With ingrediants from most of the Dallas County high schools, the Shadowhawks have cooked up a summer basketball program that gives local girls a chance to compete and win against some of the toughest players in the state.

With three teams in Amateur Athletics Union (AAU) play, the Shadowhawks offer a competitive summer environment for players 16- and -under and of different skill levels.

“No kid is turned away if they are referred by their coach,” said George Wood, a coach and club contact. “We’ll find a place for them to play.”

The program, though costly, is covered by sponsorship dollars.

“No kid is ever required or even asked to pay for this program,” Wood said. “We only ask that their parents send money for their food when we travel.

We sometimes even cover that.”

Despite the open door policy, the Shadowhaks have done well in 16- and -under, 15- and -under and 13- and -under competition.

“Most (of the competition) are power teams, put together from all over,” Wood said. “We’ve got as good a program as anyone in the state.”

This season, the Shadowhawks backed that up on the court.

The 16- and -under team finished third in the state tourney last week.

The other two squads finished in the top six in the state.

“The deal is you show up for practice and we’ll promise to make a basketball player out of you,” Wood said.

The Shadowhawks are a regular melting pot of girls basketball.

The three teams had players from from Selma High School, Selma Middle School, School of Discovery, Morgan Academy, Tipton Middle School, Southside High School, Dallas County High School, Keith High School, Meadowview Christian, R.C. Hatch and Marion High School.

There were 33 players on the three teams combined.

Though when they meet as high school foes they are bitter-rivals, Wood said the players mesh together well over the summer.

“In all honesty we have never really had a problem,” Wood said. “They want to kill each other on the floor (in the regular season) but they’re best of friends off of it.

What they’ve found is they all love basketball.”

The 16- and -under team was led by a pair of Selma High stars in the state and sub-state round.

Kim Wilson averaged 20 points per game in the tournaments and Saints teammate Santana Seay averaged 10 points per game. Meadowview Christian’s Haley McIntyre averaged 13-points per game.

In 15-and-under play, R.C. Hatch’s Vanecia Dudley and Keith’s Erica Lumpkin led the way with 17 and 14 points per game respectively.

In 13-and-under play, CHATT Academy’s Gabrielle Goudy and Jasmine Yates led the way along with Morgan Academy’s Laura Lee Logan.