17U Top Performers-Battle In The Big Friendly-Day 1
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There is nothing like energy and excitement to open up an event and I saw a variety of players on opening day alone that I have notes on for multiple articles coming up. Several players just brought “IT” off the…
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Continue ReadingThere is nothing like energy and excitement to open up an event and I saw a variety of players on opening day alone that I have notes on for multiple articles coming up. Several players just brought “IT” off the top and I appreciate having rosters so I can know who the players are since I’m covering this remotely but here ya go
Journey Taylor
Journey Taylor
Taylor is always ready for whatever her team needs and she does a good job at the combo because she understands how to facilitate as well as take over a game when needed. She can attack the basket off the dribble, with either hand and finish with either hand but her pull-up jumper, mid to long-range is also nice. She handles the ball under pressure and her court vision in the open court as well as in the set, got her teammates some great looks
Crosby was one of the most explosive players I caught on opening day yet I knew that would be the case before the event even started. She blows by defenders to score or assist and her “no looks” on the money were more than nice as they set teammates up for gimmes. She rebounds and handles the ball in the open court, her pull-up jumper in transition was solid but her defense, on the ball, helped create turnovers
Highlights
Forry let loose a FLURRY of jumpers from DEEP that grabbed my attention immediately but after all, she is “long and athletic” which will always be the base and her elevating over defenders to drop it was nice. She also created her shot under pressure and used a deceptive first step to attack the basket but she saw the floor in the set and did a good job of not only playing defense but rebounding as well
Savannah Ketchum
Savannah Ketchum
Ketchum “caught em” numerous times and her understanding how to use her body around the basket was nice yet what was even nicer is her understanding how important using “hands and footwork” in the paint. She seals the defender and her height gives her options since she has a soft touch facing the basket yet she can also score after contact. She rebounded, on both ends and did a good job defending inside the paint
Lynzie Overstreet Lynzie Overstreet 5'6" | PG Will Rogers Highschool | 2025 OK
Lynzie Overstreet Lynzie Overstreet 5'6" | PG Will Rogers Highschool | 2025 OK
Overstreet is a long and athletic guard that looked and played taller on the screen, so that in itself is a plus yet her deceptive first step enabled her to attack the basket numerous times to score or dish. Her court vision in the set was also nice, along with her jumper in which she dropped in the half court or in transition, mid to long-range. She also did a good job defending as well as playing the passing lane
Mitchell has started off the PGH Circuit with a tear and to be honest with you, she’s one of the most improved players I have seen this season, on any circuit. Her on the ball pressure has always been there yet her setting the defender up to attack off the dribble and finish after contact has been a game changer, especially when you factor in she can drop it from outside. Her ball-handling and court-vision also adds to the equation
Highlights
Raigan Smith
Raigan Smith
Smith got going early and I tweeted about her ability to find ways to put the ball in the basket early. Scoring multiple ways is great for a number of reasons, mainly because it keeps the defender on their toes and her attacking off the dribble using a slight HEZ or just showing she could drop the jumper was nice, as well her doing something I love to see, playing the passing lane and seeing the floor
Courtney Fortenberry Courtney Fortenberry 5'8" | CG Tulsa Central | 2025 State OK
Courtney Fortenberry Courtney Fortenberry 5'8" | CG Tulsa Central | 2025 State OK
Fortenberry is “long and athletic” and even though she’s a guard, that still works as being part of the base. She was one of the best I saw playing the passing lane and her handling the ball in the open court afterward was nice, especially since she saw the floor and made the right pass. She scored off the dribble, well she dished while attacking as well but she did a good job of creating her shot under pressure for the jumper
Amiya Hudson
Amiya Hudson
Hudson uses her strong frame to attack the basket powerfully and contact was irrelevant ass he finished after the lick. Some of that can attributed to her body control but her concentration on “staying with it” knowing the contact was coming had me smiling. She also created her shot to drop the jumper, with a hand in her face and she did a good job defending “baseline to baseline”
Williams falls into that “never takes a play off” type of player and I tweeted about her spin moves “Dezi had me DIZZY” just watching her use it numerous times. She understands how to use her athleticism on both ends, she applies heat defensively and that helps force turnovers and so does her “playing the passing lane” and I’ve already mentioned how I love seeing that. She also hit the boards on both ends and showed she could handle the ball afterward