EOT Shootout Day 3: Cal Stars 17U Red vs. Oregon Elite 17U Navy
On Day Three of the EOT NW Shootout in Pocatello, Idaho, two teams with different pasts but familiar roots clashed in that of Oregon Elite 17U Navy and Cal Stars 17U Red. The two clubs have familiar adversaries, as this…
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Continue ReadingOn Day Three of the EOT NW Shootout in Pocatello, Idaho, two teams with different pasts but familiar roots clashed in that of Oregon Elite 17U Navy and Cal Stars 17U Red. The two clubs have familiar adversaries, as this season, Cal Stars has four of the premier players in the Beaver State in Aaronette Vonleh Aaronette Vonleh 6'3" | C West Linn | 2021 State #76 Nation OR , Audrey Roden Audrey Roden 5'9" | SG West Linn | 2021 State OR , Addison Wedin Addison Wedin 5'11" | PG La Salle | 2021 State OR , and Donovyn Hunter Donovyn Hunter 5'10" | PG South Medford | 2023 State #26 Nation OR . Oregon Elite is composed of all Oregon girls, outside of Tahoma’s Hope Hassmann. The game was something like looking at a cracked mirror, in recognizing something familiar but also seeing distorted differences. A hint of familiarity – but also Oregon’s top team versus California’s top team, with high stakes in the Idaho Falls of Pocatello.
The game started on an odd note, as each team fumbled around the ball on their first possessions with uneven footing almost waiting for something to happen. The Stars’ first possession ended up going out of bounds whereas Oregon Elite had a traveling violation. Even more odd, both teams scored their first points each on one free throw, as Lathrop and Vonleh were both fouled at the rim. Then, Oregon Elite began an early spurt as Sydney Burns Sydney Burns 5'8" | PG Wilsonville | 2021 State OR hit Schuyler Berry Schuyler Berry 6'2" | C Grant | 2021 State OR in the middle and Burns took it herself on the following possession. Berry and Bishop provided some great defense in the middle, clogging up the lane, stifling Vonleh and others.
Dani Starr Dani Starr 6'1" | SG Sheldon | 2022 State OR provided some big moments, rebounding for an and-one and getting a huge stop. The Stars went on to a 7-3 early lead, but someone that they could not contain was Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA . The NorCal native had a tip-in, lay-up, and-one, and three within minutes to hoist the Stars up. A back and forth battle became even at 13. McClave and-one and Lathrop mid-range amongst Oregon Elite’s efforts. At halftime, the Stars began to pull away thanks to back to back scores from Wedin, one off a pass from Jordan Allred Jordan Allred 5'8" | PG Miramonte | 2021 State CA and the other from Donovyn Hunter Donovyn Hunter 5'10" | PG South Medford | 2023 State #26 Nation OR . At half it was a close 22-17 in favor of the Stars.
Each team made their adjustments, as it was a heated battle as both teams continued to lock horns in the second half. Calli Stokes Calli Stokes 6'0" | SF Redondo Union HS | 2021 State CA and Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA didn’t need any sets to score, as they used their mid-range games to get much needed buckets. Syd Burns was an operator for Oregon Elite, setting others up at the basket, with her high school teammate Emi Bishop being one of her favorite targets. Schuyler Berry Schuyler Berry 6'2" | C Grant | 2021 State OR was incredibly effective defensively, as she drew two charges and Lathrop was getting rebounds and stifling the Stars’ in the paint and also had numerous blocks. Vonleh chipped in some points, showing grit despite tough defense and Lathrop on the other end had some nice baby jumpers and offensive rebounds.
The biggest highlight of the game was when Sydney Burns Sydney Burns 5'8" | PG Wilsonville | 2021 State OR drove baseline against Vonleh and side stepped her on to way to a lay-up, which made the crowd go into a frenzy. Not to be outdone, Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA on the very next possession did the exact same thing, but was fouled. Roden lay-up, Lepolo isolation baskets kept the Stars’ ignition going. Hope Hassmann had a highlight behind the back move that had the gym going crazy as well as an and-one. The game ended on a Cami Fulcher Cami Fulcher 5'8" | PG West Linn | 2021 State OR and-one. A valiant effort for Oregon Elite, but the totality of the Cal Stars was too much in the end, led by the heroic efforts of Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA as the Stars took this game 47 – 38 in dramatic fashion.
Stats:
Cal Stars
Aaronette Vonleh Aaronette Vonleh 6'3" | C West Linn | 2021 State #76 Nation OR : 8 points, 2 rebounds
Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA : 18 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals
Makena Mastora: 1 rebound
Audrey Roden Audrey Roden 5'9" | SG West Linn | 2021 State OR : 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Calli Stokes Calli Stokes 6'0" | SF Redondo Union HS | 2021 State CA : 6 points, 5 rebounds
Marley Langi Marley Langi 6'0" | SF Archbishop Mitty | 2021 State CA : 4 points 2 rebounds, 1 block, 2 steals
Jordan Allred Jordan Allred 5'8" | PG Miramonte | 2021 State CA : 2 pints, 1 assist, 1 steal
Addison Wedin Addison Wedin 5'11" | PG La Salle | 2021 State OR : 4 points
Donovyn Hunter Donovyn Hunter 5'10" | PG South Medford | 2023 State #26 Nation OR : 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Oregon Elite
Schuyler Berry Schuyler Berry 6'2" | C Grant | 2021 State OR : 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
Emilia Bishop Emilia Bishop 6'1" | PF Wilsonville | 2021 State OR : 6 points, 3 rebounds
Sydney Burns Sydney Burns 5'8" | PG Wilsonville | 2021 State OR : 5 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists
Leah Doutt Leah Doutt 5'8" | PG McNary | 2021 State OR : 2 points
Cami Fulcher Cami Fulcher 5'8" | PG West Linn | 2021 State OR : 5 points, 2 rebounds
Hope Hassmann: 4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Maya Hoff Maya Hoff 6'1" | PG Southridge | 2021 State OR : 2 rebound, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal
Natalie Lathrop Natalie Lathrop 6'3" | C Tualatin | 2021 State OR : 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks
Ana McClave Ana McClave 5'10" | SG Crescent Valley | 2021 State OR : 2 points, 2 rebounds
Dani Starr Dani Starr 6'1" | SG Sheldon | 2022 State OR : 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA and Natalie Lathrop Natalie Lathrop 6'3" | C Tualatin | 2021 State OR : MVPs
Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA didn’t need any set plays, she used her elusiveness and million dollar moves off the dribble in a multitude of ways and showed her weapons on offense. She can stop on a dime and hit the jumper, take you to the basket, and also hit the three-point in stride. In a game where the tempo was unusual and the stakes were high, she showed a lot of resilience. Natalie Lathrop Natalie Lathrop 6'3" | C Tualatin | 2021 State OR for Oregon Elite had her moments in the first half with some stops and jumpers, but it was in the second half where she came alive. She was productive on the glass, had numerous blocks, and had some impressive short jumpers. She was definitely a neutralizer down low.
Syd Burns & Emi Bishop
The talented tandem have a lot of chemistry out there because they have had extra practice being teammates at Wilsonville HS. Sydney was electric out there, either finding ways to score or finding Bishop at the basket and with extraordinary timing. Burns took on Vonleh twice, muscling her way to the basket and finishing with strength. Sydney Burns Sydney Burns 5'8" | PG Wilsonville | 2021 State OR provided some great on-ball defense for Oregon Elite, whereas Bishop did much of the same except for in the post. These two were a big reason for Oregon Elite’s success as they built upon their history of success.
Vonleh and Stokes
Vonleh had some amazing finishes inside that resulted in and-ones, as she bulldozed her way through a tough nucleus of Oregon Elite defenders. She was resilient and had a great 8 point effort, in a tough game where points were not easy to obtain. Calli Stokes Calli Stokes 6'0" | SF Redondo Union HS | 2021 State CA was another player who did not need plays as she showcased her superb mid-range isolation game and rebounding skills. Great players that bring such qualities night in, night out. Such players were keys in the Stars’ victory as they showed up and provided firepower in a somewhat low scoring game.