WAUKEGAN, Ill. – When it was over, their summer season finally complete, the players of the Michigan Force 17 squad gathered in a tight huddle and faced their fears.
This would be the final time the group would be together on a basketball court. But what a way to go out.
The Force thumped Missouri’s TC Hoops 17 squad 64-29 Friday to win the Pools C-F bracket at the 16th annual USJN Summer Final Midwest. It was a tour-de-force victory, with stifling defense and a flurry of three-pointers mixed with crafty passing and impressive teamwork.
Unfortunately it meant an end for a core 2020 group that has played together since the fifth grade and hoped beyond anything else that it would get to play with each other forever. That was obvious as the tears flowed and hugs were exchanged moments after the win.
“They’ve been dreading this,” said Force coach Rob Brown. “They just love playing together. They wanted to win this but they’ve been dreading this game (because it was the last one).”
No one better exemplified the Force’s Friday fun than guard Abby Long, who hit a string of three-pointers from seemingly every spot on the court, each time grinning like the cat who ate the canary as she strolled back on defense.
“It’s just been amazing working with these girls,” Brown said. “We’ve added girls (to the core group), and you usually can’t tell that we’ve added kids, and that’s what I think is special. The new kids that come in, they felt part of it right away.”
The Force have standouts but no superstars. Guard Gabi Saxmanhas a preferred walk-on offer from Western Michigan, said her dad and coach Bob Saxman. Claycee Westand Maizie Brownhave seen some interest ranging from Division II to NAIA, as has Long. Maddie Alexanderwill play goalie on Indiana State’s soccer team. All are 2020 grads.
“We’re not a big organization so people sometimes don’t know who we are, but we play those big organizations and we do well,” Bob Saxman said. “When you play team ball, sometimes you can beat talent.”
Wisconsin Academy makes short work of top pools
There was little doubt through the three-day, 107-team tournament which club had performed consistently the best. That distinction belonged to Wisconsin Academy 17 Williams, which crushed its five Pool A foes by the following scores: 101-30, 76-53, 80-58, 83-56 and 82-47. Not surprisingly, the Academy had little trouble claiming the top title for Pools A-B.
“No matter who they played or what they did, they played at a high level all week,” coach Reggie Williams said. “That says a lot about them; no matter what the score of the game, they still play hard.”
And they do most everything right, from smart team defense to an unselfish offense. And they did it this week without their only college commit, Milwaukee-bound Angie Cera. It mattered not.
“It’s a group that doesn’t get recruited as much as I think they deserve because a lot is built on how tall they are, or this or that,” Williams said. “But we have a bunch of girls who can make plays and can win. They’ve played against teams that have all these recruits and beat them, and beat them handily. Their time will come. They’ll be patient. If schools like kids who play hard, defend, make winning plays, they’re going to love a kid like (these).”
It has been a summer of winning for the Academy. Williams’ team went 5-0 in pool play and lost to Ohio Sports City U in the final at the Indy Premiere event; lost in the Battle of the Boro semifinals to eventual champ Mac Irvin Fire; and won its division at the North Tartan tournament.
“All of these kids come from great programs in high school where they’re used to winning,” Williams said. “They play hard and it shows. In coaching it’s a blessing when you have kids that you don’t have to encourage to play hard. It’s fun to be around them.”
More Wisconsin success in other 17U brackets
The title for Pools G-K in the 17/16U bracket came down to two Wisconsin clubs: Academy 16 Nelson and Purple Aces 16 Doell. The pair had squared off in Indianapolis earlier this summer with the Aces taking a narrow win, and the same result played out here on Friday.
The Academy wiped out a second-half deficit in the title game, and the score remained knotted with less than two minutes left. But the Purple Aces’ Delaney Clarkburied a three-pointer with 1:30 left for a 52-49 lead, Sheridan Flaugerhit two free throws with 43 second left and the club held on for a 60-54 win.
It capped a summer of stiff competition – but solid results.
“We’ve played ‘up’ in a couple of tournaments and played some tough competition,” coach Jim Doell said. “We play well as a team, that’s kind of what we do. We share the ball and play team defense and team offense.”
Lest anyone think there isn’t individual talent on hand, be aware that 2021s Emma Andersonand CarleyDuffneyare wearing Purple Aces jerseys. Duffney, whom Purple Aces director Cordero Barkley described recently as receiving “a ton” of Division I interest, is an athletic and versatile sort who doesn’t hesitate to share the ball. Anderson is strong-bodied and active, displaying a terrific touch around the basket and a sharp stroke from the perimeter.
“Emma has definitely made some strides,” Doell said. “She’s buying into rebounding and being a little more physical. I know the coaches are loving that. She’s always been able to shoot the three. She’s got one of the best three-point shots that I’ve seen. Very consistent with it, which helps us stretch them out. And our other players take advantage of it, like Carley Duffney. Carley is an attack kid, she can get downhill, and even though she’s not our point guard we like to get it in her hands and push it up on fast breaks. And she’s developing her three-point shot. In July she’s showing the coaches she can shoot the three, which is nice to see.”
14U championship stays in Chicago
Two staples of the Chicagoland club scene squared off for the 14U bracket title, with Chicago Hoops Express 14 IV defeating Lady Lightning 14 Bronze 45-32.
The Hoops Express led 21-12 at the half, weathered a mild comeback and prevailed.
“We’ve come a long way,” coach Kim Coleman said. “We’ve got a really talented, hard-working group so it was nice to end this way.”
Chicago Hoops Express is undaunted on defense: it utilizes a fullcourt press for the full 32 minutes.
“We just learned how to defend better (this summer,” Coleman said. “We press the entire game, which can be tiring, but we learned how to help, how to communicate. This age of kids don’t talk to one another but we’ve overcome that, which is awesome.”
Heart of Illinois has oh-so-close week
The Heart of Illinois 15 National team cruised to two wins in pool play and lost the other two games by two points apiece. It was that kind of week for coach Riley Gardner’s squad.
“We did all right – I think we could have played better,” Gardner lamented after one of the wins. “It’s a good team. When we’re on, we look good. They’re very talented, they all have a role to contribute to the team and they know what it is. But we have these moments … When our defense is on, it makes a difference.”
Still, it was a productive summer overall. Gardner said “everybody” made strides through the season, “buying in to what their strength was, and we did a lot of workouts to work on their weaknesses. Everybody got better.”
One standout of the 15 National squad, 6-foot-1, 2022 product Katie Krupa, continued to demonstrate her considerable skills. Krupa has a strong body, plays with energy, can use both hands and has shooting skill out to the three-point line. At least one Power 5 coach watched during Thursday’s evening session.
“She’s (playing) a different role for us than she is for her high school team, and (coaches are) getting to see both,” Gardner said. “They’re getting to see what she can do in the post, and then we’re getting her more in the open floor with her perimeter game. A lot of work still to do on that, but she’s gotten better. Passing was one of the things we really wanted to get better at.”
HOI’s most athletic player is 2022 guard Delaney Cook, whose raw skills are developing.
“We’ve got work to do,” Garnder said. “But she’s in the gym all the time. It’s just a matter of she knows what she needs to do, she knows how to do it. We just have to execute. You can see it in flashes. We’re not all the way there, but we will be by next summer.
Another promising player, 2023’s Denali Craig-Edwards, missed the summer season with an ankle injury but should be ready for the high school campaign at Christ Lutheran in Peoria, Ill.
