16U Prospects to Know from Brawl at the Palms

This weekend marked my first trip to the beautiful new Wellington Sports Academy for Prep Girls Hoops Brawl at the Palms, and the 16U division featured no shortage of intriguing forwards and bigger guards throughout the weekend. With programs from across Florida and Georgia filling the seven courts inside the facility, there was a strong collection of players with size, length, versatility, and physical tools that project well long term. From skilled forwards who could stretch the floor and protect the rim to bigger guards capable of handling the ball, creating offense, and defending multiple positions, the event showcased several prospects with impactful two-way potential. Here are some of the forwards and big guards who stood out to me in Wellington:    Serae was relentless throughout the weekend and made a major impact with her energy and physicality. She finished with 27 points in one game I watched while consistently attacking the boards and creating offense through hustle plays and strong, aggressive finishes. One of her better sequences came when she used a shot fake to get the defender off balance and drew the foul before converting at the line. She also showed strength and balance on multiple two-foot finishes around the rim. Her motor from the forward position stood out all weekend long, especially with the way she competed and brought energy on both ends of the floor.     Dilara's game continues to trend in a positive direction with her ability to impact winning in multiple ways. Offensively, she showed she can stretch the floor and was patient by never forcing shots and consistently playing within the flow of the game. That approach, paired with her length, shot-blocking ability, and comfort in the pick-and-roll, makes her a steady and versatile presence on the floor.     Amaia showed a versatile scoring package and strong defensive tools throughout the weekend. She knocked down a corner three and also displayed the ability to put the ball on the floor for a good take and a soft runner in the lane. Her body control stood out when finishing plays in traffic, allowing her to stay composed through contact. Defensively, her length was a real factor as she was able to get into passing lanes, contest shots, and rebound effectively on both ends.     Aleyah was effective as a finisher throughout the weekend by using her touch and coordination to convert around the rim from both sides, including a strong left-hand finish. She also contributed on the boards, getting up and securing rebounds in traffic. Offensively, she added a mid-range jumper from multiple spots on the floor to her scoring mix, and defensively she played with activity and effort by staying engaged throughout possessions.     Terricka stood out with her combination of physicality, playmaking, and defensive activity throughout the weekend. She made an impact defensively with a deflection and block in the same possession which set the tone with her effort and timing. On the offensive end, she showed versatility by knocking down a three-ball and finishing multiple and-one plays through contact with strength. She was especially effective attacking off the dribble by getting into the paint to score or draw help defenders before finding open teammates. Her ability to shield defenders with her body and dribble control helped her consistently generate advantages.

This weekend marked my first trip to the beautiful new Wellington Sports Academy for Prep Girls Hoops Brawl at the Palms, and the 16U division featured no shortage of intriguing forwards and bigger guards throughout the weekend. With programs from across Florida and Georgia filling the seven courts inside the facility, there was a strong collection of players with size, length, versatility, and physical tools that project well long term. From skilled forwards who could stretch the floor and protect the rim to bigger guards capable of handling the ball, creating offense, and defending multiple positions, the event showcased several prospects with impactful two-way potential. Here are some of the forwards and big guards who stood out to me in Wellington: