WASHINGTON, D.C.—More often than not it’s the United States Congress that seems to turn the even the smallest things into major issues. Taking a cue from our leaders, over the past 26 years USJN has embraced a few days in July and turned them into one of the biggest girls’ basketball showcases on the annual club schedule. Set in the nation’s capital, the USJN / Nike 17U Championships is the longest running privately owned tournament and has continually set the bar for other events to follow.
Utilizing the 30 courts and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for the second consecutive year, 346 teams representing 30 states, the District of Columbia and Canada took part in all the action. Friday’s championship games crowned champions in eight different divisions following three days of pool play. Taking in all the action were more than 720 recruiters representing in excess of 400 colleges and universities from coast to coast. A “mob” scene evolved Wednesday and Thursday as WNBA standout Skylar Diggins made a couple of appearances in the convention center while in town to play the Mystics. Diggins sponsors two of the teams who were competing in the event.
Bragging rights in the top tier Diamond Division headed just down the road to Richmond, Virginia as the Boo Williams – Richmond squad claimed a 52 – 44 win over the Texas TeamXpress. Led by dynamic 2016 point guard Anna Wilson the eventual champions jumped out to a quick lead only to see the gap closed to just a two point margin at 16 – 14. A 10 – 5 run before the half extended the margin to 26 – 19 at the break with the Texans continually zeroing in from three point range to stay within reach. Neither team had anyone hit double figures in the first half but TeamXpress got 12 of their 19 points by way of the long ball.
Wilson and company again extended their lead early in the second but were unable to open things up. A Japreece Dean three cut the lead to 32 – 27 leading to a BWSL Richmond time out but though TeamXpress would stay within reach they could get no closer the rest of the way. The gap was just six with: 25.9 seconds on the clock and the inevitable fouls made the final 52 – 44.
BWSL Richmond got to the final by way of a 51 – 46 win over the Bay State Magic while TeamXpress punched their ticket with an impressive 43 – 30 win over the Fairfax Stars. Wilson had 10 in the win as did 6-2 post Timesha Morris. Destini Walker didn’t finish as effectively in the final but the 6-0 forward was factor throughout pool and bracket play. Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil got 12 points from attacking guard Kyra Lambert while 5-11 Anja Martin gave her 12 more, all coming on three pointers.
The Platinum Division crown went to Drill for Skill – Miller in a sound win over the Midwest Elite – Yates team. Making the win all the more impressive was the fact the win came without the services of versatile small forward Brenna Wise who took a had spill in a semifinal win over the Philadelphia Belles. Wise was transported for precautionary medical treatment but returned to the bench for the final Friday evening with a “bruised neck” being the limit of her injuries. John Miller’s team got seven in the first half from Maria Palarino as they grabbed a 27 – 17 halftime edge. Things didn’t get any better for the folks from Illinois in the second half as the lead stayed in the double figure range with Drill for Skill coming home with a 52 – 38 win in the end. Palarino finished with 13 while Bre Cera and Sam Pryor both tallied eight for MWE in the loss.
For complete results, pool all stars and attending college coaches please follow the link below to the USJN web site post event page.
http://www.usjn.com/xtm_post_event_new.php?which=264
With the number of teams and depth of talent on hand it would be impossible to provide coverage of every standout performer. Plenty of “name” athletes we’ve written about before were in action as were many others hoping to catch the eyes of recruiters and evaluators. Here are a few you know and a few who you might not be as familiar with who had some strong moments in D.C.
Brenna Wise – 2015 – 6-0 – Forward – Drill for Skill – Cranberry Township, Pa. – As mentioned earlier missed the final due to a bruised neck suffered in the semis. Wise is a hardnosed and skilled small forward who puts herself in the middle of all the action. The ballhandling is there to create her own options but she is just as adept at going down low and posting up defenders of any size. There is an assertive and relentless approach to her play that allows her to compete against opponents of most sizes and quickness. She a force on the boards and loose balls have her name all over them. She’s active with and without the ball as well as on the weakside defensively. Uncommitted and guaranteed to be an asset to whoever is fortunate enough to have her come their way.
Bridget Herlihy – 2015 – 6-2 – Wing / Forward – Bay State Magic – Braintree, Mass. – A great combination of size and skills. Effective scorer off the drive or spotting up on the perimeter, she can put it on the floor to improve both shots and passes. She’s active on the cut offensively and does so with the understanding of how to create options. Lots of length makes her a tough match up and the ability is in place to run the floor and be a factor in transition. Anticipates well defensively and has good vision away from the ball.
Armani Hawkins – 2015 – 5-10 – Guard – Blue Star Arizona – Mesa Ariz.- An explosive athlete, Hawkins has the tools to challenge any defender. Her use of a quick first step and a deceptive hesitation move have opponents coming out of their stances time and again. Off the drive she can finish at the rim or call on a nice floater that offers good returns. In traffic she has the instincts to navigate rotations and come up with good looks or get to the line. The perimeter shot is sound but the shot selection does have its moments. Smart defender with the tools to be a lock down on ball stopper if she’ll embrace the role.
Jocelyn Willoughby – 2016 – 5-11 – Guard – iExcel – East Orange, N.J. – Continues to play with more and more confidence as the summer goes on. She’s using her size and physical strength to challenge opponents on the catch with her constant attack. The first step comes with not only quickness but power as well leaving Willoughby with a clear lane deep in the paint again and again. She mixes up changes in both speed and direction and reads the opposition as she penetrates. There is little doubt she can play at any level if she continues on the path she’s on now…and the big dogs are courtside to prove it.
Davida Dale – 2015 – 5-10 – Guard – Rivals – Providence, R.I. – Dynamic athlete with lots of tools to call upon. Her quickness and speed require the same defensively or she’ll penetrate at will. Even against zones Dale found her way into the lane creating havoc as well as good looks for herself and her teammates. She uses both hands well off the drive and is a terror in the open court. Her ballhandling is quick and she has step back that creates plenty of separation. On the other end she’s strong on the ball and floats like a defensive back on the weakside of the floor. According to hometown media she has “reclassified” and will be a junior next fall.
Megan Walker – 2017 – 6-1 – Wing / Guard – Boo Williams – Chesterfield, Va. – A quiet but effective force for Boo. Despite being among the nation’s elite in her class she’s careful to wait for the game to come to her rather than force or play impatiently as some of her teammates tend to do. The fluid movement that has been there all along now comes with some additional size and more importantly some added strength. Walker cuts hard and is looking for the ball and her options long before defenders can react. The elevation on her jumper offers clear looks at the rim as well as affords her the opportunity to be a factor on the glass. Her passing vision and skills are often underestimated and are effective against both man and zone.
Naomi Davenport – 2015 – 6-0 – Wing / Guard – Cincinnati Angels – Cincinnati, Ohio – Without a doubt added both size and strength over the past year and has become a challenging assignment of defenders. Davenport can handle the ball well and does so with some impressive speed at times. She’s on the attack and has become comfortable using her body efficiently in traffic to get the shot off or draw the foul and get to the line. She needs to establish a consistent perimeter threat to keep defenders honest and closing out. Defensively the tools are there to play almost any role in any scheme.
Andrea Robinson – 2016 – 6-1 – Forward – Team Takeover – Randallstown, Md. – Could have written on several teammates but Robinson gets the call this time around. A long, lean and athletic forward, she seems to be just coming into her own offensively. She took a few high post drives to the rim and worked well in among the trees. The more eye catching aspect of her game was the lateral speed she has and what it might offer up defensively. Robinson could play on the front of any press and has the agility to close traps on most guards who take the floor. Still evolving but lots of promise.
Blair Watson – 2016 – 5-11 – Guard – N.J. Panthers – Nutley, N.J. – Made a big splash in D.C. Watson wasn’t exactly a secret but was hardly a household name either. Well, if she were a video you would say she’s gone viral. Physically strong with good size, she comes across as a woman among girls. Watson is smooth in her attack and very calculating in creating her shots. She’ll go to the rim but is quick to call on a step back to get off a quick jumper. Vision makes her a solid passer and the willingness is there to give it up to a teammate with a better option. The same size and strength she calls on offensively allows her to be an effective defender when she puts her mind to it. Stock went through the roof.
Kyla Irwin – 2016 – 6-1 – Forward – Central Pa. Elite – Lemont, Pa. – Has been on the map for some time and proves her elite status by the continual refinement of her game. Beyond the skills and tools we’ve written of before you have to take notice of her work ethic and approach. Go a step further and watch her on the bench and you know that all the intangibles are in place to go with a text book skill set. Reads defenders on the catch and makes good choices in her attack or passing decisions. She appears physically stronger these days and is more than willing to put it to use defensively and on the boards. Hard to imagine but Irwin is an elite player showing an even greater upside.
Christina Aborowa – 2015 – 6-4 – Forward / Post – Philadelphia Belles – Philadelphia, Pa. – Each time out this ultra-athletic forward seems to add another page to her game. The confidence is becoming more and more apparent and she’s beginning to look to create shots rather than just taking the options that come her way. She’s more than willing to mix things up and has the physical tools to deal with both bigger and stronger match ups. Aborowa grabs some impressive rebounds and needs to commit to being an impact presence on the glass. Still very young in terms of experience, she’s got plenty to learn but is closing the gap rapidly on her peers.
Isabella Alarie – 2016 – 6-3 – Forward – Germantown Lady Panthers – Bethesda, Md. – Long, very lean and very active would describe this evolving forward. Alarie appeared to get more comfortable each time out and advance her game. There’s some ballhandling in place and she’s generally smart about when and where to put it to use. She offered up a few deceptive bursts of speed that could be something promising for the future as she fills out and adds strength. Her shot has solid form and she’s proficient finishing around the rim. Could be a critical year in front of her in terms of the ultimate level she might play on collegiately.
Eternati Willock – 2015 – 6-2 – Forward – A Game TDot – Scarborough, Ontario – Willock has always been a high end performer. That being said, this wasn’t her best outing. The flashes were there and impressive, but the overall consistency was missing from her usual offering. Don’t get me wrong, I doubt recruiters will be running for the door but there were a couple of games if you didn’t know her past you wouldn’t have taken notice other than her physical size. Willock has always been among the best at almost any event we’ve seen her play and her stronger plays were still eye catching. The combination of size, athleticism and skill has always set her apart from the crowd and still keeps her among the elite signing NLI’s this fall.
Stephanie Jones – 2016 – 6-2 – Wing / Forward – Fairfax Stars – Harve De Grace, Md. – It’s hard to stand out on a team whose stars are having the summers of their lives. At the same time Jones has evolved into a key component of the success the Stars have had this spring and summer. Her length and athleticism is something folks have been talking about for a couple of years now and they’re beginning to pay dividends on both ends of the floor. The ability is there to be effective on the wing or in a four out set. She can create to a degree off the dribble but occasionally seems content to wait for the game to come to her. Defensively she’s got the lateral speed and wingspan to be an impact in any scheme against any opponent. While an already established prospect, she’s just scratching the surface.
Sydney Morang – 2016 – 6-0 – Wing – Philadelphia Belles – New Providence, N.J. – This left handed wing is challenging defenders on a regular basis. Morang is a leaner build but seems to be willing to sacrifice her body on the drive to protect the ball. The range and stroke are there to force close outs and Morang is quick to attack on the overplay of any defender. Her shot fake is one that gets them out of their stance and creates a path for her to the rim. As a rising junior the strength is going to have to come to help her against physical match ups as well as allowing her to return the favor on the defensive end of the floor.
Kysre Gondrezick – 2016 – 5-9 – Combo – Midwest Elite – Benton Harbor, Mich. – Another player who’s been on the radar for years and continues to add to her game is this versatile guard from Michigan. Having always been a scorer, she’s diversified her game and creating looks off penetration both for herself and teammates. Out of necessity she’s handled the point at times and done a strong job of taking care of the ball while delivering some sharp passing. Gondrezick has no reservations about getting into traffic and does a good job of navigating any rotations coming her way. She’s an active on ball defender but needs to be more of a factor two passes away.
Mikayla Pivec – 2016 – 5-10 – Guard – Emerald City Swish – Lynnwood, Wa. – If versatility in a guard is your thing you need to take note of this talented guard from the northwest. Good size, deceiving strength and a focused attack make her an asset in any line-up. She’s constantly in motion and has a good understanding of court concepts as well. Pivec is almost methodical on the drive but effective none the less in getting into the paint where she has both a pull up and a floater to call upon. The ability to spot up with range adds to her attack and creates options from penetration off the tight close out. Her footspeed is sound but not the first thing you’re going to notice. At the same time she has a clear understanding of her spacing on defense and has good awareness off the ball.
Felicia Aiyeotan – 2016 – 6-9 – Post – Philadelphia Belles – Philadelphia, Pa. – If anyone still has reservations about this young lady’s future they’re not watching closely or are very hard to impress. Few players have made the strides Aiyeotan has over the past two years, but then again, that is all relative to the starting point of a complete basketball novice. No she’s not finishing with the consistency you want or reacting as quickly as a more seasoned player, but you can see it coming. Defensively she’s always a factor and is beginning to react quicker and show more recognition. Bottom line, at 6-9 with athleticism, strength and speed she’s got all the possibilities in the world.
Janelle Bailey – 2017 – 6-3 – Post – Spartans Elite – Matthews, N.C. – Promising young posts are a commodity and this talented 2017 is one to keep a close eye on. At 6-3, she got the build and athleticism of someone much older. She runs the floor well and can be active in the halfcourt as needed. On the catch her attack is quick and often leaves defenders standing. Bailey is good on the block with some basic post moves but can also work from the elbow or trail spot. She has good feet defensively and the strength to push and shove when things get physical inside. Lots of work to do but lots of promise as well.
Kalista Walters – 2015 – 6-0 – Forward – Philly Triple Threat – Fleetwood, Pa. – A true “four” with nice size and strength, Walters is a tough match up for defenders. Deceivingly agile, she can create her own looks and get to the rim off the dribble. The strength allows her to exploit smaller match ups while the footspeed helps her school the bigs from the high post. Perimeter consistency will keep the opposition closing out and putting her in a position to attack off the dribble. Defensively she’s not afraid to mix it up and can clear space with authority when needed.
