PGH Great Lakes Kick Off: More 16U Talents

Brady Peterson March 29, 2026 @ 11:19 PM

My first AAU event of the season is over, and there are a handful of players I'd like to highlight from the two-day event down in Illinois. Today, we will look at some of the 16U players who made an impression in what is likely their first AAU tournament of the season as we inch closer to the first live period, coming up in a few weeks. Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about some players.   [player_tooltip player_id='890055' first='Jayda' last='King']   I thought King did a solid job being a versatile presence when she was on the floor with her Prime Nation group, depending on the lineup. She was a physical player around the basket, rebounded well, and was a handful for opposing forwards to keep off the glass on either end of the floor. However, I was impressed by her ability to space the floor and knock down perimeter shots when defenses allowed her space. I thought she had a solid weekend.   [player_tooltip player_id='892249' first='Morgan' last='Mocadlo']   The Hortonville guard is one of the more hard-nosed guards in her class around Wisconsin, and is willing to put her body on the line to help her team win games. She may not be the most physically imposing player on the floor, but she will get to the basket, play through contact, and dig in to rebound on defense. Mocadlo brings a competitive edge to her backcourt and should have an interesting summer with her [program_tooltip program_id='713038' first='Wisconsin' last='Blaze'] group.   [player_tooltip player_id='936015' first='Charity' last='Bryant']   The Illinois native has improved immensely since I last saw her play last summer, and has a more diverse skill set than I could've expected. I remember her as a hard-working forward who rebounded and played hard when she was on the floor, which she still does. However, she is a player who has gotten comfortable with the ball in her hands. She got into the paint, finished through traffic, and even showed that she could space the floor when defenses allow her space on the perimeter.   [player_tooltip player_id='875084' first='Illyana' last='James']   The Illinois native is a talented kid with as much range as anyone you'll see all summer. The 2029 graduate also has unreal touch on her mid-range jumper and understands that, with how she shoots the ball, nobody will be blocking her shot. She shoots the ball with as much confidence as possible, even when a defender is all over her. I had not seen her in person before this weekend, but I left very impressed with how good she is right now, and intrigued with where she could be in the next three years.

My first AAU event of the season is over, and there are a handful of players I'd like to highlight from the two-day event down in Illinois. Today, we will look at some of the 16U players who made an impression in what is likely their first AAU tournament of the season as we inch closer to the first live period, coming up in a few weeks. Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about some players.