ROCK HILL, South Carolina – The 2025 adidas 3SSB girls circuit finished in exactly the way you’d expect if you followed the rest of the season – an overtime thriller with two of the country’s best players dueling to the finish.
Kaleena Smith, the electric guard from Perris, California, led all scorers with 22 points while chipping in seven assists to lift 7 Days to the 17U championship with a 57-56 win over Utah Lady Prospects. No points were more important than the free throws she hit with 11 seconds remaining to extend the lead to four because 7 Days would need every one of them.
Utah Lady Prospects guard Makenzie Jones attacked the basket and drew a foul for an And-1 to cut the lead to one with two seconds to play but they wouldn’t see another possession.
It was that type of tournament for the Lady Prospects. In the quarterfinal round against Lady Phenom United, a game that went back and forth like a heavyweight boxing match, the Prospects held a one-point lead with possession and just seconds left, only to turn the ball over and give United a last chance. But Prospects’ star Nation Williams would slam that door shut, creating a turnover to close out the game.
Their semifinal matchup against NW Greyhounds and Oliviyah Edwards went down to the wire.
It was that stretch run for Lady Prospects that was the theme of the whole season, with marquee matchups leading to amazing finishes.
For 7 Days, Smith did not pull off the championship alone. Aryn Finley went six straight games in double figures. Brieana Brown was a force on the glass, grabbing 10 rebounds in the championship. In the first round it was a 14-point, 5-rebound effort from Emilia Krstevski that helped 7 Days shake off a stingy Hardwood Elite team.
17U Championships:
Champions : 7 Days
Runner Up : Utah Prospects
3rd Place: Northwest Greyhounds
In the 16U Championship Division. Other than a one-point win in the quarter finals over Full Package, the championships were all about Sol United. The Canadian group was spectacular all spring and summer. The scoring and all-around play of Avery Arije led the way, leading Sol United in scoring and rebounding. They needed every one of her 18 points and 4 rebounds to advance to the semifinal. From there it was smooth sailing. Arije had plenty of help. Amaya Robinson averaged in double figures in Rock Hill with Gabrielle Fajemirokun among the best rebounders on the circuit. The team has great guard depth too with Dinara Horsford and Stella Evans making major contributions.
16U Championships:
Champions : Sol United
Runner Up : Minnesota Stars
The 15U championship game was a battle between two of the division’s top players going back and forth. A 31-point, 9-rebound performance from Saniah Jones would lift Della Lamb past Always 100. The 66-59 win was far from easy as Always 100 got terrific games from Janaya Cooper, 26 points and 4 rebounds, and McKenzie White, 14 points, 10 rebounds. Always 100 would cut the Della Lamb lead to five twice in the fourth quarter but Jones scored 12 of her game-high 31 points in the final quarter.
15U Championships:
Champions : Della Lamb
Runner Up : Always 100
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCES
Syvannah Dawson of Elevate Elite was on a roll in Rock Hill. She finished second in the five-day championships in scoring at 23.1 points per game, lifting her squad to the Sweet 16. She was lights out from beyond the arc in Rock Hill, shooting 48.4-percent on 31 attempts from long range.
A’Zyua Blair of Fam Elite was terrific at the Palmetto Road Championships. Her opening game of the tournament was a cool 25 points. She would score in double figures in all seven games. She was also on fire from deep, connecting on 47.6-percent of her attempts in the championships.
Karisma Lewis of Team Norcal was in double figures in six of her seven games, including a 22-point outburst against Metro Stars and a 19-point, 8-rebound, 3-assist game against Sol United.
Brynli Pernell of Next Level came into the championships as one of the league’s top 3-point shooters. Rock Hill she took her accuracy up a notch, converting on 25 of her 52 attempts from behind the arc.
ALL CIRCUIT AWARDS
17U 3SSB CIRCUIT AWARDS
MVP: Kaleena Smith – 7 Days
DEFENSIVE MVP: Lauren Hassell – Lady Phenom United
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Ogechi Okeke – Fam Elite
NEWCOMER – Danyella Mporokoso – M14Hoops
FIRST TEAM – LeeLee Bell (Minnesota Stars), Oliviyah Edwards (NW Greyhounds), Kate Harpring (SE All Stars), Eve Long (SW Select), Nation Williams (Lady Prospects)
SECOND TEAM – Gigi Battle (CFE), Dakhari Blankumsee (Next Level), Myah Epps (Always 100), Lauren Hassell (Lady Phenom United), Bella Ragone (SE All Stars)
16U 3SSB CIRCUIT AWARDS
MVP: Avery Arije – Sol United
DEFENSIVE MVP: Sutton Villa – Lady Prospects
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Leah Dukes – NY Gauchos
NEWCOMER – Ella Watts – SE All Stars
FIRST TEAM – Jordan Janae Brown (7 Days), Jaliyah Diggs (Metro Stars), Lulu Giometti (Bay City), Lily McCracken (Hoop Code), Finley Parker (SE All Stars)
SECOND TEAM – Geralynn Byers-Veal (SW Select), Jakyiah Cook (Lady Phenom United), Ginny Anne Dumont (SE All Stars), Gabrielle Fajemirokun (Sol United), Charlotte McCurry (Lady Phenom United)
15U 3SSB CIRCUIT AWARDS
MVP: Saniah Jones – Della Lamb
DEFENSIVE MVP: Kolbi Brooks – Hoop Code
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Hannah Waite – Lady Prospects
NEWCOMER – Jordan Corbin – Lady Push
FIRST TEAM – Janaya Cooper (Always 100), Aaliyah Givens (7 Days), Chloe Jenkins (Hoop Code), Lucia Mayorquin (NW Greyhounds), Claire Stoops (IBC)