Stephanie Wood of Ganon Baker Basketball let the 40 campers at the Philadelphia stop of the Nike Skills Academy know right away it was going to be a hard few days, and indeed it was. The camp ran at high speed Friday night, but kicked into another gear Saturday when Baker, whose late plane caused him to miss a connecting flight, arrived the next morning.

Many of the East Coast’s top players - weighted heavily to the classes of 2009 and 2010, with a sprinkling of 2011 - were in attendance, and the competition was fierce throughout, even when eight hours of sleep wasn't enough to overcome the wear and tear of the four long sessions (one Friday, two Saturday and one Sunday).

This was just one of five such regional camps , leading up to the national Skills Academy in Beaverton, Ore., June 30-July 4.

OK, Hayley Peters (The Peddie School, N.J.) isn't the fastest girl in the gym, or the quickest. But she's a legit 6-1, a good shooter, a good passer and, as one of the smartest kids in one of the best high schools in the Northeast, she understands the game. All Peters does is make plays, over and over again. Even if she doesn't outrun anyone.

Trisha Liston (River Forest, Ill.) traveled the furthest to get to this camp, and the 5-10 wing didn't dazzle in the drill work - she lacked the raw athleticism of many of the perimeter players at the camp. But once the games started, Liston's shooting (outstanding) and her consistently high-quality decision-making stood out.

Alexa Gallagher (Elkins Park, Pa.) is a solid, steady, fundamentally sound player. At 5-11, she showed above-average post moves, and then stepped outside and started making jump shots. Gallagher won't wow with her athleticism, but she makes plays - and that's what the game's about.

Elizabeth Williams (Princess Anne HS, Virginia Beach, Va.) is a long, 6-0 forward looks better the longer you watch her. She can use her left hand, in part because she has big hands, but also because of her ability to get off the floor quickly, and jumps well - and also showed the finesse to make a sweet touch pass during one of the scrimmages.

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