Select In The Circle City

As Indianapolis has played host to a number of tournaments throughout July, this past weekend the Convention Center was home to a pair of tournaments that were supposed to be in Cincinnati and Atlanta, but who decided to combine to still offer an opportunity for all of those teams who still wanted to play. As the Senior Editor for PGH Indiana, I am seeking out Hoosierland teams at events, however when I come across anyone else from around the country who stands out, I like to highlight them whenever possible. The Arizona Select program was in attendance, and I was able to see their 17U and 16U teams a couple of times each, so below is a look at a few young ladies from The Grand Canyon State who caught my attention during the opportunity I had to see them this past weekend. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Arizona Select 17U - Karre</strong></span> The 17U squad had a tough go of it, posting just a 1-3 record at the event, however they did compete against some of the Midwest’s best teams, including playing a game Sunday morning that began at 6:40 a.m. Arizona time. They also travelled with just six girls, so I’m sure fatigue set in at times. In the two games I was able to see, I felt like 6-0 wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136247" first="Shayla" last="O’Neil"]</strong> (2021) of Perry High School was very good in each. She has a wiry strong, athletic frame, some length, and she’s a nice athlete in all directions. She played with a good motor, showed a versatile skillset, and consistently made plays at both ends of the floor. She was effective defensively in traps, she handled the ball some in transition, and she knocked down the open rhythm jumpers she took. I also thought 5-11 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136240" first="Jess" last="Finney"]</strong> (2021) of Chaparral High School had a nice showing. She is so long, fluid, and smooth athletically, she shot the ball very well with range, and you can quickly see why she’ll be a nice fit at the University of Washington. She was incredibly disruptive at the front of their press, but she also was a problem in the half-court defensively with her length. 5-9 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136241" first="Ally" last="Stedman"]</strong> (2021) of Pinnacle High School played with a really good feel for the game and a nice overall basketball IQ. She moved well without the ball, shot it well outside when she had space and rhythm, plus she also showed the ability to handle it from time to time and run offense. One player maybe flying a little under the radar is 6-0 wing <strong>Amoret Maxwell</strong> (2021) of Millennium High School. She has an extremely long and wiry frame, she’s a very fluid athlete in all directions, and as she continues to gain strength, she could become a dangerous scorer. Early on she showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and slice to the basket, but as she got rolling, she showed good touch around the perimeter as well. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Arizona Select 16U - Boyd</strong></span> This 16U group finished 3-1, with no opponent coming within 28 points of them in any of their wins. Their only loss is listed as a forfeit on Sunday, so I’m guessing they must have needed to catch a flight. The obvious draw to watch on this team is 6-7 front-liner <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="36791" first="Kennedy" last="Basham"]</strong> (2022) of Pinnacle High School. She has tremendous length, she moves around the floor very well for someone her height, and she is skilled with the ball. She showed some post skill on the block, but it was her face-up game that was more impressive. She blocked/altered several shots, and she seems to understand the game very well. She will need to get stronger for the next level, but I’m not convinced she’ll play in the low-post much and will actually play primarily in the mid-post and around the perimeter in college. 5-6 point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137277" first="Jaida" last="Brooks"]</strong> (2022) of Desert Vista High School was an absolute playmaker when I saw her. She has a wiry strong frame, she’s quick and shifty, especially on the fly, and she’s an explosive all-around athlete. She pushed the ball up the floor with intent, broke down defenses and got into the paint with ease, and she was good scoring the ball around the basket. 5-8 wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="36804" first="Trayanna" last="Crisp"]</strong> (2022) of Millennium High School is a do-everything type of player hard to limit by one position. To me, she played sort of a point forward role, creating offense for herself or teammates, but she also showed some touch around the perimeter and looked pretty smooth shooting it. She is a strong athlete, no doubt, and she was great attacking the basket and finishing through contact. 5-6 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="114254" first="Lexi" last="McNabb"]</strong> (2022) of Seton Catholic Prep is another really nice athlete with a great deal of potential. She has a great frame with good strength, she absorbs contact well, and she also showed some versatility. She was able to shoot/score the ball herself at all three levels, plus she handled it fairly well and found open teammates for easy scores. I also liked her attention at the defensive end of the floor.