Friday Night Insights: AAU Addition
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TN’s AAU action is far and wide this weekend! We have the Sunsphere in Knox, an AAU qualifier in Lafallette, and the Showtime Shootout which has drawn some of the best teams in the South. Here is some of what…
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Continue ReadingTN’s AAU action is far and wide this weekend! We have the Sunsphere in Knox, an AAU qualifier in Lafallette, and the Showtime Shootout which has drawn some of the best teams in the South. Here is some of what went down Friday night:
This kid just keeps getting better…seemingly by the minute. On Friday night, B Maze Elite (52) beat NOW Elite 16U Nike (46) in a battle! Spencer scored 16 points–leading B Maze to a gritty win. Tiarra Spencer has turned herself into an all-around playmaker! She did lead them in scoring, but also led in assists as she was a continuous problem getting downhill to the cup. Defensively, you gotta pick your poison vs Spencer: backup and give up the jumper, or press up and risk her collapsing the defense. This team decided to pressure Spencer, and she made them pay both by both scoring at the rim and kicking to shooters after the D collapsed.
Highlights
Theola Mills
Theola Mills
Gosh, I like this kid’s game. While some skills don’t always translate from one level to the next, rebounding rates tend to. If you have a knack for intuitively knowing where rebounds are going, and grabbing them at the highest point at the high school level….it will translate to the college level. Same with college to the pro’s…..rebounding stats at one level are a great predictor of rebounding stats at the next level.
With all that said….Bearden’s Theola Mills is a rebounding machine. She’s not super big (5’8), but has great athleticism, and “2nd jump” ability (so many rebounds are tipped…and thus it’s not the best jumper who rebounds but the best 2nd jumper). Mills seemed to grab every rebound in her area, ending with 11 rebound. She also added 2 blocks.
Mills is a waaaaay under the radar athlete that is a college ready defender and rebounder. She needs her continue to develop her offensive skill set…but, what she does well is impossible to teach.
Playing up two grades at the Sunsphere, I thought Reagan Sheridan Reagan Sheridan 5’9″ | CG Farragut | 2027 TN ‘s two performances were note worthy. Her scoring is very consistent at this point (same with her HS season), but what is jumping off the charts to me are the other numbers. She’s turning herself into a 6 rebound per game kid. If you are a wing that can 1) knock down open threes 2) defend multiple positions 3) rebound—then you are a college player at some level. She’s turning herself into a college player right before out eyes as she’s turned it up on the defensive end (she had 6 steals in game, 2 blocks and 3 steals in another). Show me a kid that can shoot and defend at a high level, and I’ll show you a college player.
Highlights
Rylee Taylor
Rylee Taylor
Rylee Taylor is a ’27 that I haven’t written about…..and she’s way under the radar. In two games on Friday night, she scored a combined 28 points, 8-17 from three! While the 47% from 3 isn’t likely sustainable, it gives us a hint at the player she can be–a high level 3 and D kid that knocks down shots from distance, and can defend multiple positions. I look forward to watching her game progress this spring.
Delaney Weddington Delaney Weddington 5’10” | SG Morristown-Hamblen West | 2025 State TN continues to impress at every level. Trotters ’25 (Heifner) is at the AAU qualifier in Lafallette this weekend. They pulled out a tough win last night and Weddington was the best player on the floor. She finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. She continues to be a kid that contributes across the board statistically, and is a scrappy defender and rebounder.
Jordan White Jordan White 5’4″ | PG Northview Academy | 2025 State TN quietly continues to do Jordan White Jordan White 5’4″ | PG Northview Academy | 2025 State TN things. In TFT Heifner ’25s win on Friday night she put up a 4 point, 4 rebound, 5 assists line. She’s reminding me more and more of Jason Kidd (I’m sorry I don’t have a more relevant comp!—but I’m 40 years old……)
Like Jason Kidd, she jumps off the stat sheet in her assists, but also will quietly give you points and rebounds to go with it. She’s a PG that impacts the game in multiple ways—and if you have a PG that can rebound then it equates into instant fast breaks. If White can increase her efficiency from 3…..she’s got what it takes to be a big time player.
Highlights
Payton Rollins Payton Rollins 5’8″ | PG South Doyle | 2027 TN ’27 is playing up with the ’25s, and that is a lot when it comes to AAU. She’s been impacting game with her passing and IQ, but last night had a nice 11 point, 3 rebound outing. She’s a star in the making, and I’ve enjoyed watching her develop other parts of her game—but it was nice to see her getting buckets again last night.
Highlights
Kelsey Holt Kelsey Holt 5’9″ | SF Union Co. | 2025 State TN had 17 points and 6 rebounds last night. I still think she’s one of the most underrated 3 and D wings in the state, as her explosion this year in HS has carried over to AAU in the spring. She continues to score and rebound the ball at very high levels.