Cinco De Mayo- Cap City Ballerz vs. Team Durant
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I caught a very competitive match up at the Cinco De Mayo event between Cap City Ballerz out of Richmond, Viriginia and Team Durant’s marquee 17u team. Cap City has been one of the top programs in the Richmond area…
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Continue ReadingI caught a very competitive match up at the Cinco De Mayo event between Cap City Ballerz out of Richmond, Viriginia and Team Durant’s marquee 17u team. Cap City has been one of the top programs in the Richmond area for years and they consistently produce quality college prospects. Team Durant is one of the DMV’s Nike EYBL programs and they have a solid squad. Cap City relishes any opportunities to scrap with sponsored teams and they usually hold their own. This time was no different as they jumped out to a big first half lead and were able to fend off several runs by Durant.
Sira was the best player on the court for most of the game. Her explosive first step kept defenders off balance and when they dropped back, she showed off her range and knocked down threes. Sira is a great facilitator and did an excellent job passing out of double teams. She was very crafty in inviting and accepting the trap, and then finding the open teammate. When the game was on the line, she got a good shot and a bucket almost every time down the court. Very high IQ player with elite athleticism and a high motor.
Amirah continues to improve every season. Her ball handling skills are tight, and she is an excellent passer. She has range from well behind the three-point line and can finish through contact in the lane. She is still a menace on defense with her on-ball pressure, and instincts in the passing lanes.
Maria Najjuma
Maria Najjuma
Maria stands out because of her size at 6’4″ and her approach to the game. Upon checking in she immediately went into bully ball mode and established herself in the paint. Every move she made had a purpose, and she set the tone with physical play. She attacked the glass on both ends of the court and was very effective scoring in the paint. She contested any attempts in the paint and ran the floor well. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the Ugandan native in the summer.
Dangerous point guard and playmaker who can kill you off the dribble. She has excellent body control and some nasty cross-over moves. She is not phased by contact at the rim and plays bigger than she is. In the game I watched she showed off her range by going on a heater and making four deep three-pointers.
It was good to see the UCLA commit up close as I missed her last summer. She has refined her ball handling skills which makes her more dangerous in traffic. She looks like she has grown a small bit and looks more comfortable facilitating. She has elite length and athleticism, which we’ve known for a while, but she is really putting things together.
I caught Amori’s first game action with her new squad, Team Durant. In the first game she played a few minutes and looked like she was just getting comfortable with her new teammates and surroundings. In the second contest she got more minutes and was more assertive, showing off her complete skill set. She ran some point guard, which is not her natural position, and fared quite well. She has good vision and can make all the necessary passes. She looked more comfortable playing off ball, where she was free to focus on getting buckets. The mid-range jumper was working and she was getting into the paint. She knocked down some threes and was very active on defense. It was a pretty good showing overall.