West Coast Summer Splash Sunday Afternoon Standouts Pt. III

David Yapkowitz

July 10, 2023 @ 09:27 PM

This past weekend, Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA played host to the the West Coast Summer Splash presented by West Coast Premier. The event was held from July 1-2 and featured some of the top travel teams in CA. I was able to attend the event on Sunday July 2 in the afternoon and focused on some of the players/teams I have not seen before. Here's a look at some of the standouts I saw. 1. Alex Ballard - Cesar Chavez/[program_tooltip program_id='715880' first='Why' last='Not Premier'] 15U 2027 This was my first time seeing Ballard play and she was a quick little guard. Likes to attack downhill. She's able to beat her defender off the dribble with a quick burst and gets into the paint consistently. Good change of pace with the ball in her hands. Able to dribble under control against defensive pressure. Pushes the pace in transition and makes good decisions/passes on the break. 2. [player_tooltip player_id='727410' first='Mikayla' last='Oliver'] - Pacifica Oxnard/SA Swish 805 17U 2024 Oliver stood out as a good ball-handler with size. She's more of a wing/forward but looked comfortable at times with the ball in her hands and being trusted to the primary ball-handler. She's able to consistently create her own shot in the halfcourt. She can attack the defense off the dribble and she has good body control to finish at the basket. 3. [player_tooltip player_id='756855' first='Jamaica' last='Cheatham'] - Orangewood Academy/West Coast Premier 17U National 2024 Cheatham was one of the team's lead guards in the game that I saw. She's comfortable being the primary ball-handler and she can play alongside another ball-handler as well. In the halfcourt, she's an unselfish, pass-first guard. She doesn't look to score so much. When she does look for offensive opportunities, she can hit the little runner when going to the rim and she's able to shoot the pull-up in transition. 4. Maya Collins - Cypress/[program_tooltip program_id='714025' first='OC' last='Rhythm'] 17U National Blue Collins is a work-horse of a player, she plays with tons of energy and does a lot of little things like setting screens and boxing out for boards. Most of her scoring came off-ball. She can shoot well from three-point range and she spaces the floor as a small-ball four/five type player. She plays well in the high post, she has good vision looking for cutters around the rim.

This past weekend, Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA played host to the the West Coast Summer Splash presented by West Coast Premier. The event was held from July 1-2 and featured some of the top travel teams in CA. I was able to attend the event on Sunday July 2 in the afternoon and focused on some of the players/teams I have not seen before. Here's a look at some of the standouts I saw.

1. Alex Ballard - Cesar Chavez/ Why Not Premier 15U 2027

This was my first time seeing Ballard play and she was a quick little guard. Likes to attack downhill. She's able to beat her defender off the dribble with a quick burst and gets into the paint consistently. Good change of pace with the ball in her hands. Able to dribble under control against defensive pressure. Pushes the pace in transition and makes good decisions/passes on the break.

2. Mikayla Oliver Mikayla Oliver 5'11" | PF Pacifica (Oxnard) | 2024 State CA - Pacifica Oxnard/SA Swish 805 17U 2024

Oliver stood out as a good ball-handler with size. She's more of a wing/forward but looked comfortable at times with the ball in her hands and being trusted to the primary ball-handler. She's able to consistently create her own shot in the halfcourt. She can attack the defense off the dribble and she has good body control to finish at the basket.

3. Jamaica Cheatham Jamaica Cheatham 5'5" | PG Orangewood Academy | 2024 State CA - Orangewood Academy/West Coast Premier 17U National 2024

Cheatham was one of the team's lead guards in the game that I saw. She's comfortable being the primary ball-handler and she can play alongside another ball-handler as well. In the halfcourt, she's an unselfish, pass-first guard. She doesn't look to score so much. When she does look for offensive opportunities, she can hit the little runner when going to the rim and she's able to shoot the pull-up in transition.

4. Maya Collins - Cypress/ OC Rhythm 17U National Blue

Collins is a work-horse of a player, she plays with tons of energy and does a lot of little things like setting screens and boxing out for boards. Most of her scoring came off-ball. She can shoot well from three-point range and she spaces the floor as a small-ball four/five type player. She plays well in the high post, she has good vision looking for cutters around the rim.