Brady’s Day One Notes: Legacy Classic
On day one of the Legacy Classic, I got to see plenty of talented teams and individuals. Today I’m going to talk about what these 14 players did themselves to stand out, along with helping their teams be competitive against…
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Continue ReadingOn day one of the Legacy Classic, I got to see plenty of talented teams and individuals. Today I’m going to talk about what these 14 players did themselves to stand out, along with helping their teams be competitive against good competition.
Jolie Bonderer-Kansas Elite
I wouldn’t say anything Bonderer did was flashy, but she was effective. Her impact was felt mainly in the second half of her team’s opening game. It all started defensively. Bonderer forced a handful of turnovers near midcourt and created easy layups for herself. Beyond that, she had a remarkable left-handed hook shot she made in the second that made me take notice. She’s a constant competitor who found ways to affect the game without playmaking. Bonderer cut hard, rebounded well, and stayed in motion on the offensive end. I’m not sure what her best position would be at the next level, and that’s usually a detriment. However, the Kansas native showed that she’s someone who is going to make good things happen on both ends of the floor.
Anastyn Pettlon-Kansas Elite
If a coach comes to scout Pettlon and they’re slightly late for tipoff, you’ll probably hear her before you see her. She has leadership qualities that are obvious to anyone that watches. Pettlon leads vocally, emotionally, and physically. I did my best to listen because she never stopped directing her defense and offense. I have no doubt she knew the ability of every teammate and never asked them to do anything they weren’t capable of doing. All I’ve talked about is her intangibles, but there is so much more about her I loved watching. I can tell she’s put a lot of work into her shooting. When she shoots, I know when she likes it. Pettlon will start going back on defense after if it feels right. She’s a short combo guard, and some teams may shy away from her, but she will make someone better just by having her around. She’ll bring her energy and passion for playing into practice every day and make everyone around her better with her Basketball IQ.
Abbi Aitken-United Sports Academy
Aitken will shoot the ball at a high level wherever she goes. Whenever she’s in space behind the 3-point line, I can see her teammates’ eyes light up. Even if Aitken missed every 3-pointer attempted, I’d still know the guard shoots at a high level. Aitken’s confidence to take the shots she did, along with her teammate’s willingness to look for her for a skip pass, hit her coming off a screen or kick-out pass, I can tell there’s a level of trust in her that few kids have. I’d like to see her get comfortable attacking closeouts and getting to the rim or utilizing her floater. The base for her to get to that part of the floor is there with her shooting. I think she has a chance to be a good off-ball guard at the next level.
Brooklyn Voss-United Sports Academy
I don’t know Voss or her athletic background, but I’d be willing to be she excels at more sports than just basketball. She’s a 5-foot-10 forward who moves well for someone who fits best at the 4. She was excellent defensively and was especially good defending in the paint. However, I think there is potential for Voss to be the focus of switching defenses. I believe Voss is athletic enough to stay in front of most guards and ruin teams’ pick and roll game. Her length could also cause problems for short guards and force mistakes at the top of the key and create easy transition layups. Voss is the kind of defender who is scheme-proof. I don’t think a coach can make a scheme that Voss couldn’t thrive within.
Hannah Nadgwick-Omaha Supreme
The Omaha Supreme forward is the kind of player coaches love to have and hate to have to defend. She knows what her strengths are, and she knows how to get the best out of herself. To begin the game I watched, she pounded the ball in the paint, got easy points, and blocked a shot on the other end. Nadgwick set the tone early on, and she kept on doing her thing. She’s not the typical kind of forward you think of if you’re reading this. She’s an athletic, tenacious, and mobile 5-foot-11 that can attack from multiple spots on the floor. There aren’t many kids who can frustrate her because of her aggressive nature and willingness to keep coming back for more.
Grace Thompson-Omaha Supreme
Thompson isn’t someone who jumped out at me right away. If you come to see Thompson, you could miss her. She’s not someone who demands the ball and excels by creating her shot or defending the other team’s best player. What she does is unique. I can’t say when it clicked for me, but at some point, the thought came across my mind “Oh, Grace Thompson is running this game.” Every loose ball seemed to find her hands, Supreme’s transition opportunity started with her, and she initiated offense with pace. Everything just seemed to go through her unintentionally, but she changed the game and made winning plays the entire game.
Josie Potts-Iowa Prep
I loved everything about Potts’ game. She brings spirit to the floor that was clear the second the game started. She plays with a chip on her shoulder, for sure. I’m not sure if she’d ever say it, but I think, in her mind, nobody can guard her, and I like that. No matter who was in front of her, she didn’t care. Potts did the same thing to different matchups. Watching her operate on the floor made me think she never even looked at her initial defender because she knows what she has to do to exploit defenses. The more she saw a defensive scheme, the more confident I got that she’d pick it apart every time down the floor. Her shooting was also excellent today. Every time she got enough space to get a shot up, I could feel the sigh and the defeated manner of the opposing teams’ parents. Playing Potts has to feel like death by 1,000 cuts.
Bryar Duwe-Iowa Prep
When I saw Duwe handle the ball, I immediately knew how good she was. The Truman State commit understands how she can move defenders with small movements. She’s been a lead guard down to a science. She makes her teammates’ lives better, and I’m sure that will continue when she gets to the next level.
Jordyn Peed-Team Wisconsin 2024 Schmeling
After getting to see Peed play twice today, I was impressed with what she was able to do. The Eau Claire native isn’t the most intimidating presence, but she thrives in the paint. Over time I’ve heard rebounding is 70% effort, and Peed’s listed at 5-foot-9, but the forward is a rangy kid. She uses her length to make plays around the rim all the time. The fight Peed brings will give her team a lift wherever the forward plays. I don’t know Peed, but judging by how she plays, I would expect that she is someone who wants to get better. She has some skill development that can take her to another level, but I like what she does and can’t wait to see where she reaches in a few years.
Olivia Cooper-Team Wisconsin 2024 Schmeling
The 5-foot-8 guard has all the physical tools to be a successful player. She’s competent at every aspect of the game. I like how she shoots, defends, and see over defenses, but she needs to be more consistent. The next step for her is to figure out how to be at her best all game. When she’s at her best, she’s easily a kid who can play somewhere at the next level, but it comes and goes. That isn’t just an issue for Cooper. It happens to many young guards. However, when she’s at her best, I love her game. She can be a plug-and-play combo guard who can dabble in every part of the game. When her shots are falling, it looks excellent. When she’s engaged defensively, not many kids can get by her. She’s in the right place to get better, and I’d expect her to look even better the next time she steps on the floor. Keep tabs on Cooper.
Emma Slings-Team Iowa
Winner. That’s all I have to say about Slings. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to win. I saw her take two charges where she got steamrolled, and all she did was yell in excitement over earning her team another possession. Anyone who loves the game will love her game. What she does will mask mistakes by her teammates and possibly even her own. I don’t even have memories of her scoring because I was enamored by what she was doing on the other end. Slings will make not just a team but an entire program better the second she steps on campus.
Lauren Gollinghorst-Team Iowa
Nobody forced the issue like Gollinghorst today. The first few possessions for Team Iowa ended in Gollinghorst free throws. That should tell you all you need to know about her game. She knows how to balance her attacking with letting other players find their rhythm. I wouldn’t be surprised if she could score an easy 25 whenever she wanted, but she’s not a selfish kid. Even in the short chat, I had with Slings and Gollinghorst. Gollinghorst had a massive smile when I talked to Slings about what she did. She revels in her teammate’s success, and that’s something I want to make sure is known to anyone who reads this because that stuff isn’t fake. That’s a small window into who she is as a player and person. Keep an eye on her going forward.
Maddie Pottbaum-Swarm Basketball 2024
I’m confident I didn’t see Pottbaum’s best shooting game, but I’m happy I didn’t. Her not shooting well helped me see the intricacies of her playmaking. Pottbaum controlled the tempo at an elite level the entire game. She pushed the pace when the chance to do so was there and wasn’t afraid to pull it back and set something up. Even though her shots didn’t fall, she made the right decision time and time again. If I were a coach, I’d trust her with the ball, and her teammates did today, with good reason.
Madison Stowater-Swarm Basketball 2024
The 5-foot-9 perimeter player is a momentum player. She did an excellent job making a play to end opposing momentum and make plays to extend her team’s runs. She shot the ball well and found her way into pockets of space where she scored. When Swarm went into a press, her length showed. She made plays in that press that helped extend her team’s lead and overall had an excellent showing to close the day. I’m a massive fan of what she can do on the floor.