GUAA Off And Running

Another year, and the early July "live" period where NCAA Division-I coaches are allowed to evaluate prospects has begun. As usual, a large number of Indiana teams/programs have traveled to Louisville, Kentucky. The annual Run 4 The Roses tournaments are also playing host to Under Armour and their Association. Below is a quick look at a handful of ladies who stood out when I was able to see them during Friday's action on the GUAA circuit in Louisville.   .    Emily has always been this nice, steady, disciplined and fundamental lead guard. Friday, I felt like she was the best guard on the floor at times for the 17U [program_tooltip program_id='1002297' first='IGB' last=''] team. She has an athletic frame, nice length, and she has learned how to absorb contact much better. She is a good shooter from the perimeter when set and in rhythm, she is a more than willing facilitator and finds teammates on time/on target, but yesterday I felt like she was much more aggressive to the basket than I have seen her. She is also an effortful defender who will rebound her position.     Gabby has a lot of potential, and she has grown about two inches in the last year. She is extremely long, fluidly athletic, fast, and somewhat bouncy as well. She plays with a lot of energy and flies around the floor, so once she learns how to change speeds better, she'll be a little more balanced and more consistent. Still, she has solid ball skill, she can attack from the perimeter, and she has a little touch from outside when set and in rhythm. Again, as she learns how to control her length and athleticism better, she has a chance to be a really nice college prospect.     Jillian is one of the best prospects in Indiana's 2029 class. She is so strong for her age, so well-balanced athletically, and she plays with a great motor and a nice, quiet toughness. She always seems to be in control when handling the ball, and she looks up the floor and throws strong passes. She is a capable perimeter shooter with good shot mechanics, but she was more so on attack and looking to distribute yesterday. Defensively, she does a nice job of sitting in a stance and can use her strength to somewhat direct ball-handlers the direction she wants them to go.     Maya is a talented young athlete who should find some Varsity opportunities as a Freshman this coming season. She has a fairly strong, athletic frame, she can run and jump with most kids her age, and she plays with a nice motor, physicality, and toughness. Defensively, she plays with versatility, she is an aggressive rebounder, and she can pressure the ball out on the floor. Offensively, as her game stretches toward the perimeter, watch out! For now, she's effective in the mid-post and collecting offensive boards for put-backs and "scraps" baskets.     Britt is a talented young guard who should step into Greenfield's lineup immediately and help them at both ends of the floor. She has an athletic frame, some length, and she is explosive to the rim. She does a really nice job of using her dribble to get places and not over-dribbling, and once she turns the corner, she gets to the rim most times. She has nice touch from the perimeter, but I was impressed by her on-ball defense yesterday. She did a nice job of sitting down and containing ball-handlers all over the floor. She will be a fun one to watch throughout high school.     Bryce is definitely one of the top prospects in Indiana's 2030 class, and she has already started drawing Big Ten interest/offers because of her potential. She has a long, athletic frame, solid strength for her age, and good all-around athleticism. She could still grow another inch or two, but it's her skill and poise for her age that are impressive, especially playing in the 16U division of a major shoe company league...she doesn't waver. She likes to attack and create for herself and others, but she can also knock down open shots. Defensively, she has the athleticism to be really good there as well.     As if Pike doesn't have plenty of talented wings/guards already, Danajia will have the opportunity to come into an environment where she can earn minutes but also learn from other talented teammates. She has a long, wiry-strong frame, she's a fluid athlete in all directions, and she plays with a nice motor. She looks to shoot it on most catches, but she can also get to the basket when she's determined to attack. As she continues to get stronger, develop her skillset, and grow her game, she could become a highly effective multilevel scorer, and she might grow another 2 inches.

Another year, and the early July "live" period where NCAA Division-I coaches are allowed to evaluate prospects has begun. As usual, a large number of Indiana teams/programs have traveled to Louisville, Kentucky. The annual Run 4 The Roses tournaments are also playing host to Under Armour and their Association. Below is a quick look at a handful of ladies who stood out when I was able to see them during Friday's action on the GUAA circuit in Louisville.