Prospect Spotlight: Katie Currans (2021)
Gilbert was 16-6 last season and this upcoming season looks like it could be even better. While only losing two seniors off of the team, Gilbert returns their top five scorers. With Gilbert still being a relatively young team, they will look to their juniors for leadership. One player who fits that mold is Katie Currans. The 5’7 guard only scored 4.4 points a game last season but dished out 49 assists. When I saw Gilbert play last year, I thought that Currans might have been a bit passive with the ball, but already this AAU season I see her taking a huge step forward.
Currans is a vocal leader on the court and this past weekend at the Midwest Madness event, she played really well. Currans was spectacular handling the ball and managing the game. She plays with a ton of grit and has a high motor. She has a really solid feel for the game and court vision with the ball in her hands. I thought that she appeared to look to score the ball a little bit more and has the ability to get into the lane. Once she turns the corner she is very unselfish with the ball. Her added aggressiveness is something I love to see. While she isn’t going all out quite yet, she has been smart with the ball.
“I thought my high school season went fairly well this year, considering I missed my eighth grade and freshman year seasons of basketball due to injury,” Currans said. “I would say toward the beginning of the season I was a bit passive, I soon realized that wasn’t going to cut it and also made me realize I need to start scoring. Once I started pushing myself a bit more I realized I can be a playmaker and a scorer.”
While Gilbert is a much different team than her All Iowa Attack team, I can see Currans being the player to play on ball and find Hawthorne off of the ball to shoot it. The next step in Currans game is going to be showing the ability to consistently score the ball. She has the right mind set to play basketball at the next level, now all of the parts must run cohesively. Knowing Currans work ethic and her willingness to put in the work, she should cement herself this next season and firmly plant herself on the radar of colleges across the state.
Currans game isn’t built on her being more effective on offense, but is already cemented by her defense. She has quick hands and the ability to poke balls away from her man. Currans runs the floor well with and without the ball in transition leading to easy baskets. Even though there is a lot that Currans does well, she is still working hard at elevating her game.
“This summer I think I’m focusing mostly on pressured ball handling, efficient distribution of the basketball, and on my drive,” Currans said. “Being on the shorter side of some girls on the court I’m learning I have to be efficient. Whether that is dribbling through defenders, seeing plays before they happen and helping to make things flow, or finding my floater or drive against taller girls in the lane.”
Currans is looking forward to what basketball may hold for her future, and someday I know that she will make a college very happy if she chooses to go that route. Her work ethic and toughness sets her apart from others. Currans also takes a critical look at her game and knows her weaknesses and what she needs to work on.
“I’m still very new to the whole college recruiting process,” Currans said. “I find it exciting. I’m very eager to keep improving my game and to keeping my options open to what the rest of my basketball career may be.”