Brady's Day Two Notes: PGH Live

On Saturday, I saw plenty of players excel on the floor in various ways. Today I want to go through my day and highlight some players who stood out in Council Bluffs. [player_tooltip player_id="209592" first="Sarah" last="Aleknavicius"]-Chapman Basketball Academy 2023 Frings I’ve always wanted to see Aleknavicius play with more aggression on the offensive end. This weekend created a perfect storm for that to happen with some of the absences her team had. I haven’t seen the sophomore look more calculated, aggressive, and efficient. She attacked the basket, finished well with both hands, shot the ball well from the perimeter, and looked like more of a lead guard this weekend instead of the off-ball guard role she’s usually playing. She’s almost unselfish to a fault. Aleknavicius has always been a player who’d elevate any team she’s on with her physical and mental tools, but I hadn’t seen her take the "bull by the horns" and look for her shot enough. The circumstances were perfect, and I saw her attack off the dribble, create for herself, and play with more of an edge. [player_tooltip player_id="209594" first="Katelyn" last="Odem"]-Chapman Basketball Academy 2023 Frings There aren’t many players I’ve enjoyed watching as much as I enjoy watching [player_tooltip player_id="209594" first="Katelyn" last="Odem"]. She does everything a coach loves. Odem is always the first kid on the floor, going after loose balls, attacking the basket to pass to her shooters, and playing with confidence. I don’t think there is any kid on the planet you can line up with Odem that would overwhelm her. The way she plays the game would fit anyone’s "right way to play." Odem, like Aleknavicius, got to show more of her offensive repertoire this weekend, and when I saw her, she looked good. The Homestead sophomore scored around the rim in different ways and used her floater, and even though her perimeter jumpers didn’t fall when I saw her, I still think her jumper is a positive part of her game. Lucy Leininger-Chapman Basketball Academy 2023 Frings There aren’t many players as unique as Leininger. The 5-10 forward is slightly undersized for her position at the next level on paper, but the more I see her play, the less I think it matters. The Germantown native is one of the top-five defensive prospects in Wisconsin, and she’s looked like one of the best defensive prospects on the circuit for the last few months. I don’t know of a player on the PGH Circuit where I wouldn’t feel comfortable having her assigned to defend. Her offensive game has also improved. Since I first saw her play in November, she’s been a different player. She looks confident enough to try new things on the perimeter, and it’s not always pretty, but her willingness to get out of her comfort zone is something I’ve loved about her for a while. [player_tooltip player_id="342195" first="Laynee" last="Hogan"]-Iowa Prep 2024 Platinum Since I saw Hogan play for the first time, I’ve been a fan of what she does. The freshman always forces defenses to react to what she does, which helps her make her teammates better. That pressure that Hogan puts on teams has also led to her getting more space to operate. When defenses go into scramble mode, she knows how to find space to get her shot off. She may not do anything too flashy, but she’s incredibly effective for a kid playing up an age level. [player_tooltip player_id="329543" first="Shayna" last="Williamson"]-Wisconsin Blaze 2024 Black The Appleton North guard chipped in all over the place when I got to see her play. She made a 3, attacked off the dribble, moved her feet, and made the right decision every chance she got. Williamson never got overwhelmed by anything on the defensive end. That was the big takeaway of what I saw, in my opinion. She plays in the toughest conference in the state and will get tested every time she takes the floor over the next few years, but I’d suggest keeping an eye on her development. [player_tooltip player_id="329565" first="Naomi" last="Kaskavitch"]-Wisconsin Blaze 2024 It’s not surprising that Kaskavitch is a Hortonville kid. She flies all over the place and doesn’t take anything for granted. The way she plays the game is fun because she’s been tested by uber-talented kids all year in a competitive environment and looked like the calmest person in the building when she plays for Blaze. She’s seen Division 1 level competition all year long, so it’s hard to make her uncomfortable, and I loved that. It’ll be interesting to see how she fits in at Hortonville next season. [player_tooltip player_id="296514" first="Alaya" last="Carter"]-The City 2024 Black I was astounded at how Carter could change direction while running at full speed. In transition, the only defense for her is to hope she misses. The strengths in her game don’t stop with her transition game. She also possesses a quick first step to get by her initial defender and attack the basket with a 5-on-4 advantage. The sophomore has plenty of room to get better, and I would not be surprised to see her take off soon. [player_tooltip player_id="296527" first="Aneisha" last="Scott"]-The City 2024 Black The 2025 guard is another shifty guard who I think will be an elite half-court guard. Her ability to beat initial defenders with ease will make her incredibly hard to defend because she’s already great at that, and she’s only going to get better. When she touched the ball, I assumed she was getting a good look at the basket or creating a good shot for a teammate. I’m very excited to see what kind of player she ends up being because right now, she excels by using her athleticism, IQ, and hands to excel on both ends. I know she’s going to get better, but I’m curious where she looks to improve her game.