Olivia had a huge weekend for Always 100 E40 Skills. In the 17U Silver Championship Game, she led the surge. Danyle noted specific moments that stood out, “ripped baseline and finished with a reverse layup, caught fire behind the arc and connected on five threes, used an effective hesi dribble to get past her defender, tough defender with active hands.” Olivia turned in an impressive effort and received 17U Silver Championship Game honors as a result.

I’ve talked about Olivia a number of times over the past three years, so much of this is just a repeat. But I have always liked Olivia’s love for the game, and you can see it in how much she has improved her skillset over the years. She is a strong guard, she has a really nice jump-shot, and she has improved her handle quite a bit each season. I think she has a solid mind for the game and can see some things in advance of others. The biggest thing for her moving forward is to continue learning how to understand angles defensively.

The one thing I am confident in saying about Olivia is that her skillset continues to improve from one viewing to the next. It’s apparent that she lives in the gym and works at her craft. She has become a knockdown shooter, and she’s so much stronger now that she’s able to get it away quicker, plus she’s better at non-rhythm shots. She can attack the basket as well and absorb contact, plus she has a natural all-around feel for the game.

Olivia is a nice, strong wing guard who has improved quite a bit over the past 9-12 months. She has adjusted well to the physicality of the high school game, and I’m curious to see what she does this Winter. She has North/South athleticism, length as well, and she understands how to use her body to create space to get a shot away. She has touch from the perimeter when she’s able to find rhythm, but her drives and pull-ups are tough to defend as well. She also plays with effort and has awareness at the defensive end.