MBA Fall League: Week 2 Standouts

The MSA Fall League continued Wednesday evening at MBA Woodland, bringing together high school teams from around the Grand Rapids area for another night of preseason competition. Week 2 was my first opportunity to get in the gym and take in the action, and it gave me an early look at several players and teams ahead of the upcoming high school season. With players competing alongside their school teammates, there were plenty of opportunities to see who was making plays, showing growth, and finding ways to impact the game. Several players put together impressive performances throughout the evening and caught my attention. Here's a closer look at my Week 2 standouts from the MSA Fall League.    Addison, a point guard for Rockford, looked season-ready during Week 2 of the MBA Fall League. Fresh off announcing her commitment to Ball State this week, she showed many of the qualities that make her such an important piece for a Rockford team with aspirations of getting back to the Breslin. Addison's length and athleticism immediately make an impact, but it is the way she controls the game from the point that continues to impress. She pushes the pace in transition with her head up, sees the floor extremely well, and delivers beautiful passes to teammates on the move. Her handle is tight and controlled, and she uses a quick crossover to create separation and get past defenders. Addison also showed her ability to stretch the floor, knocking down shots from behind the arc. With her combination of size, skill, vision, and athleticism, Addison looks ready for a big junior season.     Dy'Nasti, a senior post for Muskegon, showed during Week 2 of the MBA Fall League why she is the type of player who gives her team a chance to win every time she steps on the floor. She provides a consistent interior presence and does a great job establishing herself around the basket. Dy'Nasti uses her strength to seal defenders and create position, while her good hands and footwork allow her to take advantage once the ball gets inside. She can finish through traffic and is comfortable going up with either hand, making her difficult to contain around the rim. Her impact extends to the glass, where she rebounds at a high level on both ends and consistently gives Muskegon extra possessions while limiting opportunities for opponents. Dy'Nasti is a walking double-double who can impact a game in several ways, and with a long list of Division I offers already in hand, I can't wait to see where she ultimately chooses to continue her career at the next level.     Payton, a senior wing for Grand Rapids Catholic Central and a Grand Valley commit, showed her versatility during Week 2 of the MBA Fall League. Her length allows her to impact the game in several areas, and she is comfortable playing both inside and out. Payton has legitimate range from behind the arc and knocked down multiple deep threes, forcing the defense to account for her well beyond the line. She was equally effective attacking off the bounce, showing patience instead of forcing her way into traffic. Payton allowed driving lanes to develop, recognized the right gap, and then attacked downhill to get to her spots and finish. Her length also showed up defensively, where she came up with multiple blocks and made things difficult around the basket. With her ability to stretch the floor, attack off the dribble, and provide defensive length, Payton brings plenty of versatility to both ends of the floor.     Kinley, a sophomore guard for South Christian who already holds multiple Division I offers and is ranked No. 1 in her class, showed her well-rounded game during Week 2 of the MBA Fall League. Her length and athleticism allow her to impact nearly every area of the floor. Offensively, Kinley knocked down shots from behind the arc and showed excellent body control when finishing around the basket. She also sees the floor well, highlighted by a great pass in transition that put a teammate in position to score. Kinley's impact was just as noticeable on the defensive end. She anticipates well off the ball, jumps passing lanes to create steals, and uses her length and timing to come up with blocks. She also rebounds extremely well from the guard position and can quickly turn those possessions into transition opportunities. For only a sophomore, Kinley already brings an impressive combination of size, skill, athleticism, and two-way versatility.     Brinley, a freshman wing for Byron Center, made her presence felt on both ends of the floor during Week 2 of the MBA Fall League. Defensively, she showed good anticipation by jumping passing lanes for multiple steals, while her length and timing also showed up with a big block on the perimeter. Brinley runs the floor hard and consistently puts herself in position to make plays in transition. Around the basket, she plays with impressive patience for a young player, using good footwork and body control rather than rushing her finishes. She showed that with a smooth step-through to create an opening around the rim. Brinley also contributed on the glass and showed another layer to her offensive game by knocking down shots from behind the arc. With her ability to defend, rebound, stretch the floor, and finish around the basket, Brinley gave an early glimpse of the versatility she can bring to Byron Center as just a freshman.

The MSA Fall League continued Wednesday evening at MBA Woodland, bringing together high school teams from around the Grand Rapids area for another night of preseason competition. Week 2 was my first opportunity to get in the gym and take in the action, and it gave me an early look at several players and teams ahead of the upcoming high school season. With players competing alongside their school teammates, there were plenty of opportunities to see who was making plays, showing growth, and finding ways to impact the game. Several players put together impressive performances throughout the evening and caught my attention. Here's a closer look at my Week 2 standouts from the MSA Fall League.