USJN Mountain Madness: Valuable Two-Way Players

Clayton Conover

August 4, 2023 @ 04:28 PM

These prospects all bring value through their willingness to attack the paint, creating opportunities for teammates across the board. Although bringing a myriad of skill sets, they all find ways to add winning impact to their requisite programs. Bright futures ahead for their high school programs, all of which were playoff teams this past season.    [player_tooltip player_id='216664' first='Taylor' last='Ellington'] - Green Mountain - B&B Academy - 2024   Ellington brought value on the defensive end while acting as a valuable facilitator for this B&B group. At roughly 5'7, she was active making decisions in an instant, either taking the jumper or attacking downhill immediately. The incoming senior will be a dependable shooter off the catch, proving especially effective from the wings. The guard does well keeping her eyes up, making well timed passes to corner shooters off of baseline drives. Defensively, Ellington is constantly searching for ways to disrupt passing lanes, getting a hand up to steal the ball.   Karly Jones - Wheatland (WY) - [program_tooltip program_id='715342' first='24MD' last='Team Daum'] - 2025   Jones embraces the fundamentals, effective utilizing jump stops to slow down the pace along with scoring upside along the perimeter. The guard is an effective shotmaker off the catch, dependable off the catch out to the three point line. Another aspect of her shotmaking resides in the mid-range, proving to be knockdown from the short corners either from a standstill or while flowing into the shot. Her strong frame leaves room for growth as a scorer in the paint, especially while attacking smaller matchups for the ideal shot attempt. Another aspect of Jones's impact comes from the defensive glass, capable of hustling or out muscling opponents.    [player_tooltip player_id='491235' first='Addison' last='Harding'] - University - [program_tooltip program_id='712718' first='NOCO' last='Triple Threat'] - 2025   Harding is a well rounded post scorer complemented by excellent footwork down low. She has no trouble getting physical in the paint drawing 4+ free throws per game through her willingness to draw fouls. Harding possesses a quick turnaround from her pivot, capable of creating easy layup attempts by fooling the opponent of her initial direction. On the glass, Harding is constantly finding ways to grab a rebound, crashing the glass at all times. She brings positional versatility on the defensive end, capable of matching up with three positions given her mobility and wide reach. Another aspect of Harding's impact comes from the free throw line, proving efficient on those attempts.   [player_tooltip player_id='495817' first='Addison' last='Forry'] - Laramie (WY) - [program_tooltip program_id='712718' first='NOCO' last='Triple Threat'] - 2025   Forry is an athletic big guard, proving quicker and more athletic than opposing backcourt defenders from this event. The guard has a quick first step, complemented by long strides that make it incredibly difficult to slow down while attacking the rim. Alongside her athletic talents, Forry is a skilled perimeter threat, effective at utilizing combo moves to create more space for driving lanes. Once around the rim, Forry can utilize her short floater to score above taller and stronger defenders who wall off the lane. At roughly 5'10, she boasts notable size for her skill set, complemented by offers from Maritime Maine, Cornell College, and Laramie Community College.

These prospects all bring value through their willingness to attack the paint, creating opportunities for teammates across the board. Although bringing a myriad of skill sets, they all find ways to add winning impact to their requisite programs. Bright futures ahead for their high school programs, all of which were playoff teams this past season.