IE Super Scrimmages: Cool, Calm Competitors

The best players talk about it, you don't reach your peak until the game slows down. When that happens good players become great and great players become elite. Several players in Charlotte showed maturity and patience by surveying the floor and identifying the openings or weak points in the defense before attacking them. Surrounded by heavy, quick action these players remained cool and calm and made defenses pay with the ball in their hands.    Norman was one of the better players all tournament long, especially against the always very tough and talented FBC United. Bri made plays early and often in that game on both ends of the floor. She was a menace defensively taking the ball from opposing players on a couple of occasions and then made excellent decisions on the break as to whether to keep it herself or hit an open teammate for an easier score. She was a flash getting up and down the court with the ball and facilitated the offense well, while also remaining a threat to score Fromm all three levels throughout the game. With three more years of travel and high school ball left, the already very skilled and talented, Norman still has room to improve.     In a very good battle with Brianna Norman throughout, "Baby Twin" was up for the task and the duo put on equally good performances in a game full of division one talent. Jefferson did an excellent job using her ball handling and quickness to create enough space to get her shot off. She shot the ball very well from the perimeter and most of the shots she missed even looked like they were going in. Jefferson did an excellent job pushing the ball in transition and rewarding her bigs for rewarding floor with push ahead passes for easy lay ups. Trin also looked very comfortable and confident running United's offense, a lot of which is based on dribble-drive principals. Trinity looked to have the full confidence of Coach Mo and will be a feature guard for this team during the upcoming live period at UAA.     Dates was another elite 2029 prospect playing up for Mo and FBC United. The thing that stood out to me first and foremost was her quick decision making. Dates knew what she was going to do when the ball got to her and as soon as it was in her possession she made her next move keeping her defender guessing and off balanced. When she did get settled in a spot, she was elite shooting the ball on passes from her teammates, both inside the three point line and outside of it. The ball didn't hit the rim on a lot of the shots she made and her form was excellent. She has very good size and length and utilized it well slashing to the basket. I really liked the way she defended as well on the press and in the harcourt with active hands and her long wingspan. Madeline is a player I really look forward to seeing play again and hopefully soon.     Johnson is a player I have seen in passing over the last couple years, but the last time I saw her, at the Wood Elite Top 50 Earned Not Given showcase in September, I came away very impressed with her game. She has good height and a long wingspan and is a strong, powerful kid who is not afraid of being physical. She is always under control and plays the game at her pace, never letting the defense speed her up. She makes very good decisions with the basketball in her hands, demonstrating a high basketball IQ and good knowledge of the game. Johnson has a chance to really help herself with college coaches playing on that team. This will be the first time she has played on the biggest of stages at Under Armour on one of the top teams on the main courts. I believe that she will perform well and return home with multiple offers and serious interests from schools across the country.     Before going down very hard on a play and responsibly sitting out the rest of the event, Jordan was doing what she always does at that's compete at the highest level, giving everything she has, on every play of the game. You can see the determination and fire as she speeds by defenders on the fast break before dropping off dimes cooly to her teammates for easy buckets. There are only a few players left like Jordan, who seem to enjoy making a sportscaster top ten type pass much more than scoring the ball with ease herself in transition. She is a one person wrecking crew on defense suffocating ball handlers using her elite quickness, in both her feet and hands. The lockdown defense along with some of the best ball handling in the country, and freak athleticism have made Speller one of the very best players in her class for the last five years or so. With her college decision on the horizon, it will be very interesting to see what school she chooses to continue her athletic and academic career. When I asked her about a timetable for a decision, she told me she was not exactly sure and she has not taken any of her official visits as off yet.     VanCott was one of the most efficient scorers at the event showing off her exceptional shooting ability while also demonstrating good shot selection. VanCott was very effective scoring in the midrange and did not need a lot of space to get her shot off. She was very sneaky and crafty with her dribble (which she kept low and protected) and only need one or two bounces with some head and shoulders fakes to get the defender in the air or backing up, giving her the chance to rip the nets. VanCott is a player with multiple division one offers because of her shooting prowess, along with her ability to get open and efficiency scoring the ball. She has a lot of freedom in the offense and is surrounded by other very skilled shooters, so her opportunities to display her scoring ability in front of college coaches during the live period will a huge opportunity for her to add to the list of potential college destinations.

The best players talk about it, you don't reach your peak until the game slows down. When that happens good players become great and great players become elite. Several players in Charlotte showed maturity and patience by surveying the floor and identifying the openings or weak points in the defense before attacking them. Surrounded by heavy, quick action these players remained cool and calm and made defenses pay with the ball in their hands.