AAU Preseason Preview: Kingdom Hoops 17U
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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 highlight a program in Kingdom Hoops that has been a staple these past few seasons out of Iowa on the AAU travel circuit, across the Midwest. This specific 17U group is one that is made up of experience, leadership, poise, and a whole lotta ballers. They are all a mix of prospects that strive to be their best, every time they take the court.
Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!
Schedule –
April 13-14: Minnesota Tournament
April 19-21: Windy City Classic – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
May 3-5: Kc Classic – Kansas City, Missouri
May 11-12: Queens Of The Court – Des Moines, Iowa
May 18-19: Battle Of The Best – Des Moines, Iowa
June 1-2: G.O.A.T. – Des Moines, Iowa
June 21-23: North Tartan Summer Jam – Minneapolis, Minnesota
July 12-15: March To The Arch – St. Louis, Missouri
July 19-22: Nike: Tournament Of The Champions – Chicago, Illinois
The highest rated and college committed player from this team is Jaeden Pratt Jaeden Pratt 5’10” | CG Ankeny Centennial | 2025 State IA of Ankeny Centennial. Pratt is an Illinois State Women’s Basketball commit and a heck of a basketball player. From everything she has put together over her high school career, I’m sure she is going to get into the Redbirds system and do well. She has natural length and athleticism, not to mention – skill when she touches the ball. Her size helps her move around the floor and produce in a number of different ways. Offensively, she is good enough to catch the ball at the wing and attack off the dribble, she can catch in the middle against a zone and score or create, and she can stand at her team’s PG position to run her team’s offense if need be. When it comes to defense, she is just as good. She can impact a contest with her ability to get a stop or steal and she can rebound at a high rate on both sides of the floor. On this team a good amount of 2026’s playing up, she is going to be someone that everyone looks to when they need a bucket or piece of advice. She has proven that she is a good example for younger players around her so as long as she brings the intensity, she should show out these next few months before her Senior season with the Jaguars this Winter.
Keke Walker Keke Walker 5’7″ | PG West Des Moines Valley | 2026 IA is one of the more fundamental Guards that this group will play. Walker isn’t the tallest or the fastest but she makes up for it by playing with conviction. She understands her role on whatever team she is playing with and I don’t expect that to switch up for this AAU season. Every time that I see Walker compete, she is holding her own, while making a difference. She can catch at the three point line and hit jumpers, she can get steals defensively with her active feet and knowledge of the game, and she is plays in control. When you add all of this together, it’s usually a recipe for success. Like everyone else I’ll mention this AAU season, it all comes down to fit within the system but I think that Walker will be just fine these next few months. She has a game that translates to most programs that she would lace up with so as long as she gets opportunities, I’m sure she is going to shine.
Highlights
One of the smaller and more agile Guards within this group is Neveah Diaz-Doolin Neveah Diaz-Doolin 5’6″ | SG Cedar Rapids Prairie | 2025 State IA . Doolin is going to be someone that has the ability to move between the 1 and then 2 spot. She is at her best while attacking off of a screen or going down hill but she is also very good at slowing up the offense and running some tempo within her team’s system. I’m assuming that this group is going to run a 5-0 style offense with all the pieces that they have. Their Guards are really quick moving and their Forwards are versatile. As long as they run a solid system, everyone is going to do well, Doolin included.
Smart. Fundamental. Effectieve. These are just some of the words used to describe Aubrie Haynes Aubrie Haynes 5’6″ | PG Bondurant Farrar | 2025 State IA and her play-style when it comes to this sport of Basketball. Haynes is a Point Guard and a leader. She is someone that you can trust in to make the right choice almost every time she is faced with a tough decision with the ball in her hands. From everything that I have seen over the years, this is one of those prospects that I would personally love to coach. She is going to be someone that you can trust in, while knowing that she is leaving it all on the court. From a coaching perspective, there isn’t much more you could ask for. When she is at her best is when she has full control of her offense. If she is running stuff, she can thrive in multiple ways. This team is full of Guards who can play and Haynes could turn out to be one of the most complete at the end of the day. What she brings to the table is second-to-none and I’m sure she is going to get a college look or three because of it.
Highlights
Brynlie Hadenfeldt Brynlie Hadenfeldt 5’10” | PF Cedar Rapids Prairie | 2026 State IA was a big pickup for this program in the offseason and she is ready to show her worth this upcoming weekend in Minnesota. Hadenfeldt is a prospect that brings a lot to the floor but her best ability is her versatility. She is someone that has a physical prowess with some good height and she can move around to play a number of different positions on the court. She is at her best when she is able to score and pass at Will from the 4 spot but she is agile enough to step out to the three point line to create. Defensively, her versatility is just as impressive. She can stay with a bigger Post or move onto a smaller Guard, sticking in front of them. She is going to be a big piece to this team’s success over the next few years. She is a 2026 prospect playing up but you’d never be able to tell that if it weren’t mentioned. She impacts a game throughout it in a number of ways and I’m sure that will be on full-display these next few months.
Highlights
One of this team’s premier Point Guards comes to us in the form of Alyssa Bartlett Alyssa Bartlett 5’7″ | PG Southeast Polk | 2025 State IA of South East Polk High School. Bartlett is a South Dakota commit and a heck of a leader with the ball in her hands. Bartlett is a D1 commit for several different reasons but the main being because she can create for others around her at a high rate and she can score from all three levels, every time she is attacking her defender. She is going to be tasked with running this teams offense, while helping everyone else out and I think she is going to do just fine. She doesn’t have to worry about recruitment anymore, giving her some breathing room and confidence coming into these next few months. If she can work on figuring out what everyone else is best at and setting them up for success, this group will perform like a well oiled machine. Something I expect at this point from everything I have seen.
Grace Linder Grace Linder 5’11” | SF Wes Des Moines Valley | 2025 State IA is an emerging prospect, that has had her recruitment pick up as of late. Linder is an individual that we are going to learn and hear more and more about as the 2024-2025 high school season starts of this upcoming Winter. She is someone that has great size at over 6’0 and she is athletic in all of her movements coming down the floor. Where she really thrives is in the half court. She has proven that she can dominate down low or she can step out to the perimeter, spreading out the defense of her opponents. Last year she didn’t really get a chance to shine but that all is about to change. She will be someone on this AAU team, who can make a difference every time she takes the court. If she locks in and stays dedicated, it will all work out for the best with everyone involved.
Highlights
Ashlee Brown Ashlee Brown PG Valley | 2026 IA is going to be someone tasked with bringing up the ball and controlling the offense for this group in several situations. Brown is a prospect that didn’t see a whole lot of the Varsity floor this past season but that is all going to change going into this Winter when her Valley team loses a ton of their players due to graduation. I think that Brown is another individual that needs to go out there and be confident in her abilities. She is good enough to run her team’s offense, while being able to score or create in a number of different ways. This ability should be on full display these next few months leading into the high school season this upcoming Winter. My challenge for Brown in this process will be to stay efficient. When she is playing off of two-feet is when she is at her best. As long as she understands that and locks in, she is going to have a nice Spring with this Kingdom program.
Every time that Ainsley Kiene Ainsley Kiene 5’8″ | SG Ankeny | 2026 IA takes the floor, she is due to hit a handful of three pointers along with registering a few steals at the same time. Kiene is a 5’8 Shooting Guard, who understands what she is best at when she is out there on the floor. She is always looking for her spots around the three point line, while displaying active hands on both sides of the ball. On this team and within this program, I’m expecting more of the same from Kiene these next few months. She is someone that can be trusted to make big shots and that should be something that comes about this AAU season. I’ll be interested how that translates to the high school court this Winter but we are still far from that. Right now she is going to worry about what is in front of her and control what she can control.
Maddy Fischer Maddy Fischer 5’10” | CG Carlisle | 2025 IA will join this group from Carlilse High School, with the ability to shoot the ball from deep whenever someone else can create while going to the middle. Fischer is a prospect that registers a number of different positive statistics on both sides of the floor. She usually ends up with a handful of Rebounds, Assists, and Steals along with Points each contest. My goal for her over the next few months is to find herself. When she knows her niche and is confident in her abilities, she is at her best. If she can do that this AAU campaign, she will have one of her best seasons to date.