14u Saturday Standouts (Battle in the Big Friendly)

Sunday, my assignment at the Battle of the Big Friendly had me covering the 14U division at The Hive. Many of these young players were first-time evaluations for me, so learning names while breaking down their games on the fly was a challenge. Below are brief evaluations based on what I saw, as I look forward to tracking their development moving forward.    A quick point guard who did an excellent job changing speeds to handle pressure, consistently getting by her defender and into the second level. Shows a nice first step when attacking from the wing, creating opportunities for herself at the rim or delivering drop-off passes to the opposite block for easy baskets.   Displays good vision on drive-and-kick situations, finding shooters spotted up in the corner. Maintains great body language regardless of the call, and plays with a competitive edge that stands out.   The type of player who loves to compete and would be a joy to coach. An incoming freshman who should be a great addition to her high school program t next season.     A player I saw for the first time this weekend out of Colorado who stood out. She has great length for a young guard and that looks like she has some more growth in her. Defensively, she spent time inside but showed the versatility to transition to a guard role offensively with her ball-handling ability.   She has a solid mid-range jumper that helps open up downhill driving opportunities. Very active on the boards at both ends, bringing consistent effort and energy. What really stood out was her size, hustle, and the movement without the ball.   A prospect who definitely earned a spot on my watch list moving forward.     An up-tempo guard who handles the ball well in the open floor, consistently keeping her head up and looking to advance the ball. A true combo guard who can help with the pressure against the press and transition to the shooting guard position. Shows solid shooting form and mechanics, and does a great job of relocating off the ball to find gaps and spot up.   A tough, competitive defender who plays solid on-ball defense and excels at jumping passing lanes, creating deflections and steals. An incoming freshman who will be asked to play significant minutes at her high school level next season.     A true power forward who consistently demands defensive attention. She does an excellent job establishing position, working to post up before the catch and giving guards a clear, easy target to deliver the ball. Shows good lateral movement when defending the paint, rotating well in help defense and consistently contesting shots. Strong rebounder that once she grabs it no way getting it out of her hands   A very intriguing 2031 prospect to keep an eye on as she continues to develop heading into the high school level.     An outstanding athlete who immediately made me double-check that I was watching 14U, as her physical size and athleticism already resemble that of a freshman or sophomore. A very athletic player who moves extremely well without the ball, creating scoring opportunities through backdoor cuts and offensive rebound putbacks.   She attacks the rim effectively from the wing and does a great job scoring from the high post, especially against the 1-3-1 defense she faced. Shows impressive bounce as I would not be surprised if she is close to grabbing the rim.   An incoming freshman who should make an immediate impact; her high school coach will be very glad to have her next season.     A nice-sized guard who put together a very complete game Saturday evening, showcasing her ability to knock down outside shots while also attacking downhill to the rim. Nice off-ball defense, using the correct hand to deflect passes and turn those into run-out layup opportunities.   Showed a smooth jumper off the dribble, whether coming off ball screens or pulling up in transition. Chandler will be a great addition to her high school team, especially with her ability to move without the ball and stretch the floor as an outside shooter.

Sunday, my assignment at the Battle of the Big Friendly had me covering the 14U division at The Hive. Many of these young players were first-time evaluations for me, so learning names while breaking down their games on the fly was a challenge. Below are brief evaluations based on what I saw, as I look forward to tracking their development moving forward.