Who Is Up Next?

Who is up next? This isn't the easiest question to answer at the middle school level as there are a lot of questions marks floating around as to where prospects might play once they get to high school. Something we can say with confidence though is that production and the "eye" test do not lie. Each athlete listed below passes both of those tests with flying colors and they will be ready to compete at the high school level, when that time does come.   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    Kelby Maher may only be a 6th grade but her skill-set is extremely impressive. Maher is a smooth operator with the basketball in her position. She understands that she is quicker and more physical than most already and those two factors help her feast against others. Currently she is working in the gym whenever she can to understand the in's and out's of the game. With her natural build, her mental awareness, and her diverse skill-set already, she is only going to get better with time as she gets into the high school ranks. With who she plays with now, she is someone that moves between the 1-5 positions, depending on what is needed. This usually helps a prospect grow as a well-rounded player when they are younger so when they lock into their actual position in high school, they understand what works and what doesn't against. It's still going to be a few years before we see this one playing Varsity ball but once she gets there, she is going to be a killer so just watch out.     There is a lot of upside to [player_tooltip player_id='884400' first='Aubrey' last='Meyer'] and the type of game that she might possess when she gets to the high school level. Meyer already stands at 5'10 as a SF and she has demonstrated on a consistent basis over the years that she is someone that is better than your average for her age level with a lot of room to grow over-time. With her Missouri Phenom AAU team, she is a viable option near the paint for simple buckets or stops on defense and that's against all sorts of different competition. I'm excited to see what she will be able to do this Summer prior to her Freshman year at IC-Liberty. Their group will have a few new faces on their squad compared to last season but as long as they continue to compete as a team, they should be just fine and players like Meyer should produce.     I don't know too much about Gentry Thummel just yet but I'm assuming that is going to change this AAU season. Thummel is in 7th grade and she looks to stand between 6'2 and 6'4. She is the definition of a true Power Forward or Center with her natural height and she is slowly starting to understand how to use that size to her advantage on a regular basis. From the first time I saw Thummel to the next, her footwork was 100% better and her touch/coordination was as well. She was starting to be able to use angles in her Post movements and those angles helped her own the space she was competing in. There is a lot to learn here but all in all, this is someone that could be a major impact player down the line at the HS, AAU, and even possibly collegiate level one day. She just needs to continue to work on the correct things moving towards high school.     Fiona Faidley is going to be a prospect that takes over the high school levels by storm once she gets there. Faidley would be categorized as a CG right now, basically because of how well she understands time and pace, along with her own ability to shoot the ball from deep. I first had the chance to see Faidley this past Fall and she put on a show with her lightning quick release of the basketball while letting it go. Not only is it a quick release, it's accurate and it looks picture perfect every time she lets it go. Pretty impressive for a prospect currently in the 7th grade. I'm not exactly sure where this one will end up for high school ball but she is located out of the Waukee Area so she will have options. Either way though, whoever gets her is getting a player that could turn into something really special over the next couple of years.     [player_tooltip player_id='896729' first='Charlotte' last='Hoffman'] of [program_tooltip program_id='712709' first='Nebraska' last='Attack'] UAA can play at a high level with her mixture of confidence, communication, and high motor. It also helps that she is 5'10 with a dominant attitude along with some versatility out on the hardwood. Hoffman can move between positions and yield positive results on either end of the floor. With her future being at Millard West, it might be hard for her to see Varsity time right away next Winter but they will lose a lot of production due to graduation in the off-season so who know. If Hoffman comes correct and shows the coaches early on that she is the real deal, she might get a shot right away. We are still some time away from all of that but it definitely will be something to consider as we get into the Summer in a few short months.

Who is up next? This isn't the easiest question to answer at the middle school level as there are a lot of questions marks floating around as to where prospects might play once they get to high school. Something we can say with confidence though is that production and the "eye" test do not lie. Each athlete listed below passes both of those tests with flying colors and they will be ready to compete at the high school level, when that time does come.