NW Cup: 15U Standout Guards

Two young and talented 14U Washington club teams stayed local, played up, and met in the 15U bracket final at the HoopSource NW Cup in Beaverton on Sunday. The undefeated Monarch Crowns topped the Vancouver Grizzlies to win the championship game. The weekend prior, the Grizzlies won their underclassmen pool at the Elite is Earned Invitational in Roseville on April 27.   Here are five guards from the 15U bracket who caught my eye:    Vancouver Grizzlies combo guard Zoe Blake is an explosive and athletic playmaker who blows by to the rim and runs back to make the defensive stop. The 5-foot-7 7th-grader (2030) played up in the 15U bracket. Blake is a track high jumper and plays at a next-level pace. She anticipates the pass for the steal and speeds full court for the fast break layup. She's creative in the lane with a pass fake or a euro step and makes the athletic finish at the rim. Blake hit the catch-and-shoot corner three and the side-step pull-up wing three. She showed off some nice passing, feeding the big from the perimeter, dishing, kicking, and making the extra pass in transition.     Monarch Crowns point guard Maya Reyes is a quick and crafty ball handler who gets to the rim and can hit from three. The 5-foot-3 8th-grader (2029) has excellent vision and passing and can get her team into its offense. She's swift down the lane and finishes with the scoop layup to beat the big underneath. She can drain the catch-and-shoot and the pull-up from the arc. She has quick feet on defense and makes the steal. She drives and dishes and makes the play in transition.     Vancouver Grizzlies guard Sa'Reiylle Carstens-Cornwell is a quick player with great vision and passing. The 5-foot-5 8th-grader (2029) plays tough one-on-one defense and steals the overhead pass. She has quick hands to deflect passes, dives to the floor to fight for the ball, and just wants it more. Carstens-Cronwell dropped a no look dime in transition. She drives and dishes. She hit the catch-and-shoot three. She'll be a great addition to a young and talented Benson squad.     Vancouver Grizzlies point guard Zoey Nikkila is a shooter and quick ball handler with a deceptive change of speed and direction. The 5-foot-2 7th-grader (2030) played up in the 15U bracket. Nikkila shook her defender with the tween-tween crossover pull-up three at the top of the arc. She has a quick first step to beat her defender, and she's working on finding the assist in the lane after drawing the help defender. Nikkila finished a fast break with a quick and controlled euro-step layup. She drained a sweet midrange runner. She wins the loose-ball footrace, runs down the long offensive rebound, and fights for the jump ball.     ABA point guard Nhi Do is a two-way playmaker and hustler who attacks the lane. The freshman (2028) has a quick first step, finds the angle, drives fast, and can finish with either hand at the rim. Do is a quick decision-maker who pushes the pace, makes the extra pass, and finds the assist. She is a quick and sneaky defender, closing out the shooter on the perimeter and stealing the inbound pass.

Two young and talented 14U Washington club teams stayed local, played up, and met in the 15U bracket final at the HoopSource NW Cup in Beaverton on Sunday. The undefeated Monarch Crowns topped the Vancouver Grizzlies to win the championship game. The weekend prior, the Grizzlies won their underclassmen pool at the Elite is Earned Invitational in Roseville on April 27.