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September 27, 2022We hosted our second annual Project & PERFECT Camp this past weekend in Mansfield, Texas which served the classes of 2026 and 2027 (with one 2028). Players came from all over the country - New York to California - for a couple days of teaching, drills, full court work, half court work, a 3X3 tournament, 1 on 1, and 5 on 5.
All photos by the incomparable Brittany Graham (IG: @itsbybritt). Have you seen her dope Foreverland clothing line? You can purchase photos from the camp HERE.
The HistoryJason Key coined the phrase “ Project [ /prəˈjekt/ ] & PERFECT [ /pərˈfekt/ ] ” when he and I used to discuss players after events or games. We were getting to know each other’s styles and preferences, etc. and how we thought, evaluated, and what made each other tick so to speak.
You see, Jason is fantastic at finding new players and seeing potential. I was coming out of the college game and my mind was framed in what I would describe as a “scouting report” mentality - see the players for what they are more than their potential (in terms of how I weighed each element and its relative importance). Obviously, projection is a part of things in recruiting, but the fact is, players generally do not far outgrow their habits and skills (yes, there are exceptions, but I’m talking the percentages here). In other words, by the time a player was in their junior summer, what you saw is very close to what you would get. I immediately saw players for their strengths and their deficiencies and weighed that with how I would have described them in a scouting report and/or how much they would have affected a game plan. I still do this to some degree, but due to experience in this industry and plenty of conversations and debates over time, I have been able to adapt my philosophy a little.
So, Jason would always say, “I find them and project (potential), and you want to take them to perfect (develop said potential).” And that’s how we started to refer to these kinds of conversations – Project & PERFECT. Catchy, no?
Ok that’s the backstory. The point is, we have a great TEAM. Teammates learn and adapt from each other and work hard to be their best. We had some potential and we have stayed diligent to try to reach it. We still have not .. but we will keep working.
What we want out of this weekend is an objective opportunity to evaluate some of the better up and coming players in the country. We create a schedule, matchups, teaching, court time, and some talks as a means to do just that. It will also help us curate our 2026 ESPN HoopGurlz Watch List which will come out in October.
The Weekend
We could not be prouder of how the weekend turned out. We had a top-notch staff which included:
Chelle Gunter – Years of Operations and Coaching Experience as well as a Hosting and Hospitality Expert
Kevina Lawrence – Years of Operations and Coaching | Texas Elite and Team Lex Admin
Katie Hensle – Former College and High School Coach | Successful Club Coach | McDonald’s All-American Committee Member | Naismith Trophy Selection Committee | ESPN HoopGurlz Consultant
Bre Taylor – University of Texas WBB Alumni, Austin Westlake Coach
Joyce Ekwaromadu – Texas State University WBB Alumni, Former Harlem Globetrotter, Skills Trainer and Club Director
(Joyce - carried by players. Bre - far right.)Michael Simmons – Published Author, Up Next Prospects
Jeremy Clark – Director of Texas Elite / Team Lex – Austin Branch
Jason Key – McDonald’s All-American Committee Member | ESPN HoopGurlz | College Coach Confidant
Shane Laflin – Former College Coach | McDonald’s All-American Committee Member | Naismith Trophy Selection Committee | ESPN HoopGurlz | 3Step Sports - Basketball
(RT to LT) Jason Key, Shane Laflin, and Katie HensleWe all prepared for our different roles and responsibilities, got on the floor to teach and observe, and had a great time doing so. It was a real Basketball Soul kind of weekend.
Once the players got comfortable, they brought great energy and attention to the floor. As Saturday went on, the competitiveness level gradually increased. By Sunday, they came ready to be themselves, be challenged, and compete.
To put it mildly, there was a ton of talent in the gym. There was size, there was skill, there was athleticism, there was strength, speed, and quickness .. and in a few rare cases – combinations of all of the above.
It is clear that these players have played on some competitive stages and that they all spend some time on their skills in various forms and methods. They carried themselves like hoopers – those who know, know.
For the most part, most of them were pretty good with the ball in their hands. Most were committed in some form or fashion defensively. Some of them saw the floor. Some were knock down shooters. Some had some serious shake off the dribble. A few really talked the game well. A few made others better. A few were three level scorers. A couple were real leaders. A couple have a chance to play this game for a very long time..
In reviewing the weekend, Project & PERFECT style of course, here are a few things these players need to begin to add to their overall game:
Precision Passing – timing, location, style || also being a good receiver (hands, eyes, body language)
Communication – say what you see!
Screening – both setting them and using them || also screener shape-up
Spacing – in transition and in the half court
Moving Without the Ball – purposeful and decisive movement || relocation out of actions or on drive
Details of Actions - Dribble-Hand-Offs || Screens || Ball Screens || Timing
Defensive Activity – active hands on ball, stance off the ball, moving when the ball/players move positionally
Jump Stop / Quick Stop – many drives to the basket ended up in awkward travels or dead dribbles because of lack of footwork and balance
Separation – if you are the best, do not be apologetic about it .. compete! If you are a leader .. don’t be shy!
Celebrating Others’ Success – be that contagious teammate and leader – it builds confidence in everyone, including you! This last mention is not a traditional skill per say, but it is an acquired mentality.
Resilience and Thirst for Knowledge/Experience: Players, especially the younger ones, need to understand that you learn from failure and the more challenging moments. If you are a good player, seek out the things that you do not know so you can learn. Part of learning is failure and finding out what you do not know. Part of competing is having that hunger to keep seeking out that knowledge and those challenges. You are all working hard, but are you competing? We talked about that at camp.
The Players
1 on 1 Queen of the Court Champion: Jessie Moses (2027 – PA)
3X3 Champions: Team 10:
(left to right)
Madison Crawford (2026 – TX)
Saania Khawaja (2027 – TX)
Tiera McCarthy (2027 – CA)
Isabella Ragone (2026 - GA)
3 Point Shooting Contest Champion: Charlotte Cavin (2027 – TX)
STARTING 5
Olivia Vukosa (2026 – NY)
Isabella Ragone (2026 – GA)
Caterina Ravosa (2026 – MA)
Rieyan Desouze (2026 – TX)
Atlee Vanesko (2026 – PA)
GOT NEXT
Jessie Moses (2027 – PA)
Eve Long (2027 – KS)
Amari Byles (2026 – TX)
Ryan Carter (2027 – PA)
Tiera McCarthy (2027 – CA)
STOCK RISING
Kyiah Prestridge (2026 – OK)
Yasmeen Schmidt (2026 – TX)
Gabrielle Vaughn (2026 – NJ)
Journee Jefferson (2027 – AR)
Trinity Boone (2027 – OK)
Xyanna Walton (2026 – IL)
Isabella Shumpert (2026 – CO)
Ashley MacCalla (2027 - NY)
Patience Simmons (2027 - TX)
Hadley Gravatt (2027 - KS)
Seleste Massey (2027 - TX)
Ambrosia Cole (TX)
SHOOTERS
Charlotte Cavin (2027 - TX)
Yasmeen Schmidt (2026 - TX)
Saania Khawaja (2027 - TX)
Catarina Ravosa (2026 - MA)
Isabella Ragone (2026 - GA)
Brooke Maupin (2027 - TX)
Kayli Kellogg (2027 - TX)
Jessie Moses (2027 - PA)
Kyiah Prestridge (2026 - OK)
Colleen Besachio (2026 - PA)
Hadley Gravatt (2027 - KS)
Xyanna Walton (2026 – IL)
SIZE WITH POTENTIAL
Olivia Vukosa (2026 - NY)
Belle Ratliff (2026 - TX)
Chanel Schuler (2026 - TX)
Azharia Johnson (2027 - TX)
MENTIONABLES (player evaluations by Jason Key)
2026
Madison Crawford (TX) - showed ability to create to the mid-range and shoot it out to the 3; pesky perimeter defender; member of 3x3 championship team.
Xaniyia Berry (TX) - skilled guard; showed vocal leadership abilities and quick thinker as a passer.
Sarah Brown (TX) - sneaky and explosive first step; crafty handle; couple of nice back-doors in 3v3 tourney - understands spacing and actions.
Reneyia Pickering (MD) - bully guard build and really hard to guard 1v1 off the bounce; high IQ and vision off the bounce.
Riley Segura (TX) - skilled, can really shoot it off the catch; sees the floor when getting downhill off the bounce.
2027Brielle Mays (KS) - solid size on the perimeter; penchant for making plays and shots; really good feel and IQ.
Jazlyn Rhodes (MO) - skilled and shifty off the bounce, really tough to stay in front of; creative finish/floater game when attacking the rim.
Aja Smith (TX) - smaller guard with some real shake off the bounce; really good chance of direction/pace to create to the rim.
Arielle Lopez (NY) - only played shortly on Saturday due a hurt ankle; shifty and skilled guard in a short glimpse.
Adrianna Drake (TX) - solid size and skill on the perimeter; showed vocal leadership abilities; knocked down multiple open shots.
Jalynn Staten (TX) - quick and shifty handles to get downhill; constant attack; blossomed as a communicator as the weekend went on.
Faith Etienne (TX) - good length and athleticism; just scratching the surface skill-wise - has a chance to really develop.
Finley Lemay (KS) - skilled with solid size on the wing; ability to knock down the open looks.
Sidney Durrah (TX) - instinctual and competitive defensively on the perimeter, makes opponents uncomfortable; plays downhill to the rim off the bounce.
Loren Green (NY) - skilled guard; fluid and confident offensive player
Payton Gloster (TX) - one of the better athletes at the camp; good size on the perimeter; chance to really blossom as shot develops; rebounds well as a guard.
2028Payton Caudle (AR) - a ton of potential here; you could feel her soaking it all up; all the fundamental makings with really good size as a potential guard/wing.
