IL Sophomore ID Camp: Team 4 Evaluations

This year's Sophomore ID camp showcased some of the best up-and-coming talent in the state of Illinois for the class of 2029. Players were given the afternoon to showcase their skills in 3x3 and 5x5 matchups; largely paired up with players whom they haven't played with before. Here's a recap of Team 4, and how they performed at this Sunday's event; listed in alphabetical order.    Kendall is a member of a very talented and young Loyola Academy squad, and her progress has come along well after her freshman season.   She's good with the ball in her hands, displaying some impressive footwork with her spin moves in the paint. She's a defensive pest who can force turnovers in the open court, and chase down blocks an a breakaway attempt.   Kendall says she's worked on her shooting during her prep career so far, and is happy with how she's developed in finding teammates and being a vocal leader on the floor.     There may have been no more valuable player on team 4 than [player_tooltip player_id='1227479' first='Caygan' last='Jones'], who's a force to be reckoned with in the class of 2029.   Caygan plays both ends of the court extremely well. She's an excellent on-ball defender, who's active hands lead to a lot of turnovers. She seems unbothered by any defensive assignment, even if it's a player who's a few inches taller than her.   And on offense, Caygan has tremendous ball-handling skills. Her footwork is off the charts, and she has an uncanny knack for shaking a defender. An absolute whirlwind with the ball in her hands, she can take it coast-to-coast, or pull up on a 3-pointer when she needs to.   She's also very unselfish, and is willing to make the extra pass when she spots on open teammate.   Caygan tells me that she's worked a lot on her court vision, and has focused on improving her left-handed abilities.     Kiana has the physical attributes to make her a force to be reckoned with, as her skills continue to develop.   She's got great on-court communication abilities; talking with her teammates through defensive switches or offensive ball movement. She's a monster on defense as well, putting a ton of pressure on the ball-handler, and forcing loose balls that lead to turnovers.   Kiana has skills at all three levels, with the presence to play physically in the post, or knock down 3-pointers.     Raina tells me that she prides herself in being a strong defender and comfortable in transition. And those skills were evident in her three 5x5 games on Sunday.   Raina has the size and length to corral a lot of rebounds, and she makes it look easy as she gets the ball in transition and moves the offense up the floor. She has great court vision and can find an open player. And she's unafraid to battle with anyone on the floor.     Aubrey was outstanding on the floor with her team, only appearing to look more and more comfortable as the day went on.   Aubrey has a strong first step, and she can drive strong to the hoop, or pass out of pressure when she's double-teamed.   She's a good defender, who doesn't give up on a play-showing her speed a couple of times by chasing down a layup attempt and securing a block. And offensively, she can finish with confidence. Her midrange floaters were especially effective on Sunday. She scored 11 points in her team's second game; 8 of which came on midrange shots.   Aubrey prides herself as a playmaker who can make shots, or distribute to teammates when she needs to.     At first glance, Lily first appears to be one of the smaller players on the court; but she makes up for that lack of size with toughness and tenacity.   Lily shows no fear when she needs to fight down low with players who are sometimes 4-5 inches taller than her. She has a nice midrange game-scoring 8 points in her second game of the day; all on 2-point field goals. She's also excellent on a fast break, has terrific dribbling skills, and is able to remain under control when she's converting a layup.   Lily believes she drives to the basket well, and is able to create opportunities for her teammates. She also says that she loves to be a vocal leader, and enjoys any opportunity to encourage her teammates.

This year's Sophomore ID camp showcased some of the best up-and-coming talent in the state of Illinois for the class of 2029. Players were given the afternoon to showcase their skills in 3x3 and 5x5 matchups; largely paired up with players whom they haven't played with before. Here's a recap of Team 4, and how they performed at this Sunday's event; listed in alphabetical order.