July AAU: 2021’s Under the Radar
Don Halling
In this article:
After observing the first two weeks of July AAU I have noticed some players that are playing at a high level and should be garnering more attention. Each player has skills that will translate to the college game and should be on the radar of coaches. Most of these are all girls I have covered in the past, but I wanted to recognize them with throwing this all into one article as they have earned that respect and repeat coverage with the way they have played in July.
- [player_tooltip player_id="123616" first="Kyleigh" last="Block"] is a 5’7 Guard from Villa Grove and the Aristocrats. Kyleigh started off by being the scrapper and tough player that her team needed her to be in the first sessions. But, as others struggled a bit to score they needed her to step up her offensive game and she came through. During the last Nike TOC session they were at Kyleigh was one of top scorers in the event, consistently putting up 15 or more points in a variety of ways. At her best, Kyleigh is going full speed and in constant effort and aggressiveness. When she does, she is going to make things happen.
- [player_tooltip player_id="194091" first="Addison" last="Scarlette"] is a 5’8 Guard from Sacred Heart Griffin and the Predators Lowis. Addison has shown off her athletic ability in the summer events and most importantly, showed how she can use that on the basketball floor. She can get out and run and used this well on the fast break but also to run down loose balls or get back on defense. Addison has a nice first step which she uses well to get past her defender and get into the lane. Addison can finish well, but was she most effective getting fouled and getting to the free throw line.
- [player_tooltip player_id="193909" first="Taya" last="Davis"] is a 5’7 Point Guard from Decatur MacArthur and the Sky Ice Elite. Taya has started to attract some attention with her speed and court vision but still does not have any official offers. She can handle it well enough to get where she wants on the floor and has outstanding vision and court sense. Taya does a good job of directing traffic with her team, knowing where they need to be so she can get them the ball.She is also a very good defender and has shown the quick hands and ability to be a pick pocket on the ball defender.
- [player_tooltip player_id="198678" first="Riley" last="Jenkins"] is a 5’8 Guard from Galesburg and the Heart of Illinois. Riley is a long defender that uses her wing span and height to disrupt opposing guards from getting off clean shots and passes. She sees the floor well as a point guard but is also a very deadly 3-point shooter. When Riley attacks the rim she is very hard to stop because she is just as likely to kick the ball out to a shooter or inside to a post, as she is take the shot herself. Her head is always up and reading the defense. If she does take the shot herself Riley has a nice array of floaters along with creative finishing moves at the rim. Riley can handle contact and will still finish the play.
- [player_tooltip player_id="123609" first="Tori" last="Standefer"] is 5’7 Combo Guard from Civic Memorial and the Kentucky Premier Robinson. Tori has been widely known as a defensive stopper in high school but has taken the AAU season to show off improved offensive skills. She has been able to score from behind the 3-point line and also at the rim. Tori has had multiple games over 20 points and has proven to be the go to option for her team. She has hit big basket after big basket for the Kentucky Premier club.
- Haley Stocklosa is a 6’0 Wing from Lincoln Way Central and IL Rockets Red. For me, possibly more than any other player I watched recently, Haley proved to be much more than advertised. Haley has elite level defensive ability that I was not aware of before. Not only does she have the build to be a stopper, she has the athletic talent to back that up. Haley has excellent speed and jumping ability which go hand in hand with being a great defender. Her game is not limited to one end of the floor as she demonstrated the ability to score off the catch and shoot along with getting to the rim off the bounce. Her team has plenty of talent and there is even more talent in the Chicago Metro area, but for me Haley is a player that may be under appreciated by some. College coaches should be watching her.
- [player_tooltip player_id="201759" first="Lauren" last="Livingston"] is a 5’7 Guard from Galesburg and the Heart of Illinois. Lauren has a nice repeatable jump shot with nice lift on her shot. She does a great job of using her lower half to create power which gives her deep range and a shot that does not require too many moving parts or effort in her upper body, which creates consistency. Lauren is not afraid to play inside where she has a knack for finding open lanes to the rim and has a nice turnaround/fade away jumper.
- Anaya Davis is a 5’10 Post from Althoff and the Phenom 17U Black. Anaya has been working hard to get herself back to full strength after a knee injury in the spring last year. She is a big bodied, strong post that uses her frame very well. Anaya can get shots off against taller posts because she is able to create space using her strength and quick feet. During her junior season she showed an ability to space the floor and hit the outside shot. Anaya is one that small schools should follow as her ability and motor would certainly be a nice addition for many teams.
- [player_tooltip player_id="158287" first="Quincenia" last="Jackson"] "Q" is a 6’1 Forward from Decatur MacArthur and the Sky Ice Elite. Q does and excellent job finishing around the rim. She catches the ball well and keeps it high so she can get shots off quickly. Q is very good at finding the soft spots for her guards to get her the ball. On the defensive end she excels at protecting the lane and contesting shots. Possibly the best skill Q has at this point is that she is an excellent rebounder who uses her length and athletic ability to control the defensive boards.
