Sunflower All Tourney: 15U Division
In this article:
We had one more tune up tournament before the circuit finals this weekend in St. Louis. We were up in Wichita for the Battle In The Sunflower tourney and my focus all weekend was on the 15U division. That division…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWe had one more tune up tournament before the circuit finals this weekend in St. Louis. We were up in Wichita for the Battle In The Sunflower tourney and my focus all weekend was on the 15U division. That division was absolutely loaded and featured some really strong teams, especially from the state of Oklahoma. After going over our notes and looking at some of the stats that these girls put up, we’ve narrowed things down to the five best players that we saw perform this weekend. Without further ado, here’s our All Tournament Team from the Battle In The Sunflower tourney!
Annaston Brown – Forward – Oklahoma Fusion
Oklahoma Fusion went undefeated over the weekend and standout forward Annaston Brown scored in double figures in all four games. She finished the tournament as their leading scorer, averaging 14.3 points per game and knocking down 12 three pointers throughout the weekend. Brown is a 2024 prospect out of Tahlequah Sequoyah and the future is certainly bright for Sequoyah with Brown as an up and comer. She showed an excellent job throughout the weekend as being a legitimate inside/outside threat. She can clearly shoot the ball, knocking down double digit three pointers in the four games. She also has really nice touch inside the paint and knows how to take advantage of defenses.
Kennedi Herrig – Forward – Della Lamb
Compared to some of the other players on this list, we didn’t get to see Della Lamb forward Kennedi Herrig as much as the others but what we saw was enough to earn her a spot on this list. In addition to the eye test, she also led her team in scoring throughout the two days in Wichita. However, her scoring or ability on the offensive side of the ball wasn’t what stood out when we watched her in one of the tournament’s best games. She was the best defensive player that I saw throughout the weekend. Herrig has decent size and played predominantly in the post on defense. However, she could also go outside and had enough speed and quickness to be a nightmare for smaller guards. Her quick hands caused countless turnovers and extra possessions for her team.
Lauren Chastain – Forward – DC Sports MO
Very similar to Herrig, another two-way player that really impressed us was Lauren Chastain from DC Sports MO. Unlike Herrig, I got the chance to see Chastain in multiple games and she had the same energy every time I saw her in person. On the offensive side of the ball, she can do a little bit of everything. She has guard skills in a forward’s body and can play inside or outside. She showed off her range throughout the weekend but wasn’t shy away from contact in the paint. On the defensive side of the ball, she uses her athleticism against opposing forwards to her advantage as more times than not, she’s more athletic than the girl she’s guarding. She can use her quickness to strip her opponent or leaping ability to block her shot. Chastain was very impressive to watch on both sides from start to finish.
Makenna Yokley Makenna Yokley 6'1" | PF Owasso | 2024 State OK – Forward – Tulsa JYD
Another player that played for an undefeated team was Makenna Yokley Makenna Yokley 6'1" | PF Owasso | 2024 State OK , who played for the Tulsa Junkyard Dog program. The combination of Yokley and guard Addison Mootry Addison Mootry 5'5" | CG Inola | 2024 State OK gave Tulsa JYD one of the best 1-2 punches in the tournament. However, Yokley was dominant in the post over the weekend. She showed a great amount of skill on the offensive side of the ball and was a great rim protector on the defensive side of the ball. The only negative for Yokley this weekend was fouls as she got into foul trouble in a couple games. That would limit what she was able to do in the points department. However, that’s obviously an easy thing to fix and she’s certainly another forward to keep an eye on.
Tori Kilburn – Guard – Pro Skills-McAlester
It was a rough weekend from a team aspect for Pro Skills’ McAlester squad. They were one of three teams that went 0-4 over the two days in Wichita. However, these events aren’t really about team success or failure. It’s about individuals getting a chance to shine on a bright stage and that’s exactly what we saw from guard Tori Kilburn. Despite her team struggling, Kilburn never struggled and brought it every time they hit the floor. She averaged well over 10 points per game and scored in double figures every game out. She was one of the leading scorers of the tournament and showed the ability to score from a variety of spots on the floor. However, she was at her best when she was driving into the lane and finishing at the basket, with or without contact. Kilburn is a young small school guard that should be locked in as an up and coming star.