Mountain Madness Standouts: Five Players to Watch From the USJN
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This past weekend was filled with amazing hoops action at Gold Crown here in Denver, CO. Teams streamed through the doors playing in the USJN competition with many solid teams taking the floor. Five players stood out to me over the weekend and they should definitely be on your radar going forward. From college commits to up and comers, here are five players to keep your eye on following the USJN at Gold Crown.
- Bella Keaton: Team Factory, Briar-Cliff University commit
A woman amongst girls, Bella Keaton absolutely shined this past weekend in her games. Going into her senior year she is already committed to Briar Cliff University in Iowa. A left-handed player with good quick twitch muscles when going to the rim, she is able to finish with both hands over her defenders. Her defense needs a little bit of work as she is prone to overplaying and taking chances on defense that leave her team in vulnerable positions. However, as she continues to play against better competition, her defense will improve and her offense will continue to shine.
2. Maeve Salveson Maeve Salveson 5'6" | CG St. Mary's | 2024 State CO : CO Pluto Prospects (club), St. Mary’s (high school), Class of 2024
Maeve is in a unique position of being a very talented player on a team that is in a growing stage. Being a left-handed player, Maeve is extremely crafty with the basketball. She actually surprised me on multiple occasions by making a secondary dribble move in the paint followed by a tough finish at the rim. Her ball handling is easily the best part of her game and she uses it well to get to the rim. Despite this, however, Maeve’s shot is streaky at best. Nailing three-pointers on one possession followed by a couple of airballs in subsequent possessions. Being a freshman, she will continue to grow into her role as a scoring and playmaking point guard.
3. Taylor Wallace: TX-Hoops 15 United (club), Plainview HS (high school), Class of 2024
Even though Taylor is not from CO, she shined at the USJN here in Denver this past weekend. Standing at 5’10″, Taylor is a stretch big who can shoot the three and finish inside through contact. She is very adept at outplaying her competition while also getting her teammates involved as well. Whenever she comes to CO she is definitely a player to watch.
4. Delaney Matkin Delaney Matkin 5'6" | PG Rocky Mountain | 2023 State CO : CO-Rockies Triple Threat Elite 16 (club), Rocky Mountain High School (high school)
One young player who shined on the court was Delaney Matkin Delaney Matkin 5'6" | PG Rocky Mountain | 2023 State CO . An extremely exciting young player, Delaney plays the type of basketball that makes people excited to watch the game. On offense, she is a shifty, solid ball-handler who can create her own shot at ease. She is also an adept passer and can get the ball to her bigs in scoring positions. Being in the class of 2023, Delaney is most definitely someone to keep your eye on for years to come.
5. Olivia Loomis-Goltl: CO-Rockies Triple Threat Elite 16 (club), Class of 2024
Playing alongside Delaney Matkin Delaney Matkin 5'6" | PG Rocky Mountain | 2023 State CO , Olivia is a solid big for her club team. Her footwork is top notch and she has good hands around the basket. On defense, she plays straight up and can contest shots without fouling which diverts the opponent’s shot in positive ways for her team. Adding in a mid-range jumper to expand her range along with increasing her overall total body strength will make her a threat for any team that she plays on in the future.