AAU Preseason Preview: Team Iowa 2027 BlueStar
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It’s that time of the year again. It’s AAU Season! This time of the year is always an interesting and excited one. It’s the time where we see new faces in new places, new groups joining together, and a whole…
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Continue ReadingIt’s that time of the year again. It’s AAU Season! This time of the year is always an interesting and excited one. It’s the time where we see new faces in new places, new groups joining together, and a whole lot of action as it pertains to high-level basketball throughout the country.
In this article, we cover Team Iowa and their 2027 BlueStar team. This team is coming back together this Spring and they are going to make a nice run this season. They return almost every player from their roster a season ago, while adding some dominant prospects in the Post and at the Guard positions. Their schedule is one that is tough but that’s a good thing. This type of schedule is the kind that is going to prepare these kids for the Varsity high school level once they get there. Some of these prospects did compete on Varsity as Freshman last year but they still have a long ways to go in their basketball careers. If they can lock in as a unit over these next 3-4 months, they are going to love how their AAU season turns out.
Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!
Schedule –
March 30: Nothings But Net – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
April 5-7: The Take Off (Select 40) – Lincoln, Nebraska
April 19-21: Windy City (USJN) – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
May 3-5: PGH Champions Challenge – Appleton, Wisconsin
May 17-19: All Iowa Attack : Battle Of The Best or Midamerican Challenge (BlueStar League)
June 15-16: Run and Gun Challenge – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
June 21-23: North Tartan Summer Jam – Minneapolis, Minnesota
July 12-15: March To the Arch – St. Louis, Missouri (BlueStar League)
July 19-22: Premier Showcase (USJN) – Chicago, Illinois
One of the premier shooters for this team is Guard, Addyson Luvan Addyson Luvan 5’1″ | PG Jefferson | 2027 IA of CR – Jefferson High School. Luvan is a quick moving and fast thinking prospects, who brings positive and an edge to whatever team she is lacing up with. Over these past few seasons, she has really come into her own, showing everyone that this is only the start. Luvan can do a ton of positive things on the floor but her best ability and the ability that she is going to have to display at high rate over these next few months is shooting that thing from deep. She has demonstrated that she has a picture perfect shot form, while always having a balanced stance. It really doesn’t matter if it’s off the dribble or on the catch, if she has time and space, it’s going to be a good look for this group. Whenever a team with new players comes around, everyone needs to figure out how they fit within their system. I don’t think Luvan will have a problem with that. Whenever she catches, she will have the green light to let it fly and I understand why.
A prospect that is going to be in charge of handling and creating for this group is Guard, Angie Troh. Troh is a Top 25 Ranked player out of her 2027 Class here in Iowa and for good reason. She has demonstrated these past two years that she has a swift handle, that she can create off of the dribble, and that she is a very able and willing passer once she gets into the teeth of the defense. She is fantastic at getting all the way to the rim for a sweet finish or she can step out and hit a floater if given the space. Defensively, she creates a lot of chaos. She moves her feet well and she has active hands usually causing some tips/deflections throughout a contest. With this team, I expect her to be a starter on Day 1. She makes things happen and every program needs a player like that on the court.
While speaking about crafty creators with the ball in their hands, I can’t forget to mention Guard, Elysionna Westerfield Elysionna Westerfield 5’8″ | CG CR Washington | 2027 State IA . Westerfield is a player with some long arms, an act for being in the right place at the right time, and some natural skill. More times than not, she is crossing over her defender and getting to whatever spot she wants on the floor at any given moment. She is going to be a player on this team that everyone looks to when they need a bucket offensively. Just like Troh, she is very good at creating off the bounce and she isn’t afraid to get physical, mixing it up with some bigger players near the paint. When talking into consideration everyone that is on this roster, Westerfield’s ceiling may be the highest. The jury still isn’t out on that one but we will see. If she is as dominant as I think she can be over these next few months, she is going to be prospect we hear a lot about moving forward.
Highlights
From everything that I have seen recently, Kymara Atwood-Mayes Kymara Atwood-Mayes 5’8″ | SF CR – Jefferson | 2027 IA is going to be their team’s “glue” type prospect. She kind of does a little bit of everything when she is on the court because of her versatility. She has better than average size for her position, with the ability to move between the 2, 3, or 4 spot depending on what is being asked of her by her coaching staff. This past high school season, Mayes put together a solid campaign. She make her presence known as a Freshman in her program and she seems to grow her game throughout the season while doing it. I’m not sure that she is going to be the player to ever put up 30-40 points in a contest but you can bet that she is going to give you production in some shape or form each night.
Highlights
Ameena Zubaid
Ameena Zubaid
The other Shooting Guard, that can light it up from deep in a hurry is Ameena Zubaid. Zubaid is someone that you can trust to knock down a shot of three from anywhere on the court throughout a contest. She is obviously at her best in catch-and-shooting situations but she also has the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to another spot that maybe more open, if not getting all the way to the rim for a finish. There is a a lot of good things that Zubaid can do on the floor for her team but her best ability is letting it fly. With the prospects that this team will have on the floor all at one time, it’s not crazy to think that this could be Zubaid’s best season to date. She is going to get a lot of opportunities. As long as she is ready for the moment, I’m sure she is going to have some eye-opening performances over these next few months!
Cayleigh O’Brien
Cayleigh O’Brien
Cayleigh O’Brien has some raw talent and natural skill as it pertains to the game of basketball. I had the chance to see O’Brien compete these past few seasons and she has always done a good job of making the most of her opportunities. She actually competed with this group last year a handful of times, while playing with their second team as well but this year it’s different. She has proven that she is good enough to step up and make a difference, even when she has other talented players on the floor around her. I’m not sure where she is going to fall within her high school roster going into next season but if she continue to expand her game, it would be silly to say that she won’t be on Varsity. She has the Will and energy to make a difference, she just needs to go out and make it happen now.
Where do I start with the prospect that is Lillie Spicer Lillie Spicer 6’0″ | PF CR – Jefferson | 2027 State IA . Spicer is a 6’0 – PF/Center and a good one at that. For her Freshman year at CR – Jefferson, she made a statement showing her worth almost immediately. As the season pushed forward, she grew in experience and confidence, helping her become even better by the time that the end of the season rolled around. On this team and within this Team Iowa program, Spicer is going to be their force to be reckoned with. She has size, strength, coordination, a high motor, and a lot of heart. If her team’s offense puts her in situations with her back to the basket, she is going to eat. Defensively, she is just as much of a factor for this group. She is going to be one of those players that can wall up and get stops on any like sized opponent. She just needs to work hard and all that work will come to fruition.
Highlights
Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'0" | C Jesup | 2027 IA
Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'0" | C Jesup | 2027 IA
The other force in the middle for this squad comes in the form of 6’1 Center, Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6’0″ | C Jesup | 2027 IA . Zabel obviously has good size but she is much more than that. She is a prospect that can clean up messes on either side of the basket with either hand, she can defender the 3-5 position, she alters a TON of shots because of her natural length, and she is disciplined while standing underneath the basket. Zabel may be new to this program this season but she is going to make her mark. From everything that I have seen on video up until this point, this is a prospect to know out of Iowa in the 2027 Class. She does too many good things to be ignored, while standing taller than most a majority of the time. I have a feeling she is going to be vital in this team’s success these next few months but we will just have to wait and see how it plays out.