THE ROAD TO THE FINAL 12: 2017 USA U16 GIRLS TRIALS
By LaQuita ThompsonMay 31, 2017
Colorado Springs Young girl basketball players from across the country travel every year to Colorado with hopes of making an impression on the USA Developmental National committee. This year was no different with 35 athletes receiving invitations and 98 remaining open applicants bringing the total to roughly 133 athletes fighting for one of the 12 roster positions. This will mark the sixth (6) time USA Basketball has conducted a women’s U16 or U17 open trials.
The USA Basketball Developmental National committee consists of this year, Chair Carol Callan, Tamika Catchings, DeLisha Milton-Jones, Kevin Lynch, Jill Schneider, Kirsten Moore, and Mia Smith. It was such an inspiration to have two faces from the WNBA and former Olympians present for the girls. Tamika and DeLisha both represent the “possibilities” of so many of the athletes. USA Basketball isn’t only concerned with putting together the best roster possible but there is a big emphasis on LEADERSHIP. The girls had off court sessions with Catchings speaking about her journey and the importance of being a good leader, responsibility, perseverance and the mind to never give up. She is no stranger to the speaker’s platform for girls and young women in sports and her words motivate you regardless of age or gender.
Twenty (20) with previous USA Basketball experience attended the trials. Samantha Brunelle – a Top ranked player by espnw, helped USA to a bronze medal in the 2016 U17 World Championships. Aliyah Boston – ranked 9th by espnw- was a finalist in 2016 and Haley Jones – ranked 6th by espnw – a participant from 2015 for both U16 and U17. Other players with USA Basketball experience included Myra Gordon, Nyah Green, Taylor Jones, Jordyn Oliver, Ashley Owusu, Te-Hina Paopao, Celeste Taylor, Sydney Parrish, and Ashten Prechtel to name a few. The amount of talent present was just so phenomenal that its hard to give one player more praise than any of the others. Many of the athletes are top ranked in their classes as recorded by espnw. With that being said imagine the competition!
Day 1 and 2 included sessions focusing specifically on basic basketball skill fundamentals. DEVELOPMENT is another area of emphasis for USA Basketball. This year the organization allotted some extra time to teach and correct the athletes regarding technique, form, timing, positioning and many of the other components that assist in building a complete basketball package. The ages for the group was 16 and under so many of the concepts being taught were very new to some but definitely needed for all. One of the biggest things I noticed about girls basketball players, especially at this age, is that STRENGTH, CONDITIONING, BALANCE, and COORDINATION are areas that need more attention. There were some who without question stood out with their impeccable footwork and shooting ability like 2021 5-11 Guard Azzi Fudd (Potomac School – Falls Church, VA.). She is an outstanding young player. She displayed great athleticism ,strength, intensity and consistency throughout the four days of hard work. Another standout in this area was 2020 6-0 Guard Maddie Burke (Central Bucks H.S. west- Doylestown, PA). She has a remarkable scoring ability around the rim but especially on the perimeter. She has a very consistent shot, good form, and a very high level IQ of the game. A third player who stood out with quick footwork, pretty good balance and quickness was 2019 5-11 Guard Jordyn Oliver (Prosper H.S.- Prosper, TX). Oliver is also a verbal commit to Baylor. She is a smooth player, with good elevation when she shoots. She has great vertical explosion and a scoring mindset. A fourth player who stood out to me with good shooting and decent footwork was 2020 6-1 Guard Sydney Parrish (Hamilton SE H.S. – Fishers, IN). She keeps improving every time I watch her play. She is a good shooter, sets herself up to take good shots, plays with balance and her consistent technique gives her an edge. 2019 5-10 Guard Celeste Taylor (Long Island Lutheran H.S.- Valley Stream, NY). She was without a doubt in my mind one of the most basketball ready players present. She has a sound skill set, scoring ability, quickness, explosive and consistent. 2020 5-10 Guard Paige Bueckers (Hopkins H.S.- Eden Prairie, MN). She was another player who displayed good footwork, agility, and good shooting ability. She was also one who had a good vertical leap and strength to play physical. 2020 6-4 Forward Cameron Brink (Southridge H.S.- Beaverton, OR) I was amazed as I watched Brink on the court. She has the potential to be a future super star player one day. She has quick footwork, her length allows her to block shots and extend higher for shots. She is very mobile on the court and has decent ball-handling qualities as a forward position player. I cant’s say enough about 2019 6-2 Forward Samantha Brunelle (William Monroe H.S. – Ruckersville, VA) She has amazingly good range behind the arc, beautiful form on her shot and she has the ability to finish unbalanced attempts. She moves well on the court with and without the ball, plays with confidence and was a role model for many of the younger players who attended. Haley Jones 2019 6-1 Guard (Archbishop Mitty H.S. – Santa Cruz, CA). She has a skill set that doesn’t limit her much on the court. She is strong in attacking the paint and finishing. She plays physical and with intensity. She is constantly moving, and getting herself in the right position to either score or help a teammate. Ashley Owusu 2019 5-11 Guard (Paul VI Catholic H.S. – Woodbridge, VA) is a player who has the key components for scoring. She isn’t as quick as some of the other guards but she plays with a presence, under control most times and balanced. She can score, she has good ball-handling skills, she is strong and makes good decisions on the court.
USA Basketball during the skill sessions focused on position work. DETAILS is yet another area of emphasis for the organization. A lot of time and effort was put into teaching position specific concepts. It’s nothing new when players come to a setting like this and are confused and have a difficult time picking things up quickly. Many of them play their high school and AAU seasons out of their true position and that alone can sometime put them at a disadvantage. There were some standouts to me in this area and I’ll start with the Post/Forward position. Aliyah Boston 2019 6-3 Forward (Worcester Academy – Worcester, MA) This young lady made huge improvements since last year. She slimmed down some, her footwork on the post was more fluid which allowed her to make good strong post moves and finishes. She was agile, good boxing out, good counter post moves. She’s still developing her shot and form but in the paint she is a beast, probably one of the best coming out. She is another who has the potential to be future great player in the game of Women’s basketball. Fran Belibi 2019 6-2 (Regis Jesuit H.S. – Centennial, CO) Belibi has an unbelievable vertical leap. She does a great job with using it to finish around the rim, block shots. She also has a quick first step and remarkable explosion. I am still in shock that she hasn’t been playing very long. She is still developing as a complete player, and learning the game but once she does look out world. Angel Jackson 2019 6-4 Center (Salesian College Prep. – Richmond, CA) She brings a presence down low in the paint with her physicality. She does a good job blocking shots, she’s pretty mobile for her size. She’s strong and did a much better job this year in finishing around the rim. Not to mention she also makes quick outlet passes to get the ball out for transition. River Baldwin 2019 6-5 Center (Pleasant Home School – Andalusia, AL) Baldwin is a verbal commit to Florida State. She is another strong presence in the paint. Her body is definitely an asset. She’s a somewhat raw talent, still growing with footwork and post moves but she is very mobile. She has decent agility. The fact that she also plays volleyball is going to help her basketball game tremendously and she will be a sound player by her senior season. Ramani Parker 2019 6-3 Forward (Central H.S. – Fresno, CA) did a great job blocking shots. She is another player with good vertical leaping ability. She has a nice long athletic build but will need to gain more strength so she can play much more physical if need it be. she is able to make good sound moves and counter moves at times. She is very agile, has some quickness to her footwork. She has a bright future ahead of her if she continues to improve her game. Rickea Jackson 2019 6-1 Forward (Detroit Edison Public School Academy – Detroit, MI) is super athletic, she gets to the basket, has a quick first step which aids in her ability to beat her opponent off the dribble. Ashten Prechtel 2019 6-5 Center (Discovery Canyon H.S. – Colorado Springs, CO) is another post player that has improved since I last saw. She has tremendous size inside. She can finish around the rim, rebounds and can block shots. Her footwork in the paint is still developing and that aspect of her game will propel her even more as her IQ continues to grow. Taylor Jones 2019 6-3 Center (Dallas Christian School – Forney, TX) is improving her game as she gains confidence at her position. She did well down low, post moves are becoming more fluid, blocking shots, rebounding. I do feel that she will begin to elevate more when needed as she continues to train and play against opponents who challenge her to extend. She has great potential. Javyn Nicholson 2019 6-2 Forward (Collins Hill H.S. – Lawrenceville, GA) has a strong body. She played strong inside, plays physical, she was able to face up and use jab steps to beat her defender. She could attack and finish around the rim. The key for her will be to build her endurance and keep sharpening her strengths, while also working to improve her shooting form for consistency.
Now lets take a look at some of the guards that stood out to me, especially in the point guard position. I don’t always get excited about the “wow” of a player and I don’t think coaches examine that first. With guards I want to see someone who is steady, consistent, makes good decisions, fundamentally sound, good leader, vocal, plays with intensity but under control, and ability to change the pace or control the pace. I’ve already listed above some of the top players that stood out but here are a few who also caught my eye. Zia Cooke 2019 5-9 Guard (Rogers H.S. – Toledo, OH) plays with intensity 100% of the time. She has excellent elevation on her shot. She is quick, and explosive to the basket. She has such a high motor that I thought she would wear out at some point but she played hard the entire trials. She has good ball-handling, and good court vision. She’s a good floor general, and vocal. Kaylah Rainey 2019 5-7 Guard (Belleville East H.S. – Belleville, IL) impressed at the PG position with her consistency. She plays on both ends of the court with the ability to cause turn-overs and execute. She has nice shooting, good ball-handling and impeccable court vision. She makes good reads, can beat her opponent off the dribble or pull and hit the jumper. She is quick, and contained. Kylee Watson 2020 6-3 Guard/Forward (Mainland Regional H.S. – Linwood, NJ) is athletic and can finish around the rim.. She did a great job off the pick and roll action, she is able to handle the ball and loves the reverse spin move. She has great potential with her size and qualities as a player. Jordan Horston 2019 6-0 Guard (Columbus Africentric Early College – Columbus, OH) has a raw ability that if honed will take her far in this game. She has an incredible vertical leap, she’s quick off the bounce and can knock down perimeter shots. Great potential! Sarah Andrews 2020 5-7 Guard (MacArthur H.S. – Irving, TX) is a very talented PG. She struggled a bit early but as the days continued she was able to showcase her passing ability which displayed her court vision. She has a nice shot with range, she’s quick to the basket, and is a hard nose defender. She’s without a doubt a top 2020 guard in the state of Texas. Diamond Miller 2019 6-2 Guard (Franklin H.S. – Somerset, NJ) caught my eye with her shooting. She has a long athletic build, moves well with the ball, but her shooting ability was on point and stood out the most to me. Taliyah Medina 2020 6-0 Guard/Forward (Bethlehem Catholic H.S. Bethlehem, PA) did a great job attacking the baseline and finishing. She can shoot behind the arc, plays aggressive with the ball, good off the dribble, physical, and fights for rebounds.
The remaining Day 3 and 4 were the beginning of cuts. On these days we were able to watch the players compete half court and full court. Watching and evaluating their application of the skill sessions into the games. This is always interesting because it changes for most athletes. You will notice that some who didn’t do particularly well during skill session will dominate the games and vice versa. Family and friends are also allowed to watch during this time so the atmosphere quickly changes to a highly competitive event. This will also display those who are in a little bit better condition with a heart made of steel and those who give out quickly. The players were divided up into two groups until the end where it would be only one. The teams were evenly matched and the competition was definitely something to see. USA Basketball U16 Head Coach Carla Berube and her Assistant coaches Steve Gomez and Vanessa Nygaard were on hand, along with their court coaches, to ensure that the principles of USA basketball would be upheld during the live games. They brought coaching, teaching, correction, and demonstration to the trials helping each player better understand the game plan. The first cut took away about 55 players to narrow the group down even further. By the end of 3 cuts there were the strong 37 still standing. I will say that after 4 long days of basketball instruction and games the girls were somewhat fatigued but I congratulate each for the fight to finish. As I said in the beginning there was so much talent in the building until it is extremely difficult to highlight in detail each player but below is a list of players that stood out and have great potential:
Deja Kelly, Sasha Goforth, Jordyn Merritt, Te-Hina Paopao, Ariana Wiggins, Angel Reese, Elizabeth Scott, Natalija Marshall, Alyssa VanTimmermen, Jada Walker, Harmoni Turner, Jewel Spear, Rylee Langerman, Treasure Hunt, Myra Gordon, Nyah Green, Liz Martino, Maya McArthur, Alisha Lewis, Caitlin Clark, Alexis Tucker, and Eniya Russell
On Monday the finalist were named. These are the 18 players chosen to go through practices with the coaching staff as they continue to decide their 12 man roster. After the roster has been identified they will stay for training camp and prepare for their run in Argentina which begins June 7th. The nations who have qualified to compete are Canada, United States, Argentina, Venezuela, and Colombia. The U16 Championships were initiated by FIBA Americas in 2009 and since that time USA teams have compiled a 19-1 record winning gold in 2009, 2011, and 2013. Notable players have been Breanna Stewart, Arike Ogunbowale, Lauren Cox and Aquira DeCosta.
Here are the 18 finalists for the USA U16 Team:
River Baldwin 10. Azzi Fudd
Fran Belibi 11. Jordan Horston
Aliyah Boston 12. Haley Jones
Cameron Brink 13. Diamond Miller
Samantha Brunelle 14. Jordyn Oliver
Paige Bueckers 15. Ashley Owusu
Maddie Burke 16. Ramani Parker
Caitlin Clark 17. Celeste Taylor
Zia Cooke 18. Kylee Watson
Now let us take a look at the final roster for the 2017 USA U16 Team. This team will be led by first time Head Coach Carla Berube and her remarkable staff. I wish our girls and coaching staff and USA Basketball the very best. Represent us well and bring home the GOLD!
1.Fran Belibi, 2.Aliyah Boston, 3.Samantha Brunelle, 4.Paige Bueckers, 5.Caitlin Clark, 6.Zia Cooke, 7.Azzi Fudd, 8.Jordan Horston, 9.Diamond Miller, 10.Jordyn Oliver, 11.Kylee Watson, 12.Celeste Taylor
Great job everyone!
LaQuita Thompson
National Girls Evaluator – John Lucas Enterprises
Email: lthompson@johnlucasenterprises.com
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