Mason’s 17U Standouts at The Exclusive

This past weekend was the first live period event that the PGH Circuit has ever held. It was a success as teams from across the country gathered in Chicago to compete against one another. There were a ton of games throughout the weekend that took place between teams that had never heard of one another -- and that's a good thing. Below, I take a look at five players in the 17U division that stood out to me. These players were not necessarily the top rated players at the event, but rather five players who I noticed stand out across multiple games on the weekend. <hr /> <strong>Madison Fitzgibbon – 5'6 SG – 2025 – Chapman Basketball 2023 Frings – Homestead HS (WI)</strong> Fitzgibbon was on her game all weekend long. I remember watching her for the first time a few years ago and coming away impressed, but I thought that she had some skill refinement to work on to get to the DI level. This weekend I was able to sit and watch a few of their games and Fitzgibbon was one of the biggest standouts of the event. She's a really gritty guard who just does not get rattled on the floor. She has a high basketball IQ and knows where to go with the ball every time down the floor. Fitzgibbon is a gamer, plain and simple. Her range extends well beyond the 3-point line and she doesn't really ever see a shot she doesn't like. She oozes with confidence and doesn't let missed shots get to her whatsoever. The question now isn't whether she'll be a DI player (she will), but what level can she ascend to? Don't let the fact that she stood out brightly as a 2025 in the 17U division blind you. <strong>Lauren Knudson – 5'7 PG – 2023 – Metro Stars 2023 Wiese – Orono HS (MN)</strong> Knudson impressed me at the Midwest Kickoff a few weeks ago but I only saw bits and parts of a few games she played. I thought that she was an interesting game-manager type point guard who could score the ball a little bit. But, I think I needed to sit and watch a full game. What she did this weekend was really impressive. Yes, she is a game-manager at the point guard position but she is much, much more than that. She has a pure jumper that she can knock down with consistency from 15 feet and out. She has an outstanding feel for the game and you can trust her with the ball in her hands. Knudson runs the floor very well in transition and keeps her head up with the ball in her hands making easy passes up the floor to teammates for baskets. Oh, and she defends the ball at an extremely high level. This past weekend, she did a magnificent job shutting down some scorers on opposing teams. She is a menace at that end of the floor with her quickness and fast hands. I'm not sure what type of interest Knudson is getting as far as the next level, but she has my stamp of approval. <strong>Hannah Kohn – 5'9 SG – 2023 – Candace Parker Hoop Dreams Elite 3SSB 2023 – Hagerty HS (FL)</strong> Kohn attended our Florida Top 250 back in September of 2021 and I knew she was a shooter. Then, she set the national high school record for most 3-pointers made in a game with 19 during the high school season. Needless to say, I was excited to see her play once again here in Chicago. To be quite simple, she did not disappoint. In the first game of the weekend, she dropped 33 points against a very good Metro Stars Pryor team and made it look easy. Yes, she was shooting the lights out in the second half, but I was more impressed with the continuation of development within her game. She gets to the rim extremely well and finishes once she gets there with both hands. She isn't the most athletic player on the floor, but she runs off of screens very hard and does a good job of creating space for herself. When I say you can't give her an inch to shoot the ball, that might even be generous as she can hoist up a shot while blanketed. She communicates well and has the ability to make passes that others can't make. Kohn is a special player who is going to fill it up at the next level – and she's more than just a shooter. <strong>Aubrey Galvan – 5'6 PG – 2025 – Full Package 2023 Black – Deerfield HS (IL)</strong> When Galvan is on the floor you instantly know that everyone is going to start to pay attention. Galvan is a small point guard that runs the show at all times on the floor. If you are a teammate of hers, then you have to be ready at all times for a pass. She has the uncanny ability to deliver the ball to her teammates in very unconventional ways. I hate to compare players, especially across genders, because everyone is their own player, but Galvan is as close to Jason Williams as you can get. She still has refinement to go within her game but the skill and talent are noticeable. You can tell that she loves the game too, as she is always smiling on the floor. Galvan goes out on the floor and has fun with it and that is exactly how she plays. Just like Fitzgibbon above, Galvan played two grades up in 17U and was a player who you just couldn't take your eyes off –– especially in transition. <strong>Nunu Agara – 6'2 F – 2023 – Metro Stars 2023 Pryor – Hopkins HS (MN) – Stanford commit</strong> Agara is a player who is very unassuming until the ball is tipped. She can take over a game on both ends of the floor with her length and versatility. Just watching her run up the floor and position herself under the basket or around the perimeter tells you all you need to know about her game. She knows how to play the game of basketball at a very high level. Agara can stretch the floor and knock down shots from beyond the arc but is best when she gets it on the block and can score with a myriad of post moves. Great footwork around the rim and has a great feel for when the ball is going to come off the rim. She can collect offensive rebounds at any time and does a great job of getting them right back up on the rim. Agara is a dangerous player to defend because of her potency all over the floor. She uses her length and anticipation skills well on the defensive side of the floor, as she can swat any shot that comes near her. Agara is going to be a high level piece at the high major level very soon.