Video evaluations: 2023s to watch, part 2
With AAU basketball on hiatus, and no timetable in place for a resumption of play, we have launched our video evaluations series. This is installment #2. The goal is to provide players with exposure while offering some analysis of their…
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Continue ReadingWith AAU basketball on hiatus, and no timetable in place for a resumption of play, we have launched our video evaluations series. This is installment #2. The goal is to provide players with exposure while offering some analysis of their game based both on highlight videos and previous viewings. In cases where we have limited familiarity with the player I’ll do some additional digging to learn more. It didn’t take long to see the value of this approach when looking at freshman Cassidy Shute of Austin.
Cassidy Shute – combo guard, Austin
I have never seen Cassidy play – at least not that I can recall. She started the year as primarily a JV player for the Packers before working her way into the varsity picture and becoming Austin’s most improved player this season. In speaking with her coaches and teammates it’s not hard to see why: Shute is a workhorse. She goes hard in every drill, plays with maximum energy and puts in a ton of work on her own. It shows. The 5’7 combo guard attacks the basket off the dribble drive and has a nice pull-up jump shot from mid-range. She can also shoot the three. She’s got long strides and seems to handle the ball well under pressure. Cassidy just needs game experience. She’ll play AAU this summer for Air Minnesota out of Rochester. Next winter we’re told she’ll have the opportunity to earn a spot in Austin’s starting lineup. Stay tuned.
Averill Sehr – point guard, Luverne
When I saw Averill play in person I loved her energy. Watching her season highlights, I loved it even more. She hustles all the time, goes for every loose ball and plays with aggression. At just 5’4 Sehr is small, but she plays much bigger than her measurements and has no fear of contact. Averill is an unselfish player with great court vision. That’s a deadly combination for a point guard who can make good decisions and pass with precision. The lefty also has plenty of range but can take it to the hole and finish in traffic, including with a very nice little floater. She’s an excellent perimeter defender who anticipates well, gets a finger or two on the ball with high frequency, and creates plenty of opportunities to score in transition.
Ava Privet – guard, Caledonia
Shooter! If we could only use one word to describe Ava Privet that would be it. The 5’9 combo guard has plenty of length with a thin build and deceptive athleticism. She is a legitimate three-point threat all the way around the arc. I love the way she launches the long bomb and pauses for just a second to savor the moment when the ball splashes through the cylinder, like a home-run hitter admiring his handiwork is the ball sails over the wall in left center field. Ava also has a nice pull-up game, creating her own opportunity off a couple of dribbles, often finishing with a nice runner off the bounce with either hand. Privet is a two-year varsity regular who can produce, as her six-triple, 28-point game against Jackson County Central this winter will attest.
Aalayah Wilson – guard, Osseo
Aalayah is a bulldog, a downhill driver who pounds her way to the basket through traffic with superior strength and the ability to finish through contact. With a thicker build, and plenty of power, Wilson isn’t shy about taking on defenders one-on-one in tight quarters, but she also has range and can step outside and knock down shots, as well. The 5’8 guard has quick hands, which makes her disruptive on the perimeter, where she forces turnovers off which scores a lot of easy transition buckets. Wilson played big minutes for Osseo varsity this year and averaged 10.5 points per game as a freshman. She’s got a ways to go but the future looks bright.