GEORGIA HOOPSTARS: Welcome

2011: Georgia Hoopstars Program Does It AGAIN.....:

The club’s 2011 travel ball season has certainly lived up the potential of the past and showcased the promise of its future.  This spring and summer ball seasons delivered some major accomplishments.  The Georgia Hoopstars were named, by the ESPN Hoopgurlz, one of the nation’s Best of Summer teams, ranked 33 in the nation.  Most of the 7 Georgia Hoopstar teams played in over eleven DI, DII & DIII exposure events this ball season and our top team Hoopstars Black appeared in the winner’s circle on numerous occasions, with a summer record of 28-7. Other milestones this year included the addition of 3 new teams and a record 78 players on our program's rosters.
 
The Hoopstar family welcomed the addition of three new teams this year, an all senior team (2011 graduates) the White (17u) & Gold (14u), which all made a standout impression and great addition to the club.  The hard work ethic of all our teams, including Royal, Silver and Blue, creates what promises to be a recording breaking season in club history, where we are slated to have most, if not all, of our 2012's signing scholarships to play at the next level.   This year we have approximately 20 girls in the 2012 graduating class and it’s our intention to have them all playing proudly as a former Hoopstar next school year.  We will be calling on all of our contacts to aid us in placing all of our 2012 graduates in college, representing the tradition of preparedness and excellence anticipated from the Georgia Hoopstar organization.
 
In addition to the national rise in prominence the organization received by ESPN we also are home to 2 USA Women’s Basketball candidates. The organization provided the foundation for 2 of our elite players to reach national recognition for their hard work.  Players Kianna Holland & Peyton Whitted both made it to 3rd round cuts at the USA Women’s Basketball teams this summer.  While the organization provides more opportunity for team recognition we would be remiss in our duty if we didn’t acknowledge the individual hard work and recognition of several of our players.  Please take the time to read all the Hoopsgurlz articles and postings on all of our elite athletes, Kaliyah Mitchell, Jordan Frazier, Tatianna Jackson, Jessy Ward, Tabitha Fudge and Breanna Richardson. 

2012 promises to be another busy and exciting season! 

While everyone sees the final product when the Hoopstars enter an arena, only the players and coaches appreciate the countless hours of practiced perfection that is accepted and instilled in all the young women that honor us with their participation in the Georgia Hoopstars organization.  God Bless all of the players, parents and coaches of this GREAT organization.

So if you want to play college basketball, come to us and become a Hoopstar.  For more information about the Georgia Hoopstars, please call Club Founder & President JD Davis at 404-423-7904.

Sunday, April 22, 2012 

Suwanee, Ga. – The PeachStateBasketball.com Tip-Off Classic featured 140 of the nation’s most competitive travel programs battling it out in front of over 120 college coaches from schools as far away as Notre Dame, Temple and Wisconsin. “Championship Sunday” is always a big deal but even bigger when college coaches fill the backline.

Featured Game

Black Division Championship

Carolina All Stars Cox Jr. vs Georgia Hoopstars Black Elite

This was the second time in two weeks that these powerhouse teams met. Last weekend, it was in the semi-finals of the PeachStateBasketball.com Pre-Season Shootout. This time, it was for all the marbles in the Black Division title game of the PeachStateBasketball.com Tip-Off Classic.

EBA All-American Briana Day showed versatility even in a loss on "Championship Sunday"

Both teams suited up top shelf class of 2013 prospects as coach Ty Cox All-Stars are highlighted by 6-foot-4 post Briana Day of Durham, N.C. (#35 in black). Day, a two-time Elite Basketball Academy All-American, has verbally committed to the University of North Carolina and received an invite to the USA Basketball 18 and under trials in May.

JD Davis Hoopstars Black team countered with talented forward Kaliyah Mitchell of Stone Mountain, Ga. (#25 in white). Mitchell is a two-time EBA All-American and picked up interest from Mississippi State, Penn State and South Florida after her performance at the Tip-Off Classic. Here’s the game in its’ entirety on Peach State TV courtesy of iHigh:

http://peachstatebasketball.com/jumpoffplus-com-event-recap-teampsb-tip-off-classic-april-25-2012/

Kianna Holland of Seneca, S.C., and the No. 22 prospect in the ESPNU HoopGurlz Super 60 for the 2013 class, has verbally committed to Duke. The 5-foot-9 point guard is the first commitment for the Blue Devils in the junior class. Kianna is a member of the GA Hoopstars Black team since her 9th grade year.

Please read the below article about Kianna wrote by Chris Hansen of ESPNU HoopGurlz :

Kianna is accustomed to being sized up and written off.

Holland, the No. 22 prospect in the ESPN HoopGurlz Super 60 for the class of 2013, has been on an emotional and physical roller coaster that dates back nearly two years. She tore the anterior-cruciate ligament in her left knee in the spring of 2010. In somewhat of a panic following the injury, she made an early commitment in March 2011 to Ohio State, only to realize she wasn't ready and would rescind the pledge in August of the same year.

The junior guard hails from Seneca, S.C., a small city that sits amid the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Seneca's website notes that when the burgh was founded that it was named "The City of Opportunity." But when it came to her big-time collegiate hoop dreams, Holland felt the city (population: 7,652) was all but the opposite.

"I think I'm always going to be the same kid no matter what the expectations or pressure are," Holland said. "I feel like I've already overcome a major hurdle; I was too skinny, came from a small town, had the knee injury..."

Perhaps the first sign of how misunderstood Holland would be started showing up early in her playing career, around the seventh grade. The self-described "skinny girl with makeup" would often find the other team's worst player rushing to pick her as the player they wanted to guard.

"I put on the same makeup I wear to school," Holland says of her game-day preparation. "It's the same thing I wear to training or anywhere. I take being a girl seriously."

Holland, a converted gymnast, was often upset by the opposing team's gesture.

"Really, this girl? What an insult," Holland recalls thinking.

Holland was quick to correct the misjudgments on the floor, not with words, but with buckets.

First trip down the floor, a filthy crossover move for a layup; the next, a steal followed up by a hesitation move that left the defender's face nearly the same color as Holland's pink eye shadow. Four quick points and almost on queue, a timeout was called.

"After that they switch it up and get the good girl on [me]," Holland added with a laugh.

                                                  

Don't mistake this for overconfidence, as Holland is about as humble of a hoops star as you will find. But now, with the Duke commitment officially out of the way, she has some very specific goals that should allow her to put the chip from her shoulder, which assumedly matches her uniform and shoes, securely in her gym bag. Playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium and donning the blue-and-white Blue Devils uniform should erase the small town "isms" from her young hoops career in the not too distant future.

"You know what conference you're going into. You know, top to bottom, what the build of the players looks like and the style of play," Holland said. "I know where I'm going, so I can prepare for that."

One of her goals prior to heading to Durham, N.C., is to add about 10 pounds of muscle.

"I have a really good trainer who is very aware of what a woman should look like," Holland said. "He's not going to blow up my arms bigger than a wide receiver on the football team. I think I'm pretty slight in build to begin with so it shouldn't be very noticeable."

Holland is an athletic, 5-foot-9 combo guard with a real jump shot (meaning she elevates off the floor to shoot). But she wants to become more explosive and improve her already impressive jumping ability. She has designs on being that coveted rebounder from the guard position for Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie.

And in her more immediate sights is breaking Seneca High's all-time scoring record, for both boys and girls basketball, which she says she's approximately 400 points from reaching. She scored more than 600 points as a junior.

With this commitment, Holland feels free to enjoy a summer fun and competing hard. She wants to put her name up on the banners she sees hanging from the Peach State Hoops events her Georgia Hoopstars team frequents during the club season. And if you want to doubt the kid who came within a well-lined eyelash of making the USA Basketball U16 national team less than a year ago, go ahead, but you've been warned.

Jasmine Kemp of Georgia Hoopstars Black has verbally committed to East Tennessee State University. The 6-foot-2 forward also considered Tennessee Tech and Tulane.

Kemp, who is rated a 3-star prospect & ranked 45 overall in the country in her position by ESPN HoopGurlz, is the Buccaneers first commitment in the 2012 class. She is a senior at Norcross High School the defending Girls AAAAA State Basketball Champions. She has played for the GA Hoopstars Black club team for the last three years.

Congratulations to her on such a great achievement!!

Jasmine joins a rapidly growing list of current and former Hoopstars in the 2012 class to commit to play basketball at the college level, including:

Lindsay Simpson, 2012, Western Carolina University; Jessy Ward, 2012, Mississippi State University; Kayla Richards, 2012, Columbus State University; Tabitha Fudge, High Point University, 2012; Sydni Payne, 2012, Stetson University; Kristie Mason, 2012, Palm Beach Atlantic University; Tatianna Jackson, 2012, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Jordan Frazier, 2012, Wofford College; Helena Pouengue, 2012, Lipscomb University and Patrice Butler, 2012, Furman University! 
 
All these players will be signing their National Letters of Intent during the early signing period later this year in November.

Tatianna Jackson, the four-star phenom from Dallas, GA. and member of the Georgia Hoopstars Black, has committed to University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

She would like to sincerely thank every coach that took the time to watch her play over the last three years.  Jackson said, Coach Moore and the entire coaching staff at UTC made her feel like it was the perfect fit for her. The connection she felt between the team and the coaches were undeniable.  The environment, academics, and athletic program at UTC made it a great fit for her lifelong goals.
 
Jackson’s unbounded potential to dominate on both sides of the court was displayed over the summer.  She was unquestionably one of the most improved athletes in 2011, sky rocketing from rank 137 to 46 for guards in the nation according to ESPN. UTC has truly hit the Jackpot! They are getting a great offensive and defensive player with all the skills to make an immediate impact on women’s basketball. Some of the schools that Jackson had strongly considered in her process were Air Force, West Point, Providence, Cincinnati, Arkansas, James Madison and Lipscomb.

Kristie Mason, a member of the Georgia Hoopstars White, verbally committed to Palm Beach Atlantic University on September 16, 2011.

A 5'8" shooting guard at South Forsyth High School, Kristie is a 3 point specialist with the ability to contribute at point and post when needed. Her team will anticipate and expect her leadership and strong work ethic again this year. Kristie has led her team in multiple categories over the past 2 years.

PBA Head Coach, Clarisse Garcia, exhibited the ability to connect with her players and recruits. That was the determining factor in Kristie's decision over the other schools looking at her. A West Palm Beach address, a former Hoopstars teammate on the team, Chic-Fil-A in the arena, and beach workouts also helped her decide!

At the age of five Kristie determined that she wanted to play college basketball and is excited about seeing this dream come true.  She is planning to sign in November and looks forward to contributing to the PBA team as soon as she arrives on campus next fall.

Sydni Payne, a three year 5'9" combo guard from the Georgia Hoopstars Royal team has verbally committed to Stetson University under the head coach Lynn Bria. Stetson is among several programs that Sydni considered. Sydni attends St Pius X Catholic High School, and is a fourth year Varsity player. She has been a strong defender and the leading scorer for the last two seasons. Sydni will officially sign during the early signing period in November. Sydni is excited to be heading to the sunshine state of Florida with the most recent 2010 Atlantic Sun Conference Champions.

Coach JD...hope all is well with you...I just wanted to let you know I have verbally committed to WCU and wanted to let you know how much I appreicated all of have done to help me get to where I am today. I miss you and the Hoopstars but know your influence has helped me so much.....

Tarlesha Boles..........North Carolina Central University  

Kayla Nolan............................Georgia State University

Christy Hewatt.....................College of Charleston

Kristina Wells........................Kennesaw State

Briana Jones........................James Madison University

Erichea Barnes............................Mercer University

Kecia Miller.........................George Washington University

Kelly Reid............................Colgate University

Megan Whittaker...............University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Bree Venson...............Grambling State University

Mason Jeffries.........................Davidson College

Danielle Jackson.........................Air Force Academy

Alex Boyer..........................Palm Beach Atlantic University

Nyaa Davis........................Cal State University East Bay  

James Madison University signee Briana Jones, 6'2 Post-Center, rising stars Kianna Holland, 5'10 Point Guard and Kaliyah Mitchell,  6'1 Wing Forward, recently represented the Georgia Hoopstars Girls Basketball Club at the Elite Basketball Academy (EBA) High School All-American Camp near Atlanta.  Jones, a 2011 graduate, and Holland and Mitchell, both in 2013 class, were among 36 of the nation's top prospects participating in workouts and evaluations by the Peach State Hoops JumpOffPlus.com staff.

“Briana, Kianna and Kaliyah are all great players, great students and very upstanding young ladies,” said Coach Jonathan "JD" Davis, Director, Georgia Hoopstars Girls Basketball Program.  “The EBA All-American Camp is the perfect venue to allow them to showcase their talent against other top players in the nation and they all represented the Hoopstars very well and I'm so very proud of them. We are looking to add to this great honor next year with more players from our program. Hard work do pay off Ladies!” 

For more information about this great camp go to www.peachstatehoops.com or Contact Brandon Clay at bclay@peachstatehoops.com for all up to date news and information.

Meet Coach JD Davis, the Founder & Director of the GA Hoopstars, through the eyes of 4Shot Sports Editior Larry Williams:

4SHOT Hoops first started covering girls AAU basketball about seven years ago and the first program we had a chance to cover in depth was the Georgia Hoopstars and that experience is what has helped endure us to continued exposure of girl's basketball today. The program today as it was then is directed by one of the coaches I have a lot of respect for Coach JD Davis. I was able to sit down with Coach Davis on Coaches Corner.

L.A.: Coach, over they last few years you have gone about the business of building the Georgia Hoopstars into one of the top programs in the state of Georgia; what to you attribute that to?

Coach Davis:"Our number one focus is preparing our players to be successful on the court and, most importantly, in the classroom. We put in a lot of time and try to our best to go about the business of getting girls recruited and showcasing their talents on a very large stage. We believe that we are one of the top programs in the country because college coaches - throughout northeast, southwest, west and southeast have recruited our players for their programs – continue to recruit our players for their programs."

L.A.: When you recruit a girl for your program what are you looking for as far as her game and personality?

Coach Davis: "We recruit players with athleticism, strong fundamentals, coachable, a good basketball IQ, good grades and a commitment to working hard. These are some of the attributes college coaches expect from elite programs such as the Georgia Hoopstars. "

L.A.: How did your team fair this summer?

Coach Davis: "We have another very successful summer season. We participated in many of the top college exposure tournaments in Georgia, Tennessee and Ohio. We measure our success by the number of players verbally commit and go on the sign national letters of intent to play college basketball. To date, nine players in our 2011 class have verbally committed to division 1 and division 2 programs cause at the end of the day that is truly what the most important factor is."

L.A.: A lot of nationally known AAU programs are usually sponsored by one of the big shoe companies like Nike, Adidas etc.; what are the advantages and disadvantages of being sponsored by a big company?

Coach Davis: "There are advantages to working with any company that offers a quality product and sponsors tournaments for college coaches to evaluate talent. Associating with a shoe company can help increase the visibility for a basketball club and its players. Currently, we are not associated with any shoe company. In the past, we had a very positive relationship with a shoe company. We continue to enjoy success without a relationship with a shoe company because we are focused on recruiting the right players and participating in the right tournaments."

L.A.: Is your emphasis to just teach the girls how to become better basketball players?

Coach Davis: "No, our goal is to teach them to become better players, people, and that hard work is something that ultimately pays off. The Hoopstars are not trying to change who you are just enhance the good qualities you have as a person through basketball. To also prepare them, we practice 10-12 hours per week and participate in 10-12 tournaments in the spring and summers."

L.A.: How important is it to have the parents buy into what you and your program is trying to teach?

Coach Davis: "Parents are critical to the success to any elite travel program. We appreciate the support the parents offer our program. Not only do parents provide the emotional and financial support for their daughters, but they also coach in our program and help coordinate many of the activities required for a program to function efficiently."

L.A.: For some reason a lot of AAU coaches don't like to talk about or let people know who is playing on their teams, why is that?

Coach Davis: "I guess they don't want anyone to steal their players, but if they are your players and you treat them right then you don't have anything to worry about. We promote our players through a variety of activities, including, but not limited, to posting their profiles on our web sites; emailing our rosters to college coaches; nominating players for invitation-only showcases and camps; and participating in elite tournaments that include player rosters in coach's player information packets. Coaches who promote their players increase the interest in their clubs, the longevity of their clubs and success of their players. If you have talent on your team, college coaches want to know. In addition, the players will tell their friends and that will help with recruiting new talent."

L.A.: For a long time the boys AAU circuit has been known for being a little shady, lol; meaning a lot of backbiting, programs stealing players from other teams, cash payouts, teams directing players to certain college programs etc. It appears to be more of a business; is the same thing starting to happen on the girls side and if so how do you avoid getting caught up in it?

Coach Davis: "Yes, Backbiting & programs stealing players from other teams does happen allot. Coaches paint a picture for these kids and tell them the grass is greener on the other side and it is actually not, in most cases. The player is better staying where they were if they are getting better & college coaches are recruiting them. You can't avoid getting caught up if the player contacts you and wants to leave their team because they and their parents are unhappy. So to a point, you can't worry about hurting people's feelings in this business. I tell my coaches a way too avoid all this is if a player is happy on their team to leave me alone and don't harass them no more & just move on."

L.A.: When you got started were there any programs that you took a look at and sort of started modeling your program after them?

Coach Davis: "Many people know that I was associated with the Georgia Dream Team for several years. The girls in the program, including my own daughter, enjoyed a level of success to be proud of. I founded the Georgia Hoopstars some years ago because I had a strong desire to create an environment to prepare girls for success on the court, in the classroom and in the community. If I was modeling my program like somebody else it would be DFW style because we play baseline to baseline with pressure like they do."

L.A.: There are educational requirements that kids have to meet if they plan on playing college ball, what do you do to help them with understanding what is required?

Coach Davis: "We constantly emphasize to them to stay on top of their grades. With the majority of our games in July, we try to make sure they finish up the year strong during April and May. We also provide our players with detailed information about the NCAA recruiting process, communicating with coaches and SAT/GPA and core course eligibility requirements. Knowledge of these processes is critically important to a successful recruiting experience."

Please click on the above header or the picture to read the whole article from 4Shot Sports.

The Georgia Hoopstars Girls Basketball Program is pleased to announce that Tarlesha Boles, a 6’1 post from Duluth High School, verbally committed this week to continue her basketball career at NC Central University. NC Central was among several programs considering Tarlesha, including Austin Peay State University, Stetson University & a host of others.

Tarlesha, who is a very hard worker & great rebounder, gives Duluth High School two division one players on their roster this season as another Hoopstar player & Duluth teammate Kayla Nolan is going to Georgia State University. Tarlesha best basketball is ahead of because of her great work ethic on the court so keep an eye on her in the future.   

Tarlesha, a first-year Hoopstar, joins a rapidly growing list of current and former Hoopstars in the 2011 class to commit to play basketball at the college level, including:

Kayla Nolan, 2011, Georgia State University; Alex Boyer, 2011, Palm Beach Atlantic University; Christy Hewatt, 2011, College of Charleston; Kristina Wells, Kennesaw State, 2011; Briana Jones, 2011, James Madison University; Erichea Barnes, 2011, Mercer University; Kecia Miller, 2011, George Washington  University; and Kelly Reid, 2011, Colgate University.
 
All these players will be signing their National Letters of Intent during the early signing period later this year in November.

The Georgia Hoopstars Girls Basketball Program is pleased to announce that Erichea Barnes, a 5’6 point guard from from Whitfield Academy, verbally committed today to continue her basketball career at Mercer University in Macon, GA. Mercer was among several programs considering Erichea, including Jacksonville University and Stetson University & a host of others.

Erichea, a Hoopstar for five years, joins a rapidly growing list of current and former Hoopstars in the 2011 class to commit to play basketball at the college level, including:
Kayla Nolan, 2011, Georgia State University; Alex Boyer, 2011, Palm Beach Atlantic University; Christy Hewatt, 2011, College of Charleston; Kristina Wells, Kennesaw State, 2011; Briana Jones, 2011, James Madison University; Kecia Miller, 2011, George Washington  University; and Kelly Reid, 2011, Colgate University.

All these players will be signing their National Letters of Intent during the early signing period later this year in November.

The Georgia Hoopstars Girls Basketball Program is pleased to announce that Briana Jones, a 6'2 center from Whitfield Academy, verbally committed earlier this week to continue her basketball career at James Madison University.  Briana, a Hoopstar for three seasons, is ranked among the Top 150 players nationally by several ranking services. Most recently, she participated in the first-ever Peach State Hoops EBA Top 40 All-American Camp.

Briana joins a rapidly growing list of current and former Hoopstars in the 2011 class to commit to play basketball at the college level, including:

Kayla Nolan, 2011, Georgia State University; Alex Boyer, 2011, Palm Beach Atlantic University; Christy Hewatt, 2011, College of Charleston; Kristina Wells, 2011; Kennesaw State University; Kecia Miller, 2011, George Washington University; and Kelly Reid, 2011, Colgate University.

All these players will be signing their National Letters of Intent during the early signing period later this year in November.

Below is a article that talks about Kaliyah Mitchell Class of 2013 from the Georgia Hoopstars Black team.

Kaliyah Mitchell, Georgia Hoopstars: With the pool of bigger perimeter players expanding with every class, it's getting harder and harder just to stand out on size alone. This 6-2 wing brings to the table both the athleticism and skills to combine with her height and make her a special prospect to keep an eye on. The native of Stone Mountain, Ga., has the speed and agility to be effective on the perimeter at both ends of the floor. She already possesses impressive lower body strength that allows her to play more physically both inside and out. Constantly active, with and without the ball, she's a difficult matchup for opponents and presents a dilemma whether to challenge her with speed or size. She's got a sound jumper and some range but still has the capability to create off the drive. There's still a maturation process that will serve her decision making well but there's already results more often than not. She can match up defensively at almost any position on the floor and doesn't seem hesitant to play physical when the pushing and shoving begins. Keep watching closely, it will be worth it.

Please click on the header or the picture to go to the whole article on the ESPN's Hoopgurlz website.

Kristina Wells committed to Kennesaw State University earlier this afternoon. She is very underrated player that should blow up at KSU because of all ways she can create her on shot & she is just a flat out scorer. She is 5'9 lefty combo guard. She plays at Douglas County High School & was one of the leading scorers on the GA Hoopstars Black Elite team this past summer.

Congrats from the Hoopstar Family!!

 ANNOUNCING THE 2010 FABULOUS HOOPSTARS!

Peach State Hoops has announced the invitees for the 2010 Fab 5 and Junior Fab 5 Camps July 6-7, 2010, at Suwanee Sports Academy. More than 24 players from the Georgia Hoopstars Girls Basketball Program have been chosen by the Peach State Hoops Player Selection Committee to participate in this annual college exposure and skills development event. 

Started in 2006. the Fab 5 Camps represent a commitment by Peach State Hoops to provide high school girls with another opportunity to showcase their skills during the crucial month of July. Not only will players have a chance to compete against top Division One recruits, but the camp will also provide players with our top-notch skill instruction as well. That combination has made the Fab Five Camp an instant hit among players and college coaches.

This year's Fab 5 and Junior Fab 5 camps will include players from each of the Georgia Hoopstars four teams.  The camps will also feature one of the strongest graduating classes in Hoopstar history that includes Kayla Nolan and Alex Boyer, who recently verbally committed to Georgia State University and Palm Beach Atlantic University, respectively.

Below is the complete list of the 2010 Fabulous Hoopstars:

Fab 5: 

• Briana Jones - 2011
• Kristina Wells - 2011
• Christy Hewatt - 2011
• Kayla Nolan - 2011
• Alex Boyer - 2011
• Tarlesha Boles - 2011
• Leah Spears - 2011 
• Erichea Barnes - 2011
• Sydney Montgomery - 2011
• Megan Whittaker - 2011
• Mason Jeffries - 2011
• Olivia Gulick - 2011
• Bria Venson - 2011 
• Tatianna Jackson - 2012 
• Jasmine Kemp - 2012 
• Patrice Butler - 2012
• Kianna Holland - 2013
• Elise Reyes - 2011 
  

Jr. Fab 5:

• Kayla Richards - 2012
• Sydni Payne - 2012
• Lindsay Simpson - 2012
• Helena Pouengue - 2012
• Kaliyah Mitchell - 2013
• Jasmine Hill - 2013
• Joshlyn Belcher - 2014
• Sierra Butler - 2014  

Kayla Nolan and Alex Boyer became the first two Hoopstars from the 2011 class to verbally commit to continue their basketball careers at the college level for the 2010 season.  Nolan, a first-year member of the club who plays on the Hoopstars Black team, last week committed to Georgia State University, under new head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener.  Georgia State University is a member of the Colonial Athletic Conference that includes Old Dominion and James Madison.

Kayla, a 5'8 combo guard,  attends Duluth High School.  This is her first year with the Hoopstars program where she quickly made a name for herself throughout the southeast as a strong scorer and floor leader. Kayla selected Georgia State from a list of schools interested in her talent, including Jacksonville University and Stetson University.

Alex, a 5-year member of the Hoopstars Basketball Club, committed Wednesday to Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla. Palm Beach Atlantic is an independent Christian university whose schedule includes University of Tampa and Rollins College. Alex will be playing for new head coach Clarissee Garcia, who had been recruiting Alex in her most recent role as assistant at Stetson University.  Alex selected Palm Beach Atlantic from a list of schools that also included University of Memphis and Stetson University.

Alex, a 5'8 combo guard, attends Kennesaw Mountain High School. She has been a Hoopstar since she was in the 7th grade and is currently ranked 190 in the nation by All Star Girls Report. She has played for her dad and club VP, Coach Boyer, for four years. Last year, she played on the Hoopstars Black team while her dad took the year off from coaching.

Congratulations to both Kayla and Alex for getting our 2010 summer recruiting season off to a great start.

The Georgia Hoopstars Black team participated in the Nike Midwest Showdown with some of the country’s premiere teams. The black team went 4-1 in the Elite Bracket of 32 teams.

The first game was against the Indiana Flight 2012 team. The Hoopstars simply press them from beginning to end. The Flight scored most of their points from the free throw line still losing by almost 30. Kayla Nolan, Christy Hewatt, Kristina Wells, and Kaliyah Mitchell all played really well.

The 2nd game featured the best team in the country, DFW T-Jack, versus the Hoopstars. It was an up and down game as both teams were going back and forth the entire game. It was a very guard-oriented game as the pressure was intense. DFW pulled it out in the end. All of our guards played well and gave the maximum effort in the contest. This game gave the girls the vote of confidence they needed to push them to their highest level.

Next game was against Ohio Lady Attack. They were outman from the start. The Hoopstars simply pressured them into so many turnovers and bad shots, they could not recover. Tatianna Jackson, Briana Jones and Joshlyn Belcher were standout players for the Hoopstars.

Up next was the Fairfax Stars, a monster of a team in regards to size. The Hoopstars strategy was to run them and run them some more, but the inability to make free throws made it a close game. The Hoopstars fell behind by 11 but fought back to win the game in the end. Jasmine Kemp and Kristina Wells really step up big in this one!

The last game was against a very quick and disciplined offensive team, The Cincinnati Finest Black team. It was the third game of the day and the girls legs were starting to tire. The Hoopstars fell behind but once again fought their way back. The guard pressure from Kayla Nolan, Jordan Frazier, and Tatianna Jackson help lead the charge. Big minutes off the bench from Patrice Butler and Sydney Montgomery in this crucial victory. 

The girls finished 9th in the entire tournament out of 32 teams because they played DFW T-JACK in the second round who ended up winning the event. Many fans, parents and coaches left the tournament feeling as though the Georgia Hoopstars Black team was one the 5 best teams there. Also they will be team to deal with this summer!!!

With three years of high school ahead of her, Seneca High School freshman Kianna Holland already has a collegiate home waiting for her if she wants it. 

 On Wednesday, the Bobcats’ multi-year all-region guard was offered a scholarship from recently hired Clemson women’s basketball coach Itoro Coleman, marking the first major Division I scholarship offer for Holland.

Coleman, who was hired on March 29 at her alma mater to replace Cristy McKinney, had seen Holland play with the Georgia Hoopstars Black Elite Team at an AAU event and quickly became enamored with the Seneca product, making her a top priority and offering her a scholarship during an unofficial visit to campus on Wednesday.

Suffice it to say, Holland was blindsided, and honored, by the news.

“It was really special and I was really caught off guard,” Holland said. “I wasn’t expecting it, but my hard work is paying off.”

It’s been hard to ignore Holland’s play so far during her young career, as she averaged 25.3 point, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 steals and 2.2 steals per game last season as a freshman, her third season with the varsity team.

Holland, a two-time member of The Journal’s All-Mountain Lakes Team, also set a school record in January against Belton-Honea Path, scoring 46 points in an 87-55 Bobcat victory.

While Holland has no immediate plans to commit to Clemson, or any other school that may offer in the future, she said she is well aware of Seneca’s connections to the Lady Tiger program, with such legendary Bobcats as Nikki Blassingame and Julie Talley having stayed close to home to play at Littlejohn Coliseum.

“I’ve definitely thought about that,” Holland said. “Once every few years, a Seneca player usually goes to play at Clemson, but regardless of that, I’m interested in Clemson.”

As for her thoughts on Coleman, Holland feels she has the ability to turn the struggling Lady Tiger program around and is eager to see how she handles that challenge over the next three years before making any decisions.

“I just want to see what she’s going to do for this team, then after that I’ll have to think over,” Holland said. “I’m still just letting it sink it right now, and I’m pretty much on cloud nine.”

Article From The Journal Newspaper in South Carolina

Serena Clark a member of the 17 & under Black Hoopstars signed with Clemson University. Clemson is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Serena attends Tucker High School. She is 6'2 and plays both forward postions. Clemson got themselves a great player that will has a world of potential and that will work hard to improve on all aspects of her game.

Congrats to her and family with such a great achivement!

The Georgia Hoopstars Silver team recently traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana to play in the Nike Basketball on the Bayou college exposure tournament. The tournament attracted big name Division 1 colleges such as: UConn, Tennessee, Rutgers, LSU and Georgia to name a few. The Silver team, comprised of girls between ages 12-15 years old, competed up in the 2011 Division (10th grade). 

Pool play consisted of competing against the Houston Hotshots and cross-town-rival, Wallace Prather Celtics. The Hoopstars blew out the Houston Hotshots and beat the Celtics, 53-49 in front of many college scouts. Moving on to bracket play as the #1 seed, their next opponent was All Ohio Red. The Hoopstars prevailed moving on to the semifinals to face the GA/Lina 76ers. It was tough game, but the Hoopstars pulled it out in the end and were on to the championship to face Southern Miss. Elite Black team in a late game on Thursday night. The girls were tired but pulled together for one last victory to bring home the championship.

All of the girls did a great job of playing as a team and representing the Georgia Hoopstars organization well. They received a lot of college exposure while attending the Bayou tournament; hopefully, that will springboard into next season. Great job!