The Nike Girls EYBL is back in action with events in Indianapolis and Louisville beginning Thursday and continuing through Saturday.
This marks the circuit’s first action since the initial stop in Hampton, Va., at the end of April. These sessions lead into the championship next week in the Chicago area.
Here are five things to watch during this week’s events:
The undefeateds
Four teams enter the weekend at 5-0 after the first session: Cal Stars, Cy-Fair Shock, Team Elite and Team Takeover. Cal Stars and Team Elite will play in Indianapolis this week; Cy-Fair Shock and Team Takeover will play in Louisville.
Gold medalists
Aquira DeCosta and Christyn Williams – fresh off gold medals at the FIBA U18 3X3 World Cup in China last weekend – were scheduled to return to the court with their EYBL teams.
However, Williams, a 5-11 guard from Central Arkansas Christian (Little Rock) who is ranked as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2018 by ESPNw HoopGurlz will not be making the trip. She will be playing with the USA Basketball U19 World Cup team in Italy.
Aquira DeCosta (left) and Christyn Williams (second from right) are part of the EYBL (Photo: USA Basketball)
DeCosta, a 6-2 wing from St. Mary’s (Stockton, Calif.), is ranked as the No. 5 player in the Class of 2018. She led the Cal Stars during the first session at 13.8 points per game and 7.8 rebounds.
More Shock
Not only do the Shock boast the No. 1 player in the Class of 2018 in Williams, the roster also has the No. 2 player in Charli Collier.
Collier, a 6-5 forward who is committed to Connecticut, averaged 16.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in the first session. She is scheduled to be with the team for the EYBL events.
In three seasons at Barbers Hill High in Texas, she has started 102 games and posted 2,274 points, 933 rebounds, 134 assists, 165 steals and 247 blocked shots. As a junior, she averaged 23.8 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for a team that went 34-5.
Charli Collier (Photo: USA Basketball)
The youngster
Ashley Owusu is among a star group of 2019 prospects who are playing in the EYBL.
Owusu, a 5-9 guard from Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), is among the few 2019 players who are in their second season on the top circuit. Owusu played for Boo Williams after her freshman year in high school and enters this weekend as the team’s leading scorer at 14.6 points per game (among tops on the circuit). She also is averaging 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
Owusu has shown herself to be strong on the ball but also with a nice mid-range game. She is ranked No. 10 in the Class of 2019.
Among others to watch from the Class of 2019 is Samantha Brunelle, who is ranked No. 1, and Haley Jones, who is ranked No. 6.
Flame on fire
Alexandria Scruggs enters as one of the leading scorers from the first session at 15.8 points per game. She is ranked as the No. 7 guard in the Class of 2019.
Scruggs, a 5-9 guard from Trinity Christian in Fayetteville (N.C.), is playing for the Carolina Flames, who enter at 2-3. One of those losses was by a point to the Spiece Lady Gym Rats.