The 9th Annual Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational wrapped up on Monday. Nearly 200 teams attended from across the country as well as the state of Florida.
HSSportsFlorida staff writer Ross Van De Griek was on hand covering the event and here are five players who stood out from the event:
Morgan Cremen– Beachside (St. John’s)
The 5-8 junior point guard displayed her high IQ, where she was able to read plays before they happened on both ends of the floor. Cremen was able to connect on a few 3-pointers as well as finishing at the point of attack at the front of the rim. On the defensive end, she brought a strong knack for jumping the passing lanes where she turned steals into scores getting easy buckets at the front of the rim. Expect Cremen to gain some college interest from multiple schools before season’s end as she is one of the highest stock risers in the junior class.
Lena Girardi– Grandview Prep
The 6-1 senior small forward and Oklahoma State University signee was one of the most consistent scoring threats from the field. On Saturday against Folsom (California), Girardi finished with a game-high 31 points and seven assists in a 64-56 win. She also displayed great leadership on the floor, as well as providing elite rim protection.
Markeli Jones-Tynes– Westminster Academy
The 5-9 senior point guard and Robert Morris University signee continued showing signs of her unselfish leadership as well as doing an elite job getting her teammates involved on the offensive end. She showcased her natural three-level scoring threat as well as playing tenacious full-court defense making the opposition flustered on Saturday in the win against Charlotte.
Lillian Sanchez– Spruce Creek
The 5-5 sophomore point guard made a huge case to be one of the most underrated guards in the state for her class. Sanchez was very effective in the transition offense, whether it was finding teammates on the move or going coast-to-coast, finishing strong on either side of the rim. Sanchez also showcased her relentless defense, whether it was guarding on or off the ball.
Jayshlynn Vega– Central Pointe Christian Academy
The 5-6 senior point guard did a great job at initiating the offense as well as handling the basketball under pressure. She showed a ton of confidence in finishing at the front of the rim while being unafraid to score through contact. On the defensive end, she was very active in the passing lanes as well as doing an exceptional job rebounding from the lead guard position. Expect Vega to continue making a huge impact as the rest of the season rolls on as she has next-level potential.
