EYBL Nike National Championships: JB's Notebook (Day 2)

Yesterday was the kick off of Nike TOC, Nike EYBL Nationals, and USJN Nationals taking place at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. This event has brought in around 10,000 players to compete under one roof for a 4/5 day period to end the July Live College Viewing Period.    I have the privilege to be in attendance for the weekend to see some great action. Here are some notes that I ended up taking in real time while evaluating through out Day 2 at the EYBL portion of things.    Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!   #10 - Adaline Sheplee - 2026 - [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 17U EYBL   "I've been a huge fan of Sheplee's game since she was on Wisconsin Flight EYBL in previous years. She came prepared on Saturday morning to help move her team to 3-0 in Pool play. Sheplee has great size at over 6'1. Offensively, she is a scoring threat at every level you can imagine. Defensively, she is very good at controlling the middle of the lane with her combination of size and athletic ability. She understands situational basketball to a T and it really shows within her natural instincts/skill-set. Whoever get's Sheplee at the next level is getting a game-changer in several facets of the game. If she sticks with it, I can't wait to see what she turns out to be come college time."   #3 - Celsy Colombo - 2027 - Team Exodus 16U EYBL   "Celsy Colombo possesses a mixture of size, skill, and tenacity that everyone coach loves to see. She has great size standing just over 6'2 and she is skilled in multiple ways. Offensively, she can post up smaller defenders with her size within 15Ft of the rim, she can step out to screen or pass from outside the three point line at a steady rate, and she can hit open buckets from all offensive levels off of the catch or dribble. She is also pretty sound defensively as well, staying down and disciplined in the middle to contest shots that might come into her space. There was even times during Day 2 of this event when Colombo was helping break the press with her screening and dribbling ability in the full court."   #42 - Ashlyn Koupal - 2026 - [program_tooltip program_id='712377' first='All' last='Iowa Attack'] 17U EYBL   "Not going to get into Ashlyn Koupal too much because we just highlighted her play from yesterday but she was a main source of production once again this morning in her team's 10 AM battle. Instead of just hitting three's though, Koupal was scoring in mid-post with her back to the basket at a consistent rate as well. Most of the time ending the possession with a bucket off of some sort of fade-away action over some smaller defender. [program_tooltip program_id='712375' first='All' last='in'] all, another good showing for the impressive SF from SD.   #25 - Olivia "Big O” Vukosa - 2026 - Philly Rise 17U EYBL   "It might be an understatement to say that Olivia "Big O" Vukosa is a force to be reckoned with inside the lane on either end of the floor. Big O has height, muscle mass to go along with it, soft touch on the ball, and coordinated balance. Those four things combined together might it extremely tough to stop her. It's nearly impossible with just one player. If you give her time and space on the block with her back to the basket, it's over. Just consider it a made-bucket and move on. This is going to be someone we see on a National scale one day at the next level before you know it."   #10 - [player_tooltip player_id='557354' first='Jenica' last='Lewis'] - 2026 - [program_tooltip program_id='712377' first='All' last='Iowa Attack'] 17U EYBL   "Lewis kept the AIA in their early morning contest against [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan']. Without Lewis, this game is 20-25 points when the final buzzer sounds in favor of NT but instead, Lewis saw the floor while playing on injury and she still hit big buckets from deep at a high rate to keep things interesting. You could tell that Lewis was injured they way she was moving but she still produced and that was noteworthy."   #3 - [player_tooltip player_id='471360' first='Mya' last='Moore'] - 2026 - [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 17U EYBL   "You gotta love the play-making ability that [player_tooltip player_id='471360' first='Mya' last='Moore'] competes with. Moore understands ball better than most. She looks like a soccer player out on the hardwood flying all around the court with her athleticism but she is skilled enough to slow things down and change her pace to help throw off the defense while attacking. She is someone that always makes a big play in clutch moments with limited space and time on the clock if her team's system breaks down and that's noticeable to anyone who knows what they are talking about. Moore is going to have a chance to lead this NT 17U EYBL team to a 17U National Title on Monday. If they continue to play like one-complete unit, as they have to kick this event off, they should have a good chance to lift the trophy."   #20 - Jordyn Palmer - 2027 - Philly Rise 17U EYBL   "Jordyn Palmer is a double-double machine. Throughout her team's first few contests of Pool Play action and she is averaging nearly 18 PPG and 11 RPG. Two impressive numbers on a tough circuit like the EYBL. Another standout number that isn't just a number but an impactful stat for the Rise is that Palmer is also putting up 2 BPG against their first two opponents. If she keeps that up and continues to be a force underneath, this is going to be a team to watch for once we are in Bracket Play. This is a strong individual with a lot of Will in-between the blocks out on the floor. She won't be easy to stop and if everyone can play off of that, it's going to be help them move in the rest of this event."   #22 - [player_tooltip player_id='509225' first='Averie' last='Lower'] - 2026 - [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 17U EYBL   "We also mentioned Lower earlier today in a bigger piece because of the start she has had at this event yesterday. Well on Day 2, it's been much of the same. Lower is being face guarded and making 65% of her three point attempts from deep. She has knocked down 22 three pointers in four games, making her 22-34 in total. She even started going off by going 5-5 in her team's first round matchup in the Platinum Bracket. Lower might have proven to everyone watching that she is the best 2026 SG in the Country...That's how impact she has been for her [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] team during the Collegiate Live Period."   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/07/EYCL-Black.png?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-1274592" /></figure>

Yesterday was the kick off of Nike TOC, Nike EYBL Nationals, and USJN Nationals taking place at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. This event has brought in around 10,000 players to compete under one roof for a 4/5 day period to end the July Live College Viewing Period.