Ella moves nearly 20 spots up the list as she goes from 54th to 35th and could be the biggest breakout candidate in Louisville this season. CAL is going to rely on Daniels to do a lot for them to compete and looks like she’s ready for the additional burden in her Senior season.

Daniels was invaluable on the defensive end. She was very solid offensively as well, but her defense consistently stood out on the floor. She proved to be a lockdown defender who could slide her feet and stay in front of anyone she was asked to guard. Daniels was handling pressure and moving extremely well without the ball on the offensive end. She was really looking for her teammates and made some excellent passes inside and out. She also had some strong drives to the hoop and she continuously played through adversity. Daniels had 10 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal in CAL’s first game. In Game 2, she had 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. In the Championship, Daniels finished with 3 assists, a block, and a rebound.

Daniels is one of the top defenders I’ve seen. She’s got great length and athleticism. She can lock down a player on the ball, but she can also get into the passing lanes to come up with steals or get blocks around the basket. Daniels is a talented offensive player as well. She makes strong drives to the basket and isn’t afraid to take the contact that comes with that. When she isn’t driving, she can also knock down shots or deliver passes to her teammates. Daniels has a lot of versatility in her game and she should have a really solid junior season ahead.

CAL had the answer at the point guard spot for years with McClure but after a long and decorated career, she’s gone to college and there’s a big hole at the point guard spot for the Centurions. Daniels has been waiting her time for the past few seasons and should get first crack at the point guard spot this season. She’s a capable player who had a good AAU season and is ready for the opportunity.

Daniels has excellent speed and hustles at all times with a very high. But the way she can use those aspects and still play under control is what impresses me the most. Excelerating quickly is important, playing hard and fast is important, but so many players cannot stop on a dime and change direction quickly when moving at top speed. Maybe it has to do with balance, or a high basketball IQ that lets her see what is happening a split second quicker. Probably both, she certainly has both.

At the 250, Daniels showed off more of her Guard skills in the game I was watching. She displayed her ballhandling and passing including a long outlet pass on the break after chasing down a long rebound. She also used her speed to drive to the hole from the right wing and score iwth a bully finish through a hard foul. She wears longsleeves almost all the time, so I don’t know if she is hitting the weights. But she plays with strength, so I assume she does.

With two more years to develop her game playing under excellent coaches at school and on the PGH Circuit, Daniels has a high probability of playing on the next level. But she likely needs to inject herself into the offense a little more often than last season. That won’t be easy on a team loaded with so much talent at every position and on the bench. I suggest hitting the offensive glass hard, but scoring isn’t the only thing coaches see.

Daniels is poised to have a big junior year at CAL this upcoming season. She has great length and athleticism, and she uses those skills to be a phenomenal defender. She can slide her feet to stay in front, she can block shots, and she comes up with multiple steals/deflections. Daniels offensive skills were also on full display Saturday. She made multiple strong drives to the hoop and she was finishing tough shots. She also was knocking down jump shots and playing with a lot of energy.

Daniels contributed valuable minutes for the Centurions last year, but she should play a much larger role this season. Why? Well, she was playing with 2 senior guards who could really put the ball in the basket, so her role didn’t require her to score a lot of points. While she can still impact the game without scoring, I think she will get a lot more scoring opportunities this season. Pair those opportunities with the confidence she seemed to gain this summer, and she should be a real difference maker in the region. Her defense and athletic ability are phenomenal. Her ability to lead is also special. Now that she’s realizing how talented she truly is, Daniels should have a really strong junior showing.