Harper Birdsong had a great sophomore season for Nansemond-Suffolk Academy on the hardwood this past spring, and a recent all-star accolade from a U.S. Junior Nationals event in Washington, D.C., is evidence she has not been idle since then.

Playing on the Boo Williams 15U Nike Elite squad against teams with high-level and Division I-caliber players, Birdsong was named to an all-star basketball team by opposing coaches at the U.S. Junior Nationals/Nike 17U National Championships.

Putting the accomplishment in perspective, Birdsong noted the honor came from among the six teams in her team’s pool, rather than among the more than 400 teams competing throughout the event across all age levels. Nevertheless, she said, “It was really cool.”

“She played very well, consistently, offensively and defensively,” said her team’s coach, Jonathan Wilson. “She made great decisions throughout each game.”

Her team went 3-2 in the event.

Adding to the meaning of the all-star recognition was that she said, “I got to play with the best talent I’ve ever played with.”

On top of that, she said, “You’re in front of the top coaches in the entire country.”

Being able to make the cut of the Boo Williams 15U Nike Elite squad was something she said she was lucky to have done, as it included talented players from both the private and public school systems in the area.

The D.C. tournament took place in late July, but the team has been playing since April, traveling to many places including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio and South Carolina.

In July, “We only had eight days off the entire month,” Birdsong said. Regarding the whole schedule, she added, “It was crazy busy, but it was worth every second of it.”