West Coast Spring Showcase: 15U Standouts (Part 1)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Clackamas, Ore.—</strong> The Vancouver Grizzlies eighth-graders played up and defeated the Portland Lady Fly freshmen 48-41 to win the HoopSource West Coast Spring Showcase 16U/15U bracket at Clackamas High School over the weekend. Flight Basketball Club Oregon 14U routed the Tacoma Lady Swish 78-20 to take third.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These four players from the 16U/15U bracket caught my eye on Sunday:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1248769' first='Samantha' last='Carlston']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Central Catholic","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Lady Fly","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682ce7082a63e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lady Fly point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1248769' first='Samantha' last='Carlston'] is a fundamental hooper who took care of the ball and consistently got downhill at the West Coast Spring Showcase. Carlston is a hustler with a motor. She knew what she wanted to do and kept her team in the final all game long against the Vancouver Grizzlies. She finished fast and strong at the rim, dished in the paint to the open teammate inside, and kicked crisp assists to the open shooter outside. Carlston is putting in the work. I expect the freshman (2028) to step up and play an important role at Central Catholic in her sophomore season. The Rams are graduating at least 4 seniors from their core starting rotation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Eliana Lizaola","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cleveland","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Vancouver Grizzlies","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682ce7082a730"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Vancouver Grizzlies 5-foot-11 forward Eliana Lizaola was a big presence inside and cleaned up on the offensive glass at the West Coast Spring Showcase. The Cleveland-bound eighth-grader (2029) gave the Grizzlies the edge inside to win the 16U/15U bracket. Lizaola works hard to crash the boards and consistently win offensive rebounds. She keeps the ball high for the putback. Lizaola's grassroots coach said she is a great leader, exemplified by her sportsmanship and communication skills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Zoey Nikkila","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2030","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Evergreen","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Vancouver Grizzlies","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682ce7082a811"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Vancouver Grizzlies 5-foot-2 point guard Zoey Nikkila impressed again, this time for her relentless pressure defense and ability to get to the rim at the West Coast Spring Showcase. The Evergreen-bound seventh-grader (2029) was a menace in the backcourt with her high-pressure defense. She consistently stole the ball on the pass or the dribble and converted the turnover into easy layups. Nikkila is quick with nice handles. She slips through the defense with creative footwork in the lane to get to the basket. She consistently finished with a scoop layup to escape the help defender's block inside. Nikkila can sell the fake inside and out, and she hit the step-back pull-up three-pointer from the right wing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jada Tatieze","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12121","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Camas","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"FBC Oregon","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682ce7082a8d9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">FBC Oregon combo guard Jada Tatieze is an athlete who was always on the move and played tough on-ball defense at the West Coast Spring Showcase. The eighth-grader (2029) can navigate high-pressure defense and pass or dribble out of the double team. She drives fast and is creative downhill to finish at the rim or kick it out for the three-point assist. She consistently makes effective off-ball cuts and can hit from three. Tatieze has great instincts and positioning to win an offensive board. She finished a controlled, acrobatic putback underneath. Tatieze has active feet and hands on defense, tipping the pass, stealing the ball, and drawing the foul. She hustles and quickly dives to the floor to win the 50-50.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->