AAU PREVIEW: United NJ 15U P24

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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 15U squad from the Power 24 division of a program who draws all the college coaches to the sidelines! United NJ has established itself as one of the premier grassroots organizations in the Garden State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Helena Larsen</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Helena's experience at Archbishop Wood playing with and against some of the best players in PA (and quite frankly, in the country) will pay dividends this summer. The 5'5" guard is developing a solid game in the back court and will surely bring some flare to this squad on fast breaks and with crisp, effective ball movement. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1047234' first='Nadia' last='Mikalainis']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Length, versatile offense and committed defense; three things Nadia excels at. At a long 5'10", she does a great job not only disrupting the lanes with her reach, but also protecting the paint. She's can score the ball inside and out, including a confident and reliable 3-point shot. She may emerge as one of this team's best players because of her ability to do so many things well!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='902241' first='Adhara' last='Blanc']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Adhara spent the winter competing against boys. No, seriously. She played on Dwight-Englewood's boys team because of a lack of players to field a girls program. That experience, practicing and competing on a daily basis with more physical male players, is going to make a huge difference this season. She is absolutely fearless and always ready for the moment! With a strong 5'6" build, she does a fantastic job working defenders with her dribble and carving paths to the hoop. And while she can shoot it from just about anywhere, it's her selflessness and willingness to dish that gels any team she plays on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913941' first='Malaya' last='Jones']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Malaya is a Swiss Army knife of a talent because she's so strong, can play inside the paint or at the perimeter and crashes the glass hard for rebounds. She's capable of a double-double on any given night and poses a match-up problem because of her versatility. She's effective when taking the smaller defender off the bounce and slashing by post players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Paityn Debro</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Paityn will provide some depth when it comes to mid-range and 3-point scoring. She'll be charged up and ready to provide a spark when this team needs her most. I, for one, am eager to watch her development in this program because I know how good she can be when it all comes together.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Melina Cole</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A skilled 5'10" wing, Melina has a devastating 3-point shot that many opponents are going to feel this summer. She's a fluid mover who can get ahead of the pack in transition and can keep up with much smaller guards for successful defending. Her versatility on both sides of the ball will be a huge part of United's success!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1199464' first='Natalija' last='Novkovic']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sure, Natalija can score the ball and do so very well, but her defense is what really stands out to me! A long 5'10", she is active at disrupting all areas of the floor, from intercepting passes to blocking shots near the rim and even causing chaos on inbound passes. She has excellent anticipatory skills that force more than a few turnovers per game, converting stout defense to quick-hitting offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mary Tresler</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At nearly 6'0", Mary will draw a lot of attention on the ball because of the fact she's one of this team's tallest players. She's able to convert entry passes in the low post but also does a great job maneuvering through the defense and driving to the bucket; may play positions 3-5. She'll be big on the glass and if she can convert o-boards to put-backs at a high clip, it'll give this team a security blanket inside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1232429' first='Charlotte' last='Hunzinger']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Charlotte will anchor the post and as long as the guards continue to feed her, she'll continue laying in baskets for 2. At 6'0", she'll command the interior and do all the things you can expect from a PF/C; rebounds, blocks, paint protection. She does a really good job of staying straight up and down when swatting shots, filling up the "blocks" column on the box score while keeping the fouls to a minimum.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Live Period Schedule</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <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 12-14</td><td>Midwest Summer Classic</td></tr><tr><td>July 18-21</td><td>Select 40: The Finale</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table -->