AAU Standouts: Bay State Jaguars
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I saw the Bay State Jaguars ’23 team practice last week, and I was impressed by all the young talent on the team. They have a good mix of diverse skill sets, which made for a fun, competitive practice. Here…
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Continue ReadingI saw the Bay State Jaguars ’23 team practice last week, and I was impressed by all the young talent on the team. They have a good mix of diverse skill sets, which made for a fun, competitive practice. Here are four players who stood out from that night:
The @BayStateJags ‘23 team out here getting after it! A couple of talented athletes from the class of ‘24 on this floor too 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/32FPCQrij6
— Bash Hudson (@BashHoopsNE) March 22, 2021
Mariana Padilla Mariana Padilla 5'5" | CG Dexter Southfield | 2024 State New E – Dexter Southfield – 5’5’’ – PG/SG – 2023 (pictured above)
Padilla has mind-blowing speed and is a variable player in transition. She runs the floor well, fills lanes beautifully, and becomes an instant scoring threat when leaking out on the break. Padilla is also quick with the ball in her hands and can weave in and out of traffic under control to create offense for the team. She has a crafty handle, will attack the paint using either hand, and is comfortable finishing over larger defenders with floaters and dazzling layups. What I like about Padilla is that she changes speeds well and keeps the defense off-balance. She is as fast as any point guard but is not going 100MPH all the time. Padilla is skilled and intelligent in gauging when to slow down her pace and when to accelerate and explode to make a play. A terrific shooter off the bounce and catch also; Padilla is a combo guard who can beat you in multiple ways.
🚨Player to Watch🚨
Mariana Padilla (2023)
Dexter Southfield/Bay State Jaguars
5’5’’
PGLightning bolt in transition, terrific on-ball defender and a lights out shooter from deep 🔥@MPadilla_ is the real deal!!⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/1lpBUsfJ6c
— Bash Hudson (@BashHoopsNE) March 23, 2021
Madi Forman Madi Forman 6'2" | PF Natick | 2023 State New E – Natick – 6’2 – PF – 2023
Forman was very impressive at the practice, not just because of her physical dominance and skill set but for her toughness. As a big, you want the reputation of being strong, rugged, and intimidating, and Forman is all of those characteristics and then some. She catches the ball with purpose, always looking to be aggressive going towards the basket. She has so many moves in the post under her belt, and she is hard to defend because she has an answer for any post defense. Forman can make hook shots with either hand, face-up, beat her defender off the dribble, and has a reliable jumper that extends beyond the three-point line. Forman’s toughness on the inside, especially when it comes to rebounding and interior defense, shouldn’t go unnoticed either. She is a fierce competitor who wants to battle underneath and represents what every team should want out of their power forwards.
Claire Keswick – Tabor Academy – 5’10’’ – SG/SF – 2024
Keswick has a lot of potential due to her sniping ability from three and her athletic build. She is a long, athletic forward whose wingspan can make it challenging for opposing teams to score. When you add in her height, Keswick can also be a versatile defender who can guard both the exterior and interior. She showed a lot of confidence on offense creating off the dribble and shooting mid-range pull-ups. I also noticed her trying to seal her defender in the post and get touches on the block. That was encouraging to see because that means Keswick recognized a mismatch and wanted to take advantage of her size, touch, and athleticism in closer range instead of settling on the perimeter. Keswick has many offensive tools and the basketball intelligence on top of it; so this spring, I think she will be a fun player to follow and watch develop.
Kate Olenik Kate Olenik 5'7" | PG Medfield | 2023 State New E – Medfield – 5’8’’ – PG – 2023
Olenik is a high-energy, two-way player who can shoot the lights out better than anyone. She was automatic during the practice, never hesitating to shoot, and was confident shooting over even the most aggressive contest. Besides her shooting, Olenik is a terrific passer. She does a great job moving the ball on offense and making quick decisions which led to many successful offensive possessions for her team during the scrimmage towards the end of practice. Olenik has a quick first step and can attack baseline with ease where she can showcase her pinpoint accurate hammer pass that she made look easy. She is a good rebounder who shows the willingness and effort to crash off of every shot attempt for a guard. She is a tough floor general who sets the tone for her team with her hard work and relentlessness on defense.