“The Classic” Review (Part 4)
Last weekend was an incredibly busy time for me, as I travelled to Louisville Friday, back to Westfield for Saturday’s action, only to return to Louisville again Sunday. Being from Indiana, I spent my time watching several Indiana teams and…
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Continue ReadingLast weekend was an incredibly busy time for me, as I travelled to Louisville Friday, back to Westfield for Saturday’s action, only to return to Louisville again Sunday. Being from Indiana, I spent my time watching several Indiana teams and prospects I had yet to see, plus I checked in on some kids I felt like I needed to view one more time. I also spent some time watching several non-Indiana teams. Below is a look at six non-Indiana prospects in the classes of 2022 and 2023 who I thought played well Friday & Sunday at The Classic in Louisville, Kentucky, when I was able to see them in action.
Isabella Dudley, 2022, 5-7 G, Shiloh H.S. (IL), Indiana Elite S.W.I.S.H. 15U
This was my first time seeing/hearing about Isabella, and I felt like she was the calming force on this S.W.I.S.H. team. She is a wiry strong guard, a solid on-the-floor athlete, and she seems to be dialed in at all times and doesn’t panic under pressure. She has good ball skills and can play point guard at times, managing the game well, but she’s also strong enough to play off the ball, and she can knock down open jumpers when in rhythm. She is a really nice all-around basketball player, and if she can get just a little more explosive, that will certainly help her recruiting.
Mackenzie Fountain, 2022, 5-4 G, Jeffersonville H.S. (IN), Sky Digg Elite South-Phillips 15U
I know Mackenzie is from Indiana, but I accidentally omitted her the other day and wanted to make sure I included her. Mackenzie is a blur on the court. She is extremely quick/fast, and she flies around the floor with reckless abandon. She has really good length for her size, and she is definitely an energy kid who can make plays with her athleticism that other players just can’t. She will need to rein it in a little and understand how to change speeds and sense tone in the game, because the only speed she knows is 100 miles per hour. But, I would rather have to slow someone down than get them to play harder/faster. She has a lot of potential because of her physical ability, it will just be a matter of if/when her skillset and understanding match that talent.
Chance Gray, 2022, 5-8 G, Lakota West H.S. (OH), Sports City U 17U
Chance is one of several talented youngsters on a loaded Sports City U 17U team. She has a wiry strong, athletic frame, she’s very quick/fast for her build, and she is a run & jump athlete who moves very well in all directions. She has solid ball skills and will be a point guard long-term, but she still does need to understand situational basketball a little better. She has a natural feel for the game, but at this elite level everything moves faster, and she’s just young right now. She might still grow another inch or two, and if that happens, watch out. She is going to draw a great deal of Division-I interest throughout the Summer, and I expect her “list” to continue growing until she eventually commits somewhere, whenever that is.
Cotie McMahon, 2022, 5-10 W, Centerville H.S. (OH), Sports City U 17U
I don’t remember seeing Cotie with them in Fort Wayne in early April, but wow did she make an impression on me last week. She is a tremendous athlete, with a great deal of bounce to go along with her speed/quickness. She has a great frame, with broad shoulders, length, and muscle tone already. Offensively, she is primarily a slasher, but she can use her athleticism and strength to go by defenders, and her bounce to finish at the rim. She will need to add a consistent jumper over the next couple of years, but her mechanics aren’t terrible. I would probably call her a slashing ‘3’ offensively. Defensively, though, is where she is exceptional right now. She can defend forwards, wings, and even point guards. In their matchup with Indiana Elite Thunder, she stayed right with, and at times frustrated, 5-4 water-bug Kristian Young (2020) of Lawrence North. That’s no slight to Kristian; it just shows you how athletic Cotie is. Cotie has started to see a slew of High-Major Division-I offers roll in this Spring because of her strong play.
Grace VanSlooten, 2022, 6-2 F, Notre Dame Academy (OH), Sports City U 17U
Grace rounds out the current 2022 class for Sports City U, and she might end up being the best prospect of the bunch. She has long legs, long arms, a wiry strong frame, and she runs the floor North/South fairly well. She has tremendous skill, she can handle the ball like a guard, and she definitely shoots it like a guard…she has good mechanics and gets it away quickly. The reason I have her listed as a forward, is that she still needs to work on playing lower, and she needs to improve her lateral mobility…I’m not sure she’ll defend guards/wings at the next level the way it stands right now. But she could be a tremendous matchup problem as a highly skilled face-up ‘4’ or a big ‘3’ in a zone scheme. I really like her offensive potential and versatility, and she still might be growing.
Rylee Sagester, 2023, 5-6 PG, Tri-Village H.S. (OH), Dayton Lady Hoopstars Black 14U
Rylee is a nice, young point guard prospect with a promising future. She has really good length, she is a solid athlete in all directions, and it seems like she has a very good feel for the position as a youngster. What stood out the most to me, was it always seemed like she was making shots. I have a coaching friend who calls me looking for “makers”, not shooters, and she appeared to be a “maker”. She will need to get stronger, maybe tighten her handle just a little, and I think she can develop into a nice college prospect over the next four years.