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Kaleena Smith, the top ranked player in 2027, extends for a bucket against United Mission in Bryan, Texas. *All photos courtesy of adidas 3SSB.

 

BRYAN, Texas – As the ProspectsNation.com team zig zags the country watching the nation’s best, the April viewing weekend brought us just outside College Station for the adidas 3SSB Session I before heading west to the Elite Is Earned Spring Invitational in Roseville, California.  

Here are some takeaways from Session I 3SSB.

 

Returning Champs Rolling

7 Days out of Southern California, put the country on notice that they are one of the top team’s in the country, again.  After winning 3SSB in 2025 there’s an argument that this group, still lead by No. 1 ranked Kaleena Smith of Perris, California, is one of the best in the country again in 2026.

While Smith and returning forward Brieana Brown of San Diego, California, both in the class of 2027, provide experience, 7 Days has an influx of young talent making a huge impact.  Chloe Jenkins of La Puente, California, was a stat sheet stuffer at guard.  She’s a threat for double digit points, assists or rebounds on any given game.  Add fellow class of 2029 guard Jordan Brown of San Diego, California, who was lethal from long range, and the perimeter depth was unmatched with all three averaging double digits.  This influx of talent also allows 7 Days to pressure defensively. 

Smith did Special K things as always with efficient scoring and a 2.1 assist to turnover ratio and providing the confidence and poise that other teams have spent years trying to counter.  Jordan Brown shot nearly 54-percent from 3-point range while grabbing 10 steals in four games.  Jenkins was three rebounds from averaging a double-double.

 

Eve Long Explodes

Eve Long explodes for 52 points.The Wooden quote “Be at your best when your best is needed” certainly fits for Eve Long of Olathe, Kansas. Long and her Southwest Select squad faced off with the defending champs, 7 Days on the final day of Session I.  Long exploded for 52 points, finishing more than 62-percent of her shots and converting 15 of 16 from the free throw line.  It’s hard to believe she only grabbed six rebounds but when you’re not missing it makes more sense.

Southwest Select would need all of that to keep pace with 7 Days, falling behind by 10 early and fighting to close the gap before falling 91-82.  Reminiscent of last spring’s showdown between 7 Days and Southeast All Stars where Smith and Kate Harpring went blow for blow, this matchup could be the best game we see on any circuit all year.

Long would get help from Oklahoma commit Finley Chastain of Celina, Texas, who scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers, and added five assists and four rebounds.  But 7 Days depth of scoring was just too much to overcome.  Smith finished with 30 points, including a perfect 10 for 10 from the free-throw line, while adding seven assists and 7 rebounds.  Jordan Brown added 24 points, shooting 7 for 11 from long range while Jenkins added 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

If we’re luck we’ll get this rematch at the end of July at the 3SSB championships.

 

NW Greyhounds Running Strong

Ramiyah Jackson of NW Greyhounds.When you graduate one of the nation’s most dominant players like NW Greyhounds did with Oliviyah Edwards (South Carolina commit), you expect a drop off.  Instead, the Pacific Northwest group brough a deep roster that cruised to a 4-0 record at 17U with an average margin of victory of 18 points.

While they don’t have a top 25 player on the 17U roster, there’s plenty of talent.  The Greyhounds had seven different players score in double figures while playing ferocious defense.

Down the line the program has two of the top scorers in 16U with 2028 Dilyn Johnson of Bellevue, Washington, and 2029 Lucia Mayorquin of Renton, Washington, both over 20 points per game after Session I. 

 

No Hassel Without Hassell

Charlotte McCurry of United.Lady Phenom United got some tough news this spring with No. 11 ranked Lauren Hassell of Clarksville, Tennessee, undergoing surgery on her ankle.  Without their star forward the opportunity to step up was seized by 2027 guard Zoe Coleman of Pickerington, Ohio, and 2029 guard Charlotte McCurry of Elizabethtown, Kentucky.  McCurry led the team in scoring with 12.3 points per game with Coleman a close second at 12 points per contest.  The team also got good play out of do everything point guard Kennedy Stamper.

 

This group went 3-1 with the only loss being a two-point loss to ETG Midwest after Addison Medeck finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds for ETG.  With three class of 2029 players – McCurry, Ja’Kyiah Cook and Mychael Hanson – clocking major minutes, this Lady Phenom United team could be a tough out in the summer with more time together.

 

AROUND THE RIM

Nation Williams (Las Vegas, Nevada), of Lady Prospects Elite continues to impress.  She scored 19.4 points and grabbed 11.2 rebounds per game, notching the only double-double average at the 17U division for Session I

Take note of 2029 forward Peyton Frazier (Lithonia, Georgia) of Team Elite 15U exploded for 25.5 points and 9.5 rebounds, leading her team to a 3-1 finish.  The 6-2 prospect led the 15U Division in scoring and finished 3rd in rebounding.

Ella Watts of SAS.Treyana Ritter (Grand Junction, Colorado) is a 2030 playing 15U with Hardwood Nation.  We had her at camp and could see this coming.  She led this young team to a 4-0 finish behind 17.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game.  Do we really have to wait four more years for her to be in college?

Avery Arije (Mississauga, Ontario) of United Mission has the defending 16U champs off to a solid start in 17U.  She is a Swiss Army Knife that can play on or off the ball.  A new Canadian to track is 2028 Puneet Deol(Surrey, British Columbia) of AthELITE 17U.  She averaged 15.3 points and 5.8 rebounds as a hybrid wing-forward.

Ella Watts (Huntsville, Michigan) of Southeast All Stars 16U started the weekend off with purpose, scoring 20 points in a 50-46 win over Southwest Select.  Her teammate, 2030 guard Claire Stoops (Bradenton, Florida), playing up several years, had a breakthrough with 17 points and 4 rebounds against Lady Phenom United to close out the weekend.  It was a great bounce back after a box-and-1 scheme slowed her on Saturday.

A’zyua Blair (Arcola, Texas) led her FAM Hoops 17U squad to a 4-0 record.  She went for 20-plus twice and averaged 16 points per game over Session I.

 

Chris Hansen is managing editor of ProspectsNation.com and serves on the McDonald’s All-American and Naismith Trophy selection committees.  He was a co-founder of and the national director of scouting for ESPN HoopGurlz from 2005 until 2012 and is the director of the Check Me Out Showcase and ELITE is EARNED events.  He can be reached at chris@chrishansenbasketball.com.