is that she is trending in the right direction when it comes to her skill level. She only has a few years of experience playing basketball which could be a nightmare for her opponents. Caroline does a really good job of posting up big and wide on the low block. She has good hands in traffic and can finish over her defender with a soft touch. She also has a nice turn around jumper over her right shoulder, she rebounds well, offers great help defense with her long arms, and never seems to rush or panic. The college offers are already rolling in and more will come as she enters high school.

Miciah Fusilier | Wing | AR Mavs Elite 2027

When you talk about players that have a total package you have to mention Miciah. The 6’2 wing player can handle the rock, shoot the mid-range, knock down the three ball, run the floor, and break down the defense off the dribble. Her size gives her a considerable advantage on the perimeter. This makes her a nightmare match-up for the typical wing player. She easily sees over the defense to get to her spots for the pull up or kick out to a teammate. If you put a player with size on her and they don’t have the quickness or foot speed then she will blow by them to get the rim. Miciah is considered by many as one of the best players in the nation in the class of 2027. College offers are already rolling in with more many more to come.

A’Sharia Simmons | Forward | AR Mavs Elite 2028

A‘Sharia is actually in the class of 2029, but plays up on the Mavs Elite 2028 squad. The young forward is one of the most versatile players I have seen in her class. She can handle the ball in the open court, she can attack off the dribble, has a soft touch around the rim, plays under control, rebounds well, and is a good help defender with her shot blocking ability. The sky is the limit for A’Sharia. As her skills continue to develop she will become even more of a matchup problem for opponents.

Jakiya Peterman | Point Guard | MO Phenom (STL) 2028

I love evaluating point guards and Jakiya was a point guard that quickly caught my attention. She has a nice skill set that every point guard should have. She could handle the ball and get to the rim, she could shoot the three, she got her teammates involved, and she had great footwork on her finishes at the rim. Jakiya is just a 7th grader and will continue to get better. Wit her ability to run a team and do the things she able to do on the court, she will definitely be a name to know.

Addison Evans | Post | Swaggin’ Dragons | 2027

Addison is post player that plays hard on both ends of the floor. On offense she can play with her back to the basket. Her soft touch allows her to score around the rim. She can play through contact and rebounds aggressively for the easy put back. On defense she does a good job of helping her teammates. Her court awareness allows her to rotate quickly and provide help defense on cutters or penetration.

Jordyn Haywood | Wing | MO Phenom (STL) 2028

Jordyn is a competitor. She has a really good skill set with her ball handling, shooting, finishing, and passing ability. Only a 7th grader she doesn’t shy away from competition. When she was matched up against one of the top 8th graders in the nation she showed no fear. She knocked down threes, made plays in transition, got the rim in the half-court, and played good defense. Jordyn could be a special talent by the time she gets to high school. The potential is already there. It’s going to be fun watching her develop.

Bailey Barton | Guard | AR Sting 2027

Of all the players I saw over the weekend, Bailey was probably the most fundamentally sound player there. Fundamentally sound doesn’t mean her game doesn’t have any flare. She has a shifty dribble that makes it tough for the defense to stay in front of her. She can shoot the three, finish with either hand, is a threat in transition, has a nice mid-range jumper, and gives great effort on defense. Bailey will be one of the top players in her 2027 class in Arkansas.

Daisy Fuentes | Wing | AR Sting 2027

Every team needs a player that is going to play the right way. Daisy plays hard, is a great teammate, is unselfish, and is a competitor who loves to win. She’s not flashy, but does whatever is needed to put her team in position to win. She goes hard to the basket off the dribble, can knockdown the open jumper, and gives the effort needed on defense to make it tough on her opponent. I’m sure I will see her again over the summer and I look forward to seeing how she develops.

Layla Boyd | Forward | Della Lamb 2027

Layla is a versatile player the quickly caught my attention. What I quickly noticed about her was the passion she was playing with. Yes, she has some skills that will continue to develop and get better, but her intensity and how bad she wanted to win was impressive to me. She has good size, can play physical, can score in the paint, and can handle the ball in the open court and make plays for her teammates.

McKayla Victoria | Point Guard | Della Lamb 2027

I thing every point guard must be able to run their team and manage the game. McKayla did both of those things very well. She understood when to push it and force the tempo and when to slow it down and get the organized and into their half-court sets. McKayla is a good passer, finishes in transition, can shoot the three, handles the ball well vs pressure, and is a good decision maker.

Randi Stewart | Guard | AR Mavs Elite 2027

During War Games Randi just quietly did her thing out there on the floor. Nothing flashy or fancy, she played solid every time she stepped on the court. She’d hit you with a catch and shoot three. Then she’ll get to the rim for the finish or find the open teammate. She played good on-ball and help defense. I’m looking forward to seeing her over the course of the summer. Randi will continue to improve and add more layers to her game.

Makenlie Campbell | Guard | AR Mavs Elite 2027

Makenlie really caught my eye because of the intensity she played with when she was out on the floor. She competed hard every possession. It didn’t matter if it was the opening tip or if her team was winning by 20. Makenlie was going to give you her best effort on both ends of the floor. She’s a point guard that could also play off the ball, but when she wasn’t in the game you could tell her team missed her presence. She could make the three-ball, get in the lane off the bounce, finish in transition, and she got her teammates involved.

Makaelah Green | Guard | AR Mavs Elite 2028

ATHLETE!!!! Makaelah was probably the best athlete I saw during War Games. There was several times she would get a defensive rebound or a loose ball on defense close to the baseline and just out run everybody. One thing that was really impressive was her body control. She could push it full speed and finish on balance and under control with either hand. She’s just a 7th grader and will continue to add more skills to her game. When your combine that potential skill set with her athleticism, you have a special player in the making.