More Standouts From USJN’s Windy City Classic
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There’s plenty to unpack from this past weekend both on and off the court, but one thing was a constant which was live periods are always crazy. I’ll keep discussing which kids impressed on the court and will continue to…
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Continue ReadingThere’s plenty to unpack from this past weekend both on and off the court, but one thing was a constant which was live periods are always crazy. I’ll keep discussing which kids impressed on the court and will continue to do so for some time.
Ella Francois Ella Francois 5'7" | PG West De Pere | 2025 State WI
Not many guards have the power to run through defenses like Francois does, but she’s so skilled she seldom has to use her force. She’s slightly undersized to be a two, but she makes it work. The sophomore doesn’t need the ball in her hands to be successful. She’s incredibly effective at attacking closeouts to get to the rim and create for others. The West De Pere product caught fire from the 3-point line on Friday for a few minutes and must’ve made at least four in five minutes.
Rachael Chilicki
The Mukwonago native had an excellent live period. The 6-3 center showed her ability to finish around the basket, and even though she didn’t play much varsity basketball, she has good hands and dominates her area when she gets two feet in the paint. I saw her Impact team play a team full of guards, and I wish she demanded the ball more because her teammates missed her a few times, but when she got the ball with two feet in the paint, it was an automatic two points every time.
Adaline Sheplee Adaline Sheplee 6'2" | CG Rice Lake | 2026 State WI
In a world where Sheplee doesn’t get any better, coaches will love how disruptive she is on the defensive end, but judging by how she plays, she’s got a chance to be an elite basketball player. There are things that Sheplee can do that nobody else can do, like match up with anyone at her age level defensively, and be a Swiss army knife on the offensive end. Her talent, blended with her ability to make things happen on either end, makes her one of the most fun players to watch because she’ll always do something that doesn’t make sense in the best way possible.
I watched Ezike last year around this time, and she was one of the most dominant 2025s I’d seen. She’s a tall wing that’ll get in the post and make a move over her shoulder if she doesn’t have someone with a lot of size guarding her. However, her athleticism on the wing makes her stand apart from most in her class. She is one of the most talented kids in Illinois for a reason, and she played well against one of if not the best AAU teams in Wisconsin.