17U Players Who Made an Impression at Center Court
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I thought the 17u division had a handful of standouts at the event, leaving me plenty to discuss for the next few days. I already began talking about a few standouts this morning and will continue highlighting more prospects today…
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Continue ReadingI thought the 17u division had a handful of standouts at the event, leaving me plenty to discuss for the next few days. I already began talking about a few standouts this morning and will continue highlighting more prospects today and through the week.
Gracie Gopalan Gracie Gopalan 5'4" | PG Waupun | 2024 State WI
The one thing to note about Gopalan is how competitive she is. She’s one of the nicest people you’ll meet on the floor, but she is one of the most aggressive ball handlers on it. Whenever she gets the ball in her hands, she looks to beat her defender off the dribble and creates open shots for her teammates, which she consistently does as her team’s lead guard. Every roster Gopalan’s on is better because she’s on it. The junior also wins everywhere she goes.
Lucy Leininger Lucy Leininger 5'11" | PF Germantown | 2024 State WI
You won’t find many more versatile defenders than Lucy Leininger Lucy Leininger 5'11" | PF Germantown | 2024 State WI . I also can’t think of many people who’ve improved as much as Leininger has over the past year. She’s also been improving on the offensive end over that year. Her touch around the basket, free throw shooting, 3-point shooting, and ball handling has improved since I first saw her in November 2021 at Kettle Moraine High School. I don’t think you’ll see the finished product until her senior season in college, but she’ll find a way onto the floor immediately.
Patricjia Tamasauskas
The Greater Purpose team had a solid all-around group with well-established roles. Tamasauskas was a good ball handler and found ways to get to the rim whenever she wanted. The guard was also one of the few 2023s at the event. There is a place for her at the next level, and plenty of teams could use a 5-9 playmaker who can consistently beat their defender off the dribble and create numerical advantages. Her ability to create numerical advantages against good competition will translate to the next level.
Karsyn Nelson
Since I first saw Nelson last summer, she seemed like a solid defensive kid but also played slightly passively on the offensive end. This past weekend it looked like Nelson was a new player, and she looked outstanding. She was aggressive on the offensive end, made shots, looked at the rim when she caught the ball and still brought pressure on the defensive end. Although it was only one tournament in April, if she continues to play as she did at Center Court, the interest in her will only grow.