SPRINGFIELD – The IMG Academy girls basketball team, loaded with multiple espnW Top 100 recruits, stormed past Long Island Lutheran with a 70-54 victory on Sunday at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield.
For five-star Tennessee commit Deniya Prawl, it was her first taste of the iconic five-day tournament — and the electric atmosphere lived up to the hype as she compared the roaring crowd in Blake Arena to a Friday night football game.
But the victory over a nationally ranked opponent made the experience even sweeter, giving Prawl and her team plenty of momentum for the rest of the season as they advanced to 14-3.
“It was a big win over a ranked team [that’s] over us,” Prawl said. “I think we played together as a team. Kelis [Fisher] had a good game as well. So, we’ll just continue to build on that and move forward.”
Four-star UConn commit Kelis Fisher put on a show, erupting for 28 points – sinking over half of her shots from the field (8-14), draining her lone three-point attempt, and going an impressive 11-of-12 from the free-throw line – in the victory.
By halftime, the Ascenders had built a 40-15 lead over Long Island Lutheran, leaving little doubt about the outcome. Still, the crowd remained packed, buzzing with anticipation for the next matchup featuring the No. 1 boys recruit AJ Dybantsa.
Prawl backed up Fisher’s standout performance as the team’s second-leading scorer, finishing with 13 points, three rebounds and an assist.
For IMG head coach Frank Oliver, Prawl’s talent is a daily reminder of her potential.
“She’s another young lady that has a unique skill set and her size to be 6’2″, and to be able to play the point, to play multiple positions and defend multiple positions,” Oliver said. “Super athletic. Can play above the rim, can shoot it. There isn’t really anything she can’t do offensively or defensively. So, sky’s the limit for her.”
Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, Prawl made the leap to Bradenton, Florida just before her junior year in search of bigger basketball opportunities. That bold move has paid off in great fashion as she’s already blossomed into a national sensation, and she’s not even through her second full season.
Last year, IMG battled their way to the Chipotle Nationals, where they clashed with powerhouse Montverde Academy. But their championship dreams were cut short in a tough loss.
That bitter taste of defeat still fuels Prawl and the team’s fire this season.
“Being there and feeling what I felt in that moment, especially me and the people that also returned, feeling what we felt, we all agreed that it’s not gonna happen again,” Prawl said. “So I’m just excited. I can’t wait to get back to that moment, and I know it’d be a different outcome this time.”
As she headlines one of Tennessee’s most promising recruiting classes in years, Prawl officially committed to the Lady Vols on November 11, signaling a fresh wave of hope for a program hungry to return to glory.
Once a powerhouse under the legendary Pat Summitt, Tennessee has struggled to recapture its championship ways, with no national titles — or even a Final Four appearance — since 2008. But Prawl is determined to change that narrative.
“I think we can do it all four years that I’m there,” Prawl said.
Prawl isn’t the only top-tier talent heading to Knoxville in 2025. The Lady Vols are assembling a powerhouse recruiting class, bolstered by commitments from several other top-50 recruits — including Jaida Civil, Lauren Hurst, and the Pauldo twins, Mia and Mya.
The chemistry with the Pauldo twins already runs deep for Prawl, who she shares a showcase championship with while playing for Overtime Elite.
“I think we gel really well together, we’re already really close,” Prawl said. “So I’m just excited to get there and get to play with them.”
