Sunday's Takeaways: Rivals Vs Utah Lady Prospects

Had a chance to check out Rivals 17u Gold as they take on the Utah Lady Prospects. It was an interesting watch that came down to the wire at the end. There were periods where the Rivals found themselves down a healthy amount, but they fought back to make it a 2-point game ultimately. There was so much character shown in their fight back, especially considering Rivals came shorthanded. The resilience shown was fantastic to witness. Within battles true character is shown. With some high-level stretches of basketball displayed, it's necessary to discuss the positives seen in this game. Below are a few notes from the Sunday matchup worthy of mentioning.   Use code MBG30 for 30% off your first purchase of any subscription.    Dunphy was one of the more striking players from the start. She showed she could handle the early press in the first quarter by filling the point forward role. Dunphy was able to push the pace on both sides of the ball. One of her more impressive attributes was her passing skills, particularly in the first half. As Isys was on the move her eyes threw the defense off and she hit teammates with accurate dimes that led to baskets. She did mix it up though, when moving downhill she was also able to get to a bunch of different finishes. Isys showed the knack for having a soft touch scoring around the basket despite the defense being draped all over her. Within halfcourt sets, most times she was most effective from the high-post area. The forward was able to be a part of many of the actions from there as teammates moved the ball around the perimeter. This eventually allowed her space to operate when players shifted, giving her the opportunity to take advantage of matchups from there. Even when Dunphy wasn't getting the ball, she crashed the glass like a madman. Her ability to keep possessions alive with offensive rebounds can't be mentioned enough. Defensively, the agile forward sped ballhandlers up and was able to stick onto guards like glue all game long. Her athleticism as well as active hands agitated the opposing team's offensive creators which led to a handful of turnovers or even some jump-balls. Whenever Isys had the chance to make a play happen she took it. She was able to get a few impactful steals to get out on the break for some easy ones. Steadfast is a good word to describe Dunphy's faculties. She's been on a tear lately.     [player_tooltip player_id='599981' first='Ruby' last='Thompson'] (2027) | 5'9 Guard | Rivals   The Rivals guard came out swinging early. She was getting to the line and finishing in transition with some tough baskets. Thompson's well-balanced game allowed her to take advantage of what the defense gave her. There were a lot of well-run plays set for Ruby to receive good looks on the perimeter. She was coming off down screens and dribble handoff actions that licensed her to turn the corner and get into the lane. One of the more positive features of her game was Ruby's defensive communication, especially during their comeback run. The leadership qualities displayed were excellent. She allowed players to better understand their assignments and helped them be in the proper position. This ultimately resulted in the team getting back in the game by playing vigorously on the second half of their defensive possessions.     [player_tooltip player_id='1238695' first='Charlotte' last='Robichaud'] (2026) | Wing | Rivals   Charlotte hit some important shots down the stretch and provided reliable help defense. On thing that was clear was how adamant she was on not allowing any face-cuts. The '26 wing made sure to check cutters as they attempted to run their motion offense. Robichaud's ability to stay confident even when she isn't hitting shots allowed her to make some late baskets without fear or hesitation.     [player_tooltip player_id='998352' first='Mia' last='Canales'] (2026) | Guard | Proctor   Mia stayed even keeled through the course of the game. She had no problem playing on or off the ball and provided her team with a balanced effort. Canales really came through later by running the lanes as well as diving to the basket when defenders turned their head. There was one play where Canales was found in full stride; she showed true focus by keeping her eyes on the basket as she put up a twisting shot resulting in her getting the and-1. That play came at a crucial point in the game and gave the team even more momentum to push forward.     [player_tooltip player_id='1238703' first='Daniella' last='Kalil'] (2026) | Guard | Rivals   Coming off the bench in this one, Kalil provided an essential spark to the team that's irreplaceable. The energy she provided was immense and she filled a lot of the team's needs. The way she played, it was clear getting the win was the priority. Kalil consistently made the extra pass to open teammates, knocking down momentous shots, along with regularly rotating into the prime position to disrupt the flow of the opposing team's offense. Daniella was quite the surprise prospect.

Had a chance to check out Rivals 17u Gold as they take on the Utah Lady Prospects. It was an interesting watch that came down to the wire at the end. There were periods where the Rivals found themselves down a healthy amount, but they fought back to make it a 2-point game ultimately. There was so much character shown in their fight back, especially considering Rivals came shorthanded. The resilience shown was fantastic to witness. Within battles true character is shown. With some high-level stretches of basketball displayed, it's necessary to discuss the positives seen in this game. Below are a few notes from the Sunday matchup worthy of mentioning.