Standout Performers – Mustang Mayhem

Mustang Mayhem - held in Massillon, OH over the weekend of 4/12-4/14 - featured some of Northeast Ohio's top players and programs - including the Air Attack, Xtreme, NEO Swish, Buckeye State Blast, Team Huddle, SMAC and Fusion, among others. NEO Swish defeated the Buckeye State Blast in the JR/SR championship game by a tight 50-49 margin. Buckeye State Blast defeated Team Huddle 40-20 in the 10th grade championship - a game that featured a running clock in the entire second half due to the scoring discrepancy. Team Huddle's Freshmen team was the class of the 9th grade division, finishing the weekend unblemished, defeating Fusion 48-45 in the championship game. Let’s look at some of the top players from The Mustang Mayhem tournament across all HS divisions. Aaliyah Currence (pictured above) - 5’9 Forward – New Philadelphia – Class of 2019; NEO Swish Currence, filling in for NEO Swish over the weekend, showed why she has been a multi-time selection on the OPSWA All-Ohio teams. New Philadelphia's all-time leading scorer, Aaliyah is a special athlete who does her best work around the rim. Although some would call her a "tweener" at the next level, she is very good at getting to the basket and finishing through contact. She uses her strength, leaping ability and quickness on the defense end, where she can guard positions 1-5 effectively. Her transition game is at the highest level. [caption id="attachment_38936" align="alignleft" width="300"] Emma Cannon had a great weekend at the Mustang Mayhem tournament in Massillon. She is headed to Marietta College (Photo Credit: Hudl)[/caption] Emma Cannon - 5'7 Guard - Dalton - Class of 2019; Varsity Athletic Club Another All-Ohio selection from this winter - where she lead her team to the Regional Finals in DIV, Cannon showed why she is taking her talents to Marietta College next fall to play at the D3 level. A true "slasher", Cannon has no problem creating her own shot. She is best in the mid-range game, where she has a true elevated jumper. A good defender, Cannon often times guarded bigger players from the opposition and led her team in rebounding. Kiley Dyrlund - 5'10 Forward - Uniontown Lake - Class of 2022; Buckeye State Blast Dyrlund is a long, athletic forward. At her length, she can put the ball on the floor. getting to the rim and finishing like a guard. She is also a good back-to-the-basket player, where she can drop-step and score with either hand. Kiley is match-up problem for many teams. She is an elite shot-blocker on the defensive end and also does a nice job of rebounding the basketball. She runs the floor very well. Vanessa Frascone - 5'9 Forward - Tuslaw - Class of 2022; Varsity Athletic Club Frascone has a good frame for a 9th grader. She has good length and uses an array of post moves inside, where she is able to finish with both hands. She is good on the offensive boards and generates post position well, although her teammates did not always get her the ball in good spots to score. It will be interesting to see if she moves forward in HS as a wing or a post. [caption id="attachment_38943" align="alignright" width="225"] Kelsie Glass will be playing at Mount Union next year. She is a dead-eye 3-point shooter. (Photo Credit: Hudl)[/caption] Kelsie Glass -5'8 Guard - Green - Class of 2019; Xtreme Glass is a prototypical 2-guard. She is strong and has nice range on her 3-point shot, which is where she is most effective. It's not shocking to see Kelsie knock down 3 or 4 3's in a row and change the outlook of a game for her squad. She is an average defender who has potential to grow in that capacity at the next level. She will fit in well next year at Mount Union - coming out of the Federal League. Beth Hardwick - 5'8 Guard - Cardington - Class of 2022; Team Huddle Beth is another kid from a good HS program with a bright future. She is a solid combo guard who can score with ease, while also creating for others. She is very strong and does a nice job of creating separation with an explosive first step. Her handles this weekend were fun for spectators and other players/coaches to watch, as she made plays weaving through traffic and breaking down multiple defenders. Hardwick could be a 16-18 PPG scorer by the time she graduates. Lexi Kleptach - 5'6 Guard - GlenOak - Class of 2021; Buckeye State Blast Kleptach was one of the tournament's top guards - regardless of age. She had multiple 25+ point efforts and made at least a dozen 3's on the weekend. Lexi has smooth handles and never seems to be flustered with the ball in her hands. She is a combo-guard at the next level with a deadly jumper from the perimeter. She is solid on the ball defensively and does a nice job of finishing at the rim with a variety of moves. Although her team did not necessarily have the best guard play around her - Kleptach kept her team in every game by scoring the basketball at a high rate and creating open shots for others. Madi Klughart - 5'11 Post - Canfield - Class of 2022; Ohio Elite A great shot blocker who moves very well for a player of her size, Klughart seems to have a high ceiling. She is more athletic than a majority of the posts that she will face. She runs hard and gets early post position, doing much of her damage on the offensive side of the floor in transition. Her team ran some Princeton concepts and Madi showed the ability to pass and create from the high post. For a freshman, she is very strong. [caption id="attachment_38944" align="alignleft" width="209"] Taylor Leatherman, pictured here in a district-final match-up against Canton McKinley, is an elite wing-defender. (Photo Credit: Medina Gazette)[/caption] Taylor Leatherman - 5'10 Guard - Wadsworth - Class of 2020; Buckeye State Blast Taylor showed why she is the top player for Andy Booth at tradition-rich Wadsworth High School. Her team finished runner-up on the weekend, with a tough 1-point loss to NEO Swish in the championship game. Leatherman stood out on both ends of the court, playing suffocating pressure defense, while knocking down a number of 3's off of screens and spacing situations. Her length allows her to finish over smaller guards consistently at the rim. Kat Leeper - 5'8 Wing - Ashland Crestview - Class of 2020; NEO Swish Leeper, who is a dynamic athlete in her own right, is a tremendous shooter at the basketball from all levels. A 1st Team selection to the Northwest District media team and special mention All-Ohio this past season for Ashland Crestview, Leeper averaged 14.5 points and over 4 rebounds and 3 assists a night. This playmaking ability was on display all weekend at the Mustang Mayhem tournament, as Kat helped lead her team to the top division's championship crown, while making a number of 3-pointers and playing good on-ball and off-ball defense. Meya Metz - 5'9 Guard - GlenOak - Class of 2021; Team Huddle Metz made some incredibly tough shots on the weekend. It does not take her very long to get her shot off at all. She has deep range and has no problem elevating over defenders who hands in her face. Her handles are tight - she could probably use them to get to the rim a little bit more than she does now, as she is primarily a jump shooter - albeit a very good one. She is long and lanky, with a lot of room to put muscle on her frame as she continues to develop. Meya plays with a confidence that all players wish that they had. [caption id="attachment_38946" align="alignright" width="300"] Aila Miller led her Team Huddle 9th grade team to the division championship. The Hiland standout showed off her versatility all weekend. (Photo Credit: Twitter)[/caption] Aila Miller - 5'11 Post - Berlin Hiland - Class of 2022; Team Huddle As smooth as they come (she seems to just glide up and down the court), Miller is very physically-gifted. She is a force to be reckoned with on the glass, where she has the rare ability to control a game as a rebounder. Aila is very good in the transition game, where she has no problem finishing through contact or going around stationary defenders. She has shown signs of being a very good mid-range shooter and I would expect her to develop some more consistency in that part of her game as she continues to mature in Berlin Hiland's HS program. Abby Stephens - 5'10 Wing - Uniontown Lake - Class of 2021; Buckeye State Blast Abby was absolutely dominant all weekend - especially in the championship of the 10th grade division. Her sister McKenna played at Kent State and although Abby is probably not a D1 player right now, she certainly has that ceiling. Her mix of size and skill is rare for such a young player. She comes in that "point-forward" mold, grabbing rebounds and taking the ball the length of the floor. Some of her passes really showed off her outstanding court vision. Stephens controlled the glass for long stretches at a time and scored at will on the block, regardless of who was trying to guard her. E'Anna Won - 5'6 Guard - Wadswoth - Class of 2020; Xtreme Won ran the show for Xtreme this weekend. She plays at a nice pace and is rarely sped-up or taken out of her rhythm. She is great at getting her team into their offensive sets. When her number is called, it's especially tough for opposing teams to keep her in front of them - although she is also a good 3-point shooter if she has space. She will be a good contributor for a college program that is looking for a heady PG to lead their team.