Summer Film Study: Players Adding To Their Portfolio

It can be hard to standout on the road during AAU season when you compete within a program with a lot of talent. It can be even harder to work on your own individual progressions in your off-seasons while trying to help out one of these types of teams because you might have to play a different role than what you have to play in high school the following season. The players who can still step up and make a difference in whatever role they are given, those are going to be the individuals that make things happen at the next level.   In this article we discuss five hoopers that we have watched on film the last few weeks, who would fall into this category. Make sure to check them out if you have a moment!   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    Judy Bokhary was a stock-riser this Summer in every definition of the phrase for Lady Pure Prep AAU. Bokhary made sure that her Guard-like abilities were on full display these last few months. She showed a versatility that most others wish they possessed and that leads us into this evaluation. JB is a mismatch nightmare with her mixture of size and skill. She can either kill you going to the bucket while scoring over smaller/weaker defenders on the constant, she can post you with her back to the basket usually ending in a really nice turnaround pull up out of the Midpost, or she can step back and hit a shot from deep range - contested or not by the opponent. Defensively, she has so much length and athletic ability that she can defend every possession at the high school level at this moment in time. There aren't any opponents who are too quick or too strong for her to deal with and that's noteworthy. I'm excited to see JB this Winter at Roosevelt once again. She put up respectable numbers last season as a Sophomore and I'm sure this season will follow suit.     If you are looking for a team-first oriented prospect, that will do all the little things and dirty work to help her team succeed than look no further, Olivia Baker could be your player. Baker is the type that doesn't need the credit and she does the little things well. She knows the little things add up in the end and that matters to her overall evaluation as a hooper. Baker can be a starter for your team or she can come off the bench and she will still produce in one way or another. This AAU season she has been a spark off the bench for her ETG Midwest Elite 3SSB out of Omaha. She has been a positive energy source whenever she checks in and she carries that energy with her onto the bench when she is cheering on her fellow teammates as well. We still have a few weeks until this Summer AAU season is over so hopefully Baker and company can make the most of it.     Laina Ford is labeled as a SF at 5'10 but realistically she has played more of a CG role this season with her Lady Martin Bros program on the road. Ford is one of those that has ample skill, coordination, touch, athletic ability, and smarts within this game. She understands what the team is trying to accomplish as a whole each time they take the court and she understands how to get her team to that specific result with the pieces they have. The Lady Martin Bro's programs have been killing it with talent this season across the board and Ford is in that conversation. She has been one of the best players within their entire program and that says a lot. This Winter we should see a big step up out of her at Cedar Falls. If she continues to play how she has all AAU season long, she is going to kill it.     There is a lot of interest starting to roll in on Julia Van Keuren of Iowa Battlers AAU and Valley High School. Van Keuren, the 6'2 SF, is demonstrating a high level of production these last few weeks while competing all over the court for the Battlers. In general it looks like she is getting more comfortable with playing on the outside and attacking in transition off the bounce. She is finding open spacing as she cuts in different moments and from there she can do a number of different things. She can simply score, she can draw in the defense and kick back out to an open shooter, or she can pass and screen away. With her mixture of size, coordination, and touch - this will continue to be someone that we hear about all the way up until her commitment before moving onto the collegiate level.     This Summer gave us our first look at Azalyn Ahelegbe with Lady Martin Bro's Select 2031 team. Ahelegbe currently competes as a Forward for her teams, working the middle like a pro. She has a game style that works out of the Midpost or Post, depending on what their team is running on both sides of the ball. Offensively, she can either catch at the elbow and attack the bucket or she can pass and screen into a roll. She can also catch on either block and score through anyone standing in her way. Defensively, this is someone opposing teams have to worry about. She is always lurking responsibly on the help-side and she covers ground quickly with her size so if you don't attack the lane with conviction after beating your initial defender than you better watch out cause it might end in a block party for Ahelegbe.

It can be hard to standout on the road during AAU season when you compete within a program with a lot of talent. It can be even harder to work on your own individual progressions in your off-seasons while trying to help out one of these types of teams because you might have to play a different role than what you have to play in high school the following season. The players who can still step up and make a difference in whatever role they are given, those are going to be the individuals that make things happen at the next level.