PGH Midwest Extravaganza: Byron’s Key Takeaways & Top Players

<!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">This weekend's PGH event was held at two locations, with Batavia being a location to find talent that's on the come up, and the Plainfield location being the hub for some of the established talent, as well as players who are knocking at the door. Below are some key takeaways from an overall perspective as well as some of the top players that I watched either multiple times or full games that they completely dominated in. </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|primary"}}}},"textColor":"primary"} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color">16U / 17U TAKEAWAYS</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Players are way too focused on the offensive side of the ball; there were many moments when the older players decided to slow down on their aggression because their shots weren't falling. Though scoring is a strong tell of the talent level of a player, if you can't provide something else to a program besides scoring, your chances of receiving an offer, or even playing time, are slim to none. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The lack of understanding when and where to rotate on the defensive side of the ball was another main concern. Those rotations fall under the communication piece and require less skill. Skill can be taught, but communication should be a given if your goal is to get to high tier college competition. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The guard play has shifted more towards looking for their own than setting up their teammates. If you're a scoring guard, be a scoring guard, but make sure to have a couple of possessions where you show your ability to create for others, just as yourself. College coaches want players who can be ADAPTABLE, not just for a game, but can you switch in and out of positions per possession.. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Off-ball movement was another key thing that I wanted to mention. Learning when and how to relocate is a key need to play at the next level. Filling, sliding up, sliding down... cutting across, setting on ball and off-ball screens... all of this should be second nature if you're a player that will see significant minutes on the court. Having this mindset allows players to react quicker before even being told what to do. This puts pressure on the defense, especially when it comes to building a scouting report. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|primary"}}}},"textColor":"primary"} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color">MY TOP PLAYERS</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["874651"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68364d2ca3c16"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><em>Smith is well on her way to being a legit prospect in this class, and she showed that in almost every game that I caught of hers. She has all the intangibles that make up for a college player. Regardless of the division that she ends up in, her skill set can be utilized in all types of systems. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["514946"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68364d2ca3c73"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><em>There was no other player in the gym this past weekend with the potential and skillset of Shania. I caught her last game, and the scoring wasn't even the main focal point. It was her playmaking and vision that solidified how much of a star this kid can be. She set up almost every player for an easy bucket and made the difficult passes look effortless. Can't wait to see where she calls home for her college career. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["616776"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68364d2ca3cbe"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><em>I'm big on confidence, and this kid is just filled with it. I've said on numerous occasions that she plays bigger than her size, but it's her aggression that continues to stand out. She's one of those players that seems to get better as she plays more games. She's also showing her ability to play off the ball, which will be big for her recruitment. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->