2020 Player Spotlight: Kaylen Evans

Coming off a 3^rd place finish in the Class 3A State Tournament with Nazareth Academy, Kaylen Evans is eager to take her game to a new level. “I think this past season we did a great job of opening a lot of eyes and really proving ourselves to people. Many people thought with Geary leaving and Metz leaving that we had no shot at State this year, but we ended up taking 3^rd. I think for me personally; I really had the opportunity to get my name out there and show that I am a player who can impact the game.” I couldn’t agree more with Kaylen’s assessment of herself as an impact player. The 5’8” Guard is strong with the ball and able to maneuver easily into the lane against most defenders. Using her strength, she can finish strong at the basket with contact. As for what Kaylen sees as strengths in her game, she says “I think some of my strengths are being able to come off a screen and make the right reads and setting my teammates up to get great shots. I have also been working hard on my defense, so that is becoming a strength as well.” While Kaylen’s most dominant aspect of her game may be making plays in the lane, I’m also really impressed by how well she shoots off the dribble. Whether in transition or running a half-court offense, she has a smooth shot with a quick release that can really make her dangerous. When I asked Kaylen what she is working on to improve this off-season with Example Sports AAU, she said “I need to work on being more patient and knowing when my team needs a bucket, and when to bring the ball back out. I am also going to be doing a lot of conditioning to work on my endurance.” Last season, Nazareth’s up-tempo offense caused a lot of problems for opposing teams, and Kaylen was a big part of that. What is going on in recruiting? “I currently have an offer from Northern Illinois University and one from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I also have some interest from Marquette, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Illinois, and Iowa.” Kaylen is an extremely tough player who is a ton of fun to watch. Her athleticism and size give her a physical advantage over most players, and her talent with the ball in her hands really take her to a different level. It will be very exciting to see how things progress over the next several months.