Practice Report: Tulsa JYD – Part 1
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Thanks to the coaches at Tulsa JYD for having me out last week. It’s always fun to get out and watch some players learning to hone their craft and JYD had a fun, energetic practice. There were a lot of…
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Continue ReadingThanks to the coaches at Tulsa JYD for having me out last week. It’s always fun to get out and watch some players learning to hone their craft and JYD had a fun, energetic practice. There were a lot of really good athletes showing off their skills, players of all ages and types. Plenty for college coaches to be excited about. Take a look!
Since I’ve been scouting in Oklahoma, there has been JYD basketball and when I see JYD practice or play, there is Makenna. The two are synonymous. That means that a player who already has great size and a ton of natural talent is getting some of the best training possible. Every time I see Yokley play, there is more to love about her game. She can shoot it, she can handle it, she rebounds and defends. I’ve said from the first time that I watched her play that she was a Division-I prospect and she has proven that by landing an offer from Northeastern State in Louisiana. Makenna holds offers from several in-state D-II’s, as well. If you’re a coach who hasn’t offered and you’re looking for a post player who battles hard down low and can score from pretty much anywhere, you might want to hurry up.
Highlights
Speaking of Yokleys who can ball, JYD has another one for y0u. She’s already got great size and length. She showed not only great athleticism, but an incredibly high basketball IQ, which is kind of a hallmark of a JYD kid. They don’t just learn to do something, they learn why they’re doing something. Sarah is a really good slasher and showed some nice handles. On the defensive end, she moves really well and can guard pretty much any position with quick lateral movement and the fearlessness to bang down low with bigger players. Owasso and JYD have yet another Yokley star on their hands, it would seem.
Alyson brings a world of experience to JYD and Edmond Memorial. She has played everywhere and it shows in her incredible poise and basketball IQ. Very athletic and bouncy, Scott looks like she’s running downhill when she heads toward the basket and a lot of times it’s a life-or-death decision for any defender standing in the way. She is a hard-nosed player who is going to make an absolutely killer college Point Guard. The zip on her passes is incredible. She showed vision on both ends of the floor, hitting teammates in stride with unbelievable passes and stepping into passing lanes to steal the ball and send her squad back the other way. Alyson has the look of a D-I Point Guard and recently attended Army’s Elite Camp. It seems that coaches are beginning to take notice, as they should.
Another Owasso/JYD player, Alex is always fun to watch and has been for several years now. She is an extremely athletic player who uses her tremendous basketball smarts to almost always be at the right place at the right time. For that reason, I made a big note in my notebook that just said “involved in everything.” Looking back on some older notes about Alex, I’ve seen that several times by her name. She is (and apparently always has been) a “pot-stirrer.” She’s the kind you need on your squad to keep everything moving. She won’t let the other team stagnate on offense, because she is going to provide relentless defensive pressure. She won’t let her own offense stall because she is always flashing, moving, screening, and making herself available. She is a fun player to watch and most definitely one that any college coach would love to have on their squad.
McCarthy is a guard who is really strong and won’t get pushed around. She excels as a spot-up shooter and has a nice high release from a very bouncy shot. Watch her for just a little and you can tell that Speakthunder is incredibly athletic. Called upon to work inside against some very big players on occasion, McCarthy didn’t back down. She battled and used her good strength for a guard to more than hold her own against much taller players. She moves well and works hard all game long. She defends well inside and out and never gives an opponent an easy make. Working with JYD is going to be huge for McCarthy as she adds tools to her already impressive arsenal of basketball skills.