Top 16U Prospects From The Final Day Of The Champions Challenge

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The final day of the Champions Challenge was still filled with some strong matchups, and the 16U division gave me plenty to watch. Between both gyms, there were a good amount of prospects who were constantly showing potential, whether it was through flashes, production, or just the little things that can separate them over time. Below are a couple of my top standouts from the final day of matchups.</h3>    On the defensive end of the ball, Tomori had some moments on the final day that jumped out immediately. She is long, quick, and not afraid of players who play with force and attack the body. She can contest, alter, and block a ton of shots if needed, but the best thing I noticed came at the end of one of her games. She was having a conversation with the ref about defending shots, staying straight up versus swiping down, and whether she started the conversation or not, she was locked in and taking in the feedback. Prospects like this have a long career. The tools are there, but the coachability is what will translate.     Nelson was one of those players who made you stop and watch a little longer. The athleticism jumps out right away, and there were multiple moments over the weekend where she attacked the rim with no care for who was waiting in the paint. She's strong, explosive, and I'm not even sure she knows how athletic she truly is yet. Outside of that, she can score in different ways and has enough confidence as a playmaker to attempt some of the risky passes others may not try. The decision making will keep getting better with time, but the talent is there. As she continues to develop and the game keeps slowing down for her, Nelson is definitely a player to keep track of.     From a pure talent standpoint, Gaby has everything that you need. The ball handling is strong, her creativity in getting her shot off is high, and her confidence is unmatched. Offensively, she has that natural feel of a player who knows she can go get a bucket when she wants to. On the other end of the floor, more development will be needed, but with her length, she has the tools to cause issues against both perimeter and post players if she finds her way down there. Once the effort, speed, and intensity start to pick up more consistently, I'm sure the offers will start to roll in.     Laila has an argument for being one of the best guards in the 16U division from this past weekend. The speed, the ability to shift and hit angles without slowing down, and still have enough energy to finish at the rim through contact was something to watch. The feel of knowing when to change from playmaker to scorer is present, and she did a great job of showing that. The size might steer some schools away, but even with more skill to add, she is well beyond her age. There is a solid amount of maturity in her game, and the way she controls pace makes her even more intriguing going forward.     Quinn had to be one of the more dominant post players I came across this weekend. Outside of the pure dominance and confidence she has in the low post, her ability to catch whatever pass was sent her way was the thing that stood out the most. She rarely fumbled the catch, and once she secured it, her thought process on what move to make was sharp, but still patient. The awareness and feel around the rim are both high, and when you combine that with her strength and presence, it makes her tough to slow down inside. As the offensive side of her game continues to expand out.. she could continue to be a top tier player in her state.     I've watched Terry a couple of times over the past few years during the AAU season, and the growth in her game is showing. She's a strong player who does not shy away from the physicality whatsoever, and when she found her way to the rim, she was likely to finish the bucket. There is still room to expand her game to gain more attention at the next level, but between the coaching, development, and playing next to other strong talent, her upside can fall on the strong side. As she continues to add more layers, that strength and toughness will keep giving her a real chance to separate herself.