AAU Spring/Summer Girls Team Preview: OSA Crusaders 17U Elite
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The top 17U teams out of the state of Nebraska are no joke. They play with heart, determination, and a ferocious style of game play all around. These types of intangibles are the basis on which the OSA Crusaders 17U…
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Continue ReadingThe top 17U teams out of the state of Nebraska are no joke. They play with heart, determination, and a ferocious style of game play all around. These types of intangibles are the basis on which the OSA Crusaders 17U Elite team is based on. A group of hard working and dedicated basketball players who also possess a whole lot of skill to go along with it. Throughout this spring/summer they are going to be testing their abilities against some of the best programs in country and I can’t wait to see it. Let’s check out their schedule!
Schedule
April 22-23: Spring showcase – Ames, Iowa
April 28-30: Legacy Classic – Council Bluffs, Iowa
May 19-21: May Madness – Ames/Des Moines, Iowa
June 3-4: USJN Battle At Th Border – Kansas City, Missouri
July 7-8: Premier Grand Nationals – Omaha, Nebraska
July 9-11: Adidas Gold Event – Omaha, Nebraska
July 20-23: North Tartan Meltdown – Bloomington, Minnesota
Roster
Addy Penke Addy Penke 5’8″ | SG Elkhorn South | 2024 State NE is a combo guard who can put it on the floor and score in multiple ways for her team. She has a solid handle and uses her body well when she sees a smaller guard matching up across from her. She can get past her defender at a consistent rate while being able to finish at the basket by herself or through contact from a help defender. She has a nice spin move she likes to use once she start to dribble toward the paint that helps her get a nice angle for an efficient finish on the either side of the hoop. Speaks well on the ball and off on defense. Really shows what it looks like to be a leader.
Lily Krohn
Lily Krohn
Lily Krohn is a complete player all around with very few holes in her game. She has size, speed, and smarts on full display when she is on the floor. She has the ability to score on all three levels but prefers to do it inside the paint or behind the three point line when the ball is rotated her way. Defensively she is lengthy enough to be able to alters a whole lot of shots near the hoop from either her opponent or someone else driving. This also gives her the ability to switch from a smaller guard to a longer forward in screening situations. I see Krohn being a consistent contributor for this team this spring/summer, we just have to wait and watch everything unfold.
There are a lot of unsung heroes in today game that do all the gritty work a team needs to be successful. One of those types of players for this team is Ayshia Prince Ayshia Prince 5’10” | SG Elkhorn | 2024 State NE . Prince is a the definition of ball hawk. She denies her opponent with intensity, always has active hands, and works her tail off on both sides of the floor, usually leading to some success for herself or her team. Prince is going to be a player who can come in and give you solid minute on offense while preforming consistently and efficiently on defense. A player all coaches would love to have on their squad.
Today was the first time that I watched film on Madison Stover Madison Stover 5’9″ | SG Marian | 2024 State NE and let me tell you, her ceiling is high and her potential is there. She is a lengthy shooting guard who causes a lot of tips and deflections on defense because of her actives hands and anticipation for where the ball is going to be. Her on ball defense is some of the best I’ve seen at the high school level this year and I’m sure she will be showing that on a consistent basis this spring/summer season. On offense she is solid. Can handle, keeps her eyes up for the most part and can shoot when the ball is rotated to her on the perimeter. While shooting a jumper she has a quick release with a solid base. Overall really nice prospect.
Joslyn McKee
Joslyn McKee
Joslyn McKee is one of those players who can come into a game and do a number of different things for her team. She is a prospect that does a little of everything on the floor. She plays with intensity and intention on both offense and defense while being very active off the ball. She averages a good amount of steals per game while also getting an open look at the basket a few times per contest, usually making most of it. This team is really solid all together when you look at their roster and Joslyn McKee is an important part of that.
I cover a good amount of players each season throughout the high school year, including some players who can really play basketball and light it up on any given night. A player who I think has this ability is Cassie Bauer Cassie Bauer 5’7″ | SG Marian | 2024 NE . Bauer is a decently sized combo guard. She can play the 1-3 at the high school level at the moment while being able to stretch the floor with her abilities to shoot or move into the post area if she has a mismatch. Right now she is an important role player on the teams she competes with but I think with a little more confidence she has the ability to make any game, “Her” game. Lighting it up from all different areas on the floor before the contest comes to an end.
Anna Cramer
Anna Cramer
Anna Cramer is playing up an age group while on this team and I can see why. The combo forward has an experienced game that is consistently on display when she is competing. She is fundamental, strong, and efficient. Three things that are important and that every coach wants to see while working with a player. She is a fantastic rebounder on both sides of the floor with the ability to grab a board, push the ball, and finish the possession with a layup or assist to an open teammate. Cramer is going to be a consistent producer for this team each game, there is just no way around it.
Riley Sommers
Riley Sommers
Riley Sommers is a shooter. She is a class of 2026 playing up a few years because of her elite shooting ability and the head on her shoulders. In my opinion her whole game is going to come down to experience. This season for her high school year she was on Marians varsity team while only seeing the floor for a little amount of time. If she can get some real game reps over the next few months with this team, it’s going to help her tremendous all around. It will give her more confidence, a better idea of situations on the floor, and show her teammates around her that she can really play. I think this is all going to happen and it will lead into a bigger high school role for herself this upcoming winter. With all that being said, she is playing up for a reason, don’t forget that.
Ella Klusman
Ella Klusman
Ella Klusman is a shooting guard who can move between the 2 and 3 position. She is well rounded in the aspects that she can contribute when it comes to shooting the rock from three, rebounding efficiently, and playing defense on any alike player. She tends to prefer to have her scoring opportunities to be behind the three point line but has the ability to dribble and move around the perimeter just as well. She is the type of player who can make a handful of threes in a blink of an eye, changing the outcome of the game. For this team I think she is really going to have a nice season when she can be her natural position, a shooting guard. With the other players on this roster, she is going to be receiving a bunch of open looks once they create for her. She just has to be ready to let it fly.
Missy Evezic
Missy Evezic
Missy Evezic is the post presence for this group. A player with great size and movement who is a consistent threat on offense for whatever team she is playing for. She is equipped with fundamental footwork in the paint, excellent skill moves with her back to the basket, and an act of being able to pass out of the post if she is being double teamed. Defensively she holds her own. She does a great job of “walling up” against smaller defenders while being able to out-rebound most. This spring/summer she is going to have a chance to show off to a lot of potential recruiters that she can be the center piece of a successful program at the college level. I task I know she is more than ready for.