AAU PREVIEW: NJ Panthers 17U Black

AAU basketball is getting warmed up and before you know it, the April live period will arrive (4/25-4/27)! Let's break down the 17U Black squad from a program who never shies away from competition. You can catch the Panthers playing in some of the hardest brackets in events around the country this Spring and Summer.   [player_tooltip player_id='767644' first='Grace' last='Cloud']   A 6'0" swing, she brings so much versatility to this team! She almost plays a style of positionless basketball; can shoot the 3, strong baseline pull-up jumper and can post-up. Just as she can play multiple spots on offense, she can defend them as well. Her size is sure to make a difference on the glass, especially igniting the break.   [player_tooltip player_id='964995' first='Gianna' last='Mattia']   Gianna moves up from 17U Blue and is ready to lock in at the PG role. She's so savvy running the point, with strong handles and unwavering poise; equal parts scorer and facilitator. She's scrappy on defense and you can expect nothing less than undeniable hustle plays; ball pressure, diving for 50/50 balls and a never-say-die mentality.   [player_tooltip player_id='871281' first='Catie' last='Klemm']   Catie has so many tools that make her great in the back court! She's long at 5'11", comes equipped with a very high motor and can knock down shots both inside and out; will pose match-up problems for opponents. Her reach also allows her to make an impact rebounding from the guard spot.   [player_tooltip player_id='601333' first='Megan' last='Logan']   Standing a smidge under 6'0" tall, Megan will play a crucial role in pulling down big rebounds. She's a versatile scorer who can play in the post and stretch out to knock down triples. She may just be this team's strongest two-way player because she's equally as skilled and committed on offense and defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='601334' first='Alissa' last='Myers']   Alissa's mid-range alone is enough to bury opponents. Now combine that with slashing drives and the ability to devastate from 3 and you get one heckuva multi-level scorer! She has a complete game because she can light up the scoring column and also stack up the steals. She takes no plays off!   [player_tooltip player_id='601520' first='Allison' last='Snyder']   Allison is fresh off the best year of her high school hoops career. The 6'0" forward puts in work across the board, doing any and every thing to help her team win. Her forte, however, is locking down the paint. She has proven to be a furious rim protector who guards driving inside should absolutely be cautious of, otherwise likely face rejection.   [player_tooltip player_id='601348' first='Mia' last='Vergel De Dios']   Mia does a great job playing both on the ball and off it, making her skilled at both the 1 and 2. She's coming off a career year at Glen Rock that saw her make a big impact across the board, but especially in points and assists. Look for her to feed the bigs down low but also pop shots of her own, especially from distance where she can go on a heater!   [player_tooltip player_id='871420' first='Abby' last='Grove']   Mia and Abby have great chemistry at Glen Rock which I fully expect to carry over to this Panthers squad. She can expect a lot of entry passes from Mia, and at 6'0", look for her to lay them in at a high clip. She'll likely be this team's go-to on the boards; strong, physical frame.   [player_tooltip player_id='601519' first='Annabel' last='Koss-DeFrank']   Annabel was limited to only six tournaments last summer as she made her return from injury, so expect her to come out guns blazing this season! She's a long 5'11" with fluid mobility to get up and down the floor with ease. You can expect scoring from all spots, but her bread and butter lies when curling to the basket. Very disruptive on defense; look for lots of disruption in the passing lanes when Annabel is lurking!   Live Period Schedule   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>April 25-27</td><td>Live at the Nook</td></tr><tr><td>May 16-18</td><td>Atlantic City Showcase</td></tr><tr><td>July 10-12</td><td>Run 4 Roses Classic</td></tr><tr><td>July 13-15</td><td>Run 4 Roses Championship</td></tr><tr><td>July 18-21</td><td>Hoop Group Championship</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

AAU basketball is getting warmed up and before you know it, the April live period will arrive (4/25-4/27)! Let's break down the 17U Black squad from a program who never shies away from competition. You can catch the Panthers playing in some of the hardest brackets in events around the country this Spring and Summer.