Victory Region Finals: 15U Observations
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The featured image is of Aaliyah Younger Aaliyah Younger 5'7" | PG Gahanna | 2024 State OH (2024) of Gahanna Lincoln High School and Ohio United 15U. Memorial Weekend 2021 was the conclusion of the very first Prep Girls Hoops…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Aaliyah Younger Aaliyah Younger 5'7" | PG Gahanna | 2024 State OH (2024) of Gahanna Lincoln High School and Ohio United 15U.
Memorial Weekend 2021 was the conclusion of the very first Prep Girls Hoops Circuit. There were three regional finals spread across the country, with Fishers High School in Central Indiana playing host to the Victory Region Finals. All of the teams in attendance were from East of the Mississippi River, and they stretched from as far North as Michigan, and as far South as North Carolina and Tennessee. While I was tasked with covering the entire 16U Division, as well as any Indiana teams in other divisions, I did come across a few non-Indiana prospects I felt were worthy of a few words here. Below is a look at seven young ladies from the 15U Division who came from Illinois, Kentucky, and Ohio to participate.
Ni’rah Clark, 2024, 6-3 C, Toledo Early College (OH)
Ni’rah struck me as a prospect whose best days are well ahead of her. She has an athletic frame, tremendous length, and wiry strength. She runs well in transition, and she’s bouncy. Right now she is more of a shot-blocker/defender type, but she does have solid hands, and she looks like she has been coached on post-moves. She just needs to continue getting stronger and becoming more instinctual, but she has a bright future ahead of her.
Gwen Jenkins
Gwen
Jenkins
5'9" | CG
Dublin Coffman | 2024
State
OH
, 2024, 5-8 G, Hilliard Davidson H.S. (OH)
When you first see Gwen, she obviously looks like a younger prospect. But once the game starts, she plays with a real veteran savvy and you’d think she was an upperclassman. She has nice length, fluid athleticism, and she’s a very skillful guard. She is a knockdown shooter from the perimeter, and she gets it away quickly with little space needed. She handled it some, but if she can prove to be a true PG on this stage, her interest will climb even more.
Annika Manthy, 2024, 6-2 PF/C, John Hersey H.S. (IL)
Annika played in both the 15U Division and the 17U Division, and while she was solid playing amongst the older kids, she was a standout at times in her peer group. Annika has great length, wiry strength, and she’s a nice athlete in most directions. She has the height/size to post up down low, but she also has some touch in the mid-post and the ability to attack the basket to finish. Her upside is high, and it should be fun to watch her develop her game.
Paige Medley, 2024, 5-5 PG, Meade County H.S. (KY)
Paige put on a show Sunday morning when I was able to see her play. She isn’t very big, but she plays like a crafty veteran. She is extremely quick with good speed, she changes directions in an instant, and she is fully engaged at both ends of the floor. She makes a lot of plays off the bounce, she can knock down open perimeter jumpers consistently, but she also takes pride in causing havoc defensively. She is an absolute problem for opponents.
Berry Wallace
Berry
Wallace
6'1" | SF
Pickerington Central | 2024
State
OH
, 2024, 6-1 PF, Pickerington Central H.S. (OH)
I’m still trying to figure out exactly what Berry will be positionally at the next level, because she possesses a great deal of versatility. Right now, she’s probably more of a face-up ’4’, but if she can continue to develop her ball skill and make her perimeter jumper a bit more consistent, she could become more of a wing. Her on-ball defense will go a long way in determining that. She is long, wiry, and fairly fluid athletically. She did knock down a couple of jumpers when I saw her, and she was solid attacking the basket as well.
Kristen Wentling, 2024, 5-8 W, John Hersey H.S. (IL)
Kristen was solid in a Saturday morning matchup when I caught her team in action. She has good length, nice all-around athleticism, and she plays with a great deal of versatility. She pushed the ball in transition at times and initiated the offense, but she also showed the ability to play on the wing and even in the mid-post. I just think she’s a nice, athletic, skillful wing who can fulfill a variety of roles at this time.
Aaliyah Younger
Aaliyah
Younger
5'7" | PG
Gahanna | 2024
State
OH
, 2024, 5-5 PG, Gahanna Lincoln H.S. (OH)
I always enjoy those lightning quick, creative, aggressive little guards who just make plays, and Aaliyah is definitely one of those. On any other team, she might be the best player, but she still stands out on a loaded grassroots roster. She is dynamic off the bounce, she can split traps and attack the gaps, putting pressure on the defense to adjust. At the same time, she can finish around the basket, and she has some touch around the perimeter. She is a real problem for opponents.