NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C.— From the spring NCAA evaluation weekend through the final horn of the 2013 Nike Nationals the Philadelphia Belles Nike 15’s have been on a roll. Starting with top honors in the 15’s at the Boo Williams Nike Invitational they moved on to claim bragging rights at the USJN Hershey event in June, the Platinum Division championship of the USJN National Championships in Washington D.C. and now they added some pretty sweet frosting to the cake with the Nike Nationals Junior Division crown. All in all Coach Matt Bamford’s crew has taken on all comers time and again coming out on top in five of six events they competed in throughout the 2013 club season.
Tuesday morning’s win over a promising Cal Sparks team didn’t come easy. Just getting to the final itself wasn’t simple task either as the Belles dug a 26 – 5 hole before righting the ship and claiming a single digit semifinal win over a talented Tennessee Flight squad to claim a spot in the championship game against the Sparks. Slow starts weren’t a trademark for the Belles but they endured a few more than most coaches would care to endure.
“The good thing is they responded well to changes” said Bamford “They have that switch that they seem to turn on, it’s really something special.”
It looked like something special was going to be needed as the Sparks jumped out quickly to a 5 – 0 lead but Belles responded with a 20 -4 run before the California folks could find their footing at the seven minute mark. Caroline Davis posted five straight points for the Belles just before the half to keep the Sparks from regaining too much confidence and providing the Belles with a 39 – 22 margin at the break.
Again the Sparks jumped out quickly to start the half with a 6 -2 run but over the next 10 minutes they could make up no more ground. With the score standing 56 – 42 with 4:47 remaining in the game, the Belles ran off 10 straight to stretch the lead to 20 for the first time in the contest and seemingly primed for some post game celebration.
The Sparks had other ideas and exploited some liberal subbing by Bamford. Suddenly with back to back three’s the margin was down to eight at 62 – 54 necessitating reinstatement of the starters to stop the bleeding. The Sparks got it to seven at the :14.5 mark but Taylor Murray sealed the win with two more free throws for the final 65 – 56 spread.
The title is the first Nike Nationals crown for Mike Flynn’s highly regarded Philadelphia Belles. The ultra-successful and long running program has claimed countless championships over the years and has been a scholarship springboard for more college bound athletes than virtually any other club nationwide.
Championship Game Standouts
You can’t talk about the Belles without starting with their catalyst and go to performer, Taylor Murray. The 5-6 point guard may be the class of the position among 2015 graduates. Her ability to create extends to serve her well both in the scoring and assist departments. Getting to the rim seems to be Murray’s favorite pastime but she’s equally adept at knocking it down from the perimeter if defenders choose to close out with a cushion. Over the summer her ability to finish in traffic and the consistency that she delivers with contact has grown and provided plenty of production. Her misdirection skills are evolving as well providing teammates with more time and good looks on the receiving end of some sharp passes. The Odenton, Maryland native is quick and assertive defensively and has the lateral speed to turn and control opposing ballhandlers. That same mobility gets her to more than her share of loose balls including some long kicking rebounds. As good as Murray is she continues to improve and deliver more each time out.
Brianna Jones is the kind of match up few defenders look forward to. On the catch she’s assertive and attacking leading many snoozing opponents scrambling to recover. The ballhandling is there to help the 5-11 Jones improve her looks or get to the rim if the opportunity is there. Her form is text book and also benefits from an impressive vertical that allows the North Babylon, New York product to get uncontested views on her pull up. Making her even more difficult to contain is the fact that her size comes along with a strong physical build that she’s more than willing to employ on the cut or the drive. On occasion her shot selection has some creative moments but more often than not she’s going to force some defensive rotations and create options for herself or a teammate. Like Murray, the footspeed is there on defense and that same physical strength can really be an asset when the 2015 grad moves on to the next level.
One of the things evaluators and recruiters really look for and zero in on is an athlete’s ability to continually improve their skills and add to their games. Few things turn them off more than stagnant players who won’t do the work to take their game to the next level. That being said, guard Nicole Munger seems to sharpen her skills and game a little bit more every time out. The 5-8 native of Doylestown, Pennsylvania is versatile and most likely would be considered a combo at this point. She can handle it in transition and has shown a good ability to read the floor as well as defensive rotations. She a capable shooter herself with plenty of range and isn’t hesitant about taking it to the rim among the bigs. Generally she’ll take the hit and go to the line but every once in a while gets off balance trying to get the shot off rather than just letting the chips fall and trusting that the whistles will blow. Defensively she scraps on ball and is an impressive anticipator on the weakside of the floor.
This will be a compliment that isn’t going to sound like one. There is absolutely no flash to Caroline Davis’s game. At the same time you would be hard pressed to find many coaches who wouldn’t love to have Davis and a clone or two on their roster. She’s more than a Jack of all Trades…a “queen” would be more appropriate. On the offensive end she can take it to the rim or spot up. She is active without the ball and makes herself an option both on the break and in the halfcourt. At 6-0 she has the size to force opposing defenses to decide between big or small match ups. That same size serves her well on the other end of the floor whether handling an opponent on the wing or some of the small forwards in four or five out scenarios. Davis, a 2015 from Newark, Delaware, is effective on the glass and is more than willing to push and shove when things get physical.
Ayanna Clark passes the airport test, lobby test or whatever visual standard you want to set for a player walking in the gym. At a legit 6-1 with a strong, physical build, it’s hard not to take notice of her just in warm ups. Should you be at the concession stand, the 2017 forward will provide you plenty of evidence come tip off. Don’t be tempted to pigeon hole her down on the block. The Long Beach, California native can work form the high post or even on the short wing. She’s not going to handle it in transition but she can put it on the floor and get to the rim. Taking a charge is a “do so at your own risk” option as she penetrates with authority. It’s obvious she’s been coached and there’s already an element of reading on the catch providing evidence that she knows what options to look for. At times it remains a thought rather than a reaction but it’s still far advanced in comparison to most her age. Defensively she’ll put that strength to work and will pull her share of boards. Her footwork at both ends offers a glimpse of some deceiving footspeed for a player her size. Lots of work to be done but her limits will be up to her.
The future is bright in the Cal Sparks program and size seems to be a commodity Elbert Kinnebrew has cornered the market on. Helping lead the Sparks Blue team to the Nike Nationals title game was 6-3 post Celeste West of Bakersfield, California. Going with that size is a solid build and some physicality that is put to good use time and again. Even better is the fact that her build comes with a frame that some college strength coach is absolutely going to love when this 2016 makes the move to the next level. West is active down low and will post and seal effectively. On the catch she can capitalize on options that are there and even showed glimpses of creating her own looks including a baby jump hook with a long reach. She showed a perimeter shot that will need some refinement yet but the decisions and choices on shot selection were sound more often than not. There’s productivity on the glass but the ability is there to run the floor and be a factor if she’s not making the outlet pass. Tools and potential.
