Part 2: 2024 NCAA College Basketball Academy: A National Field of Talent!

International Prospect Blanca Quinonez (PC: NCAA)

Players: NCAA College Basketball Academy

July 27-29, 2024 | Rock Hill, SC

In its second year, the event was conducted by the NCAA with the assistance of USA Basketball.  Held July 27-29, 2024, at the Rock Hill Sports and Events Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina, the 2024 NCAA College Basketball Academy consisted of two separate events run concurrently. 

In part 2, some of its many talented players will be highlighted.   With one exception, all mentioned participated in the USA Basketball Women’s Club Championships which contained two divisions: 10th Grade Division consisted of 24 invited club teams with players of the 2026 class and younger and 9th Grade Division consisted of 16 invited club teams with players of the 2027 class and younger.  One player who got rave reviews in the NCAA Individual Pathway will be the only player from the 2025 class discussed.

Players discussed below are listed alphabetically within graduating class with listed height, position, club team with listed high school/state in parenthesis along with any confirmed transfer for the coming year. Note with no official stats available to media (explained in Part 1), any stats quoted are unofficial.  All discussed below either have major Division 1 offers or should be under consideration for them.

2025

Blanca Quinonez, 6-2, power forward, Maine (FIBA) Individual Pathway team (Convitto Nazionale Mario Pagano, Italy but is from Ecuador)

With an athletic medium-solid build, Quinonez was the talk of the Individual Pathway event [which this writer spent much less time concentrating on].  She demonstrated an ability to play hard and smart, run the court, move well without the ball, pass crisply and finish well with either hand around the rim.  Shooting range appears to be the only question but the rest of her game was so impressive, she is a major league recruit regardless.  

2026

Kelsi Andrews, 6-3, center, FBC United 10th (Hazel Green High School, Alabama)

Strongly built post coming back from major surgery on each knee, Andrews moved well (without knee braces) in finishing around the rim.  Injury has essentially had her out for the last two high school seasons.

Addison Bjorn, 6-2, guard, All Iowa Attack – 10th (Park Hill South High School, Missouri)

Although on the national scene for some time, Bjorn impresses first time observers quickly.   Quite tall and athletic, she is a guard moving very well playing with or without the ball with great energy and passing well.  For scoring she is more attack the rim than shoot the three. 

Macy Comito, 5-8, point guard, All Iowa Attack – 10th (Carlisle High School, Iowa)

As point guards go, Comito has presence with medium-solid build and above average IQ giving the observer the impression of command of the situation. She can shoot the three.

Ariyana Cradle, 5-7, point guard, United Family 10th (Westerville North High School, Ohio)  

Cradle sees the court well as lead guards go. Her handles are above average and can shoot the three be it not option one. To her credit, she has fought back to overcome serious injury early in her high school career.

Autumn Fleary, 5-8, point guard, Team Takeover 10th (McDonogh School, MD, transferring to Sidwell Friends School, DC) 

Fleary is a point guard who is quick, has handles, can assist, or score herself. She is also very active on D. 

Chamiah Francis, 6-3, post, Miami Suns Select 10th (Booker T Washington High School, Florida)  

Strongly built, Francis is a warrior in the lower paint willing to battle physical opposition.  There is no backing down.

Sanai Green, 6-0, small forward, Elevate Elite 10th (Steward School, Virginia)

Muscular in build possessing power with purpose, Green played with more energy than when I last saw her in 2023.  She showed an ability to score at all three levels also willing to involve teammates.

Maddyn Greenway, 5-8, guard, North Tartan – 10th (Providence Academy, Minnesota) 

Greenway is non-stop movement looking to score as option one. In watching her during the club season, I thought she was making more of an effort to share the ball.

Olivia Jones, 6-0, guard, Exodus NYC – 10th (Long Island Lutheran [Lu Hi], New York)

Jones was a reserve on LuHi’s super team the last two years. The talk was she was a major league prospect waiting her turn as she proved this summer with an all-around perimeter game. LuHi may not be at last’s year’s level, but they should still be a factor on the national scene.

Ashlyn Koupal, 6-3, power forward, Sanford Sports Black 10th (Wagner Community High School, South Dakota)

Koupal is one of the best prospects to come out of her state in recent years.  With a medium-solid build, she moves well and can score at all three levels.

Natalie Kussow, 5-11, guard, Wisconsin Lakers 10th (Arrowhead High School, Wisconsin)

Kussow had a huge summer starring in event after event scoring off the catch and off the bounce. She led her lead to within a point of taking the 10th grade division.  Previously known more regionally, I think she is now considered one of the better combo guards in the entire 2026 class.

Alyvia McCorkle, 5-8, shooting guard, Mac Irvin Fire Godfather 10th (Bettendorf High School, Iowa)

With a sturdy build, McCorkle showed she can stick the three but also attack the basket to keep the opposition honest.

Kamora Pruitt, 6-2, forward, Team Lex 10th (DeSoto High School transferring to Legion Prep, Texas)

Having watched her since entering high school maybe a couple of times per year, Pruitt seems to be playing harder with improving skills (can score in paint and step out for the three).

Olivia Vukosa, 6-4, center, Philadelphia RISE – 10th (Christ the King High School, New York)

Just returning from the FIBA U17’s in Mexico where she starred for Croatia, ‘Big O’ (as she is known in the club world) may not have been at her best offensively in Rock Hill, but her ability to alter shots and rebound in the key still made her a force to reckon with.  At the end of the championship game, she ran down a missed shot along the baseline that led to the winning foul shots by Jordyn Palmer.

2027

Sabrina Anderson, 5-7, point guard, Elevate Elite 10th (The Potomac School, Virginia)

Of medium-solid build, Anderson has solid handles but looks to shoot the three (and does it well) more than drive to score.  “Hold on to ball first and look to score second” seems to be her M.O.           

Jalynn Belton, 5-11, wing, Miami Suns Select 10th (Miami Country Day, Florida)

Strongly built, Belton is an above average three-point shoot with decent athleticism.  She is showing that she is one of the best in Florida’s 2027 class.  

C’India Dennis, 5-5, point guard, FBC United – 9th (Creekside High School, Georgia)

Dennis continues to impress in making good decisions to run a team of quality players as she helped her squad win the 9th grade division. As to scoring, she can drive or shoot the three.

Love Forde, 6-2, post, Maurice Lucas Enforcers – 9th (Adrienne C Nelson High School, Oregon) 

Thickly built, Forde is decently mobile and skilled, scoring in the paint.  She can put the ball on the floor some and finds her way to the rim.  Other posts on her team may have more upside (greater mobility) but she is the furthest along.

Sydney Marshall, 5-11, shooting guard, CyFair Elite - 9th (Kincaid School, Texas)

With medium-solid build, Marshall plays hard and demonstrated driving and perimeter shooting as a wing player of good size.   

Haylen McElhiney-Ayers, 6-1, guard, TN Flight Silver 10th (University School of Jackson, Tennessee)

I have heard about this player for years but never seen her play a full game until this Rock Hill event.  Considered by many one of the very top in her class, she is long in build and can score at all three levels, generally taking appropriate shots.

Addison Medeck, 6-3, post, ETG Midwest – 10th (Papillion-La Vista South High School, Nebraska)

Medeck was playing up a year and although not highly productive during my viewing, her height, strength, and mobility in the key gave this observer the sense major Division 1 programs should be monitoring her maturation.   

De’Andra Minor, 6-0, guard/forward, Pro Skills 10th (Universal School – Domestic; plays for Grind Prep, Oklahoma) 

Above average athletically, Minor can create a shot with driving to the rim appearing to be option one.

Sydney Mobley, 6-3, power forward, WV Thunder 9th (Olentangy High School, Ohio)

Mobley may well be the best 2027 in Ohio. She is strong, mobile with the ability to score at the rim left or right as well as further up the key.

Micah Ojo, 6-1, guard/forward, YKS – 9th (Princess Anne High School, Virginia)  

Above average athletically with a good motor, Ojo can dominate some games by hitting the glass with great timing and others by just moving without the ball helping others to get open.  She is probably more driver than perimeter shooter, but that skill must still be respected.  She plays for one of the best Virginian high school teams over the last decade or two but one which (at its own choosing) rarely leaves Southern Virginia.

2027 Micah Ojo (PC: NCAA)

Jordyn Palmer, 6-2, forward, Philadelphia RISE 10th (Westtown School, Pennsylvania)

Palmer was the leading scorer for the Rise in winning the division championship game. She has become a lethal baseline driver to add to her scoring in the paint. All told she is one of the top players in the 2027 class.

Giaunni Rogers, 5-8, shooting guard, FBC United – 9th (Saint Francis High School, Georgia)

Scoring 22 points in winning the 9th grade final, Rogers would have been our pick for final game MVP.  She can drive but shooting the three is her number one choice.

Maddie Vickery, 6-1, forward, Missouri Phenom – 9th (Washburn Rural High School, Kansas)

Vickery has bounce to her gait with some ‘ups’ to boot with an inside/outside game.  She plays for one of the better high school programs in Kansas but as schools from that state rarely travel [restricted to a great extent by State Association], few outside Kansas and those recruiting Kansas have heard of it.       

2027 Maddie Vickery (PC: NCAA)

2028    

Justine Alexander, 6-0, small forward, CP3 Flames – 9th (Concord Academy, North Carolina)

Alexander is an above average athlete who can attack the glass but also shoot the three.

Love Best, 5-6, point guard, Maurice Lucas Enforcers 9th (Tualatin High School, Oregon)

Best has well above average basketball IQ and feel for the basket.  However, she is still not filled out and lack of strength shows at times leaving shots short.   

Ari Flies-Peterson, 6-1, small forward, All Iowa Attack 9th (Minnetonka High School, Minnesota) 

Flies-Peterson is an above average athlete who can shoot the three playing in wing to baseline area.  Due to her height, she can also help out in the paint.

2028 Ari Flies Peterson (PC: NCAA)

Jordyn Haywood, 6-0, guard, Missouri Phenom 9th (Mary Institute Saint Louis Country Day School, Missouri)

Hayward has a chance to be one of the better players in this class.  She has height, decent athleticism, driving ability with body control and can shoot the three.  She just needs time to put all of the skills together.  

Momo Moore, 5-5, point guard, AEBL 9th (Chattanooga Christian School, Tennessee)  

Moore may be on the small side, but she is quick, understands the game and can shoot the ball.

Arianna Robinson, 5-10, guard, Pro Skills 10th (Plano East High School, Texas)  

Above average athletically, Robinson is impressive in multiple ways. She sees the court well aiding others to score.  She can also create a shot for herself.  Robinson is likely one of the best guards in Texas for the 2028 class.   

2028 Arianna Robinson