Illinois Sophomore ID Camp: All-Defense team

At Sunday's Sophomore ID Camp, we saw a lot of really impressive scoring performances from some class of 2029 stars. But there was no shortage of defensive studs, who proved their worth in locking down their assignment. Here's a rundown of the All-Defense team, in no particular order.    Kendall was one of the best defensive standouts that I saw on Sunday. She's an absolute pest on D, with an ability to force turnovers in the open court.   Kendall is a vocal leader for her team, and can communicate defensively. And she will give you a defensive highlight nearly every game. I watched her complete an impressive chase-down block when her opponent looked like they might have an open lane to the hoop.   Kendall tells me that she takes pride in being aggressive on both ends of the floor. She already has the height and reach to be a rebounding threat, who can disrupt shots and passes all over the court.     Kiana's defensive prowess begins with her ability to communicate. She's great at letting her teammates know where to switch, and how to handle an assignment.   Kiana puts a ton of pressure on the ballhandler, leading to at least a couple of steals per game for her stat sheet.   Kiana's height will send her inside the paint, where she's able to be a game-change on both sides of the ball.     Addison has the potential to be a scoring threat, but she truly prides herself on being a defensive presence. She told me last weekend that she believes her defense is one of her best attributes, and she wants scouts to notice how aggressive she can be on both ends of the floor.   Addison is a pest on defense, whether she's guarding on or off-ball. She puts the clamps down on a ballhandler, and she's a player who seldom will lose track of an assignment.   Addison can scrap with anybody on the floor, and has the grit to be a force to be reckoned with.     Haylie is already showing her value at the high school level, securing a spot on varsity as just a freshman last season.   She has a well-rounded game, but defensively she can especially make a night difficult for opponents. She's got amazing hustle, and will frustrate her offensive assignment. And her rebounding skills are already on another level; she has the length to corral a loose ball. And I saw her wrestle a couple of rebounds away from her opponents.   Haylie has the grind to be an all-around weapon for her prep team over the next 3 years.     Raina is an unselfish player, who's excellent court vision leads to a lot of assists. And defensively she's already turning into a standout talent.   Raina is unafraid to go into the paint and battle through defenders for a rebound. She's a scrappy player who doesn't mind some contact down low, and will fight for rebounds on both ends of the floor.   When I asked Raina for her strongest attribute, defense was the first aspect of the game that she point out. She says that the defensive end is an area where she's constantly wanting to make herself improve every game.     Natalie has an amazing ability to score at all 3 levels, but her talents don't stop on offense.   She is an absolute force in the paint when she's playing defense. Natalie is a gritty defender, who plants her feet and doesn't back down to a challenge. And she will gobble up rebounds on both ends of the court; challenging other post players to hang with her ability to track down the ball.   Natalie can also be a major shot-disruptor. She has excellent reach for someone just entering her sophomore season, and blocked or deflected at least 2-3 shots in each game I watched her play on Sunday.     Juliette can be a difference-maker on both ends of the floor. She made at least a couple field goals in each game I watched, but also showed the ability to be a lock-down defender.   Juliette has supreme confidence in her game, and has a very high basketball IQ. She has awareness for where she needs to be on both ends, and won't let anyone past her when she's playing defense.   Juliette is the kind of player who will always be a difficult player to face up against.

At Sunday's Sophomore ID Camp, we saw a lot of really impressive scoring performances from some class of 2029 stars. But there was no shortage of defensive studs, who proved their worth in locking down their assignment. Here's a rundown of the All-Defense team, in no particular order.