The Philly Freedom Stars, located in Philadelphia, PA, is a program on the rise. The program was founded by Ryan Garner (Program Director) and Miguel Perez in 2006. Since then, it's grown to over 22 Teams in the 2014 season, which includes 9 girls teams and 13 boys teams.
As stated by program director, Ryan Garner, "The sole purpose of the Philly Freedom Stars is to help each and every player in our Program attain a free or discounted College education at a reputable 4 year institution. We develop our Student-Athletes’ minds, bodies and characters through advanced training, elite competition, maximum exposure and mentoring."
Top Players
Ciarah Bennett - 2015
Anndrea Lloyd - 2016
Taiah Thornton - 2016
Julia Braungart - 2016
Danielle Tunstal - 2016
Aliyah Stephens - 2017
Amber Brown - 2017
Sydney Wagner - 2017
Brittany Garner - 2018
Natalie Rhine - 2018
Imani Lewis - 2018
Kayla Burnett - 2019
Taliyah Rahman - 2019
Myasia Jackson - 2019
Coming out of the 2014 AAU season, the program was led by unsigned senior 5'4 point guard Ciarah Bennett who's a tenacious small guard that's explosive and quick. An extremely athletic and a fierce competitor, she can get into the lane at will. This young lady has great body control and serious bounce, as well as being a great student. The 2016 class is led by a host of mid-major prospects that include Anndrea Lloyd, who's a 6'3 post that's big and has a agile frame. She plays back to the basket, but can face-up. Her mid-range shot is deadly, but can also shoot the three. She runs the floor and is a great rebounder as well as defends well. Taiah Thornton is a 5'6 point guard that's lightning fast & physical and a excellent floor general. She can get to the rim and is a relentless rebounder. She's also know for her excellent mid-range/long range shooting. She's a non-stop energy player that has nerves of steel, as well as a very coachable player. Julia Braungart is another quick and shifty 5'6 guard that can shoot the three. She runs the team and has unlimited shooting range. Julia thrives in big moments and is an excellent student. Rounding out the 2016 class is 6'0 wing, Danielle Tunstal. Her length and athleticism make her a dynamic wing prospect with the ability to play multiple positions (2 thru 4 positions), as well as defend the same positions. Her evolving offensive game makes her a weapon for sure. She, too, is an excellent student.
The Future
Aliyah Stephens heads the 2017 class, which again is loaded with mid-major prospects.. An outstanding athlete with a strong, athletic body. She gets to the rim and thrives in transition, which allows her to power past defenders in the half court setting. She's a solid mid-range shooter that can rebound and defend very well. The next top prospect in that class is 5'10 wing Amber Brown. A strong lefty with quickness, athleticism and runs like a deer, she's all business on the court. She's explosive into the lane and a great shooter once she gets going. Her versatility allows her to play the 1 thru 5 positions and she can defend all 5 positions. Rounding out the 2017 class is Sydney Wagner. A 5'7 guard lead guard that runs the show. She's a fearless defender with a smooth stroke from mid-range and deep. Crafty as a ball-handler, Sydney has great speed and great court vision. She excels in transition and finding people, which makes are an excellent set-up guard. The 2018 class has 3 top prospects led by Brittany Garner 6'3 post, Natalie Rhine 5'7 combo guard and Imani Lewis 6'1 wing. Garner's size makes her a top prospect in any state as well as a high major prospect. She can run like a guard and has the footwork and hands of a perimeter player. She's very agile and athletic. Her versatility allows her to play with her back to the basket and face-up. She's also an excellent ball-handler, yet powerful as a post defender and rebounder. Garner's a very special talent with a series of post moves, and can finish with either hand. Natalie is a smooth combo-guard with natural scoring ability. Known as a scorer that can knock down shots off the bounce or with her feet set. Imani is a nice size wing that has a dynamic game as a lefty. She works well inside, but can step out and cause problems on the outside. She's working hard to develop her outside shooting touch, but she can rebound with the best of them. Kayla Burnett leads the 2019 class as a 5'6 combo guard, that's special. She's smooth with a natural scoring ability and makes things look very easy. Kayla is a shifty ball handler that glides past opponents. She's also a great shooter off the bounce, who's nice handle allows her to find people as a willing passer. Taliyah Rahman is an aggressive 5'2 point guard with a tremendous scoring ability. Super quick and strong with the ball, she can also shoot the three and pass the ball with ease, but is also known as a defensive hawk. Myasia Jackson rounds out the 2019 class of special players. She's a 5'8 guard that's smooth, yet displays the ability to slash to the rim. She can shoot the three and is a crafty ball handler. She's makes things look easy with her ability to defend 4 positions. Another great shooter on the move, she still is able to find people with her passing.
Program Director Ryan Garner has stated "with the present stable of high school players and promising crop of Grassroots talent coming up, the Philly Freedom Stars will be a nationally competitive program for years to come and continue to produce quality PSA's on many levels."
Ryan feels strongly that "the GNBA is exactly the stage that we were looking for. Anytime you have the combination of elite level competition, a powerful network of affiliates and tons of college exposure, all in one national league, you have an exclusive and outstanding opportunity! We’re excited to be a part of it!”
Some of the signature moments from the 2014 season for the Philly Freedom Stars include:
- Their 13U and 14U Elite Teams won the Rumble in the Bronx Championships in 2014
- Their 14U Elite Team won the USJN Nike Jr National 14U Championship in 2014
2015 should be an exciting AAU season for the Philly Freedom Stars for sure!!!