AURORA, Ill.— The club season has come and gone.  College recruiters are nestled back on their campuses and many high schools are already in session.  That last fact has plenty of players nervous and scrambling to fine tune their skills before the fast approaching tip of the 2019 – 2020 scholastic season.

Unfortunately, the  lost art of actually “training” and advancing your game by way of fundamental development has been overshadowed in recent years by the onslaught of tournaments and a shortsightedness among many club coaches who mistakenly take foolish pride simply in the number of games their teams have played.  Fortunately there are a few bastions of light offering up opportunities like the Blue Star All American Camp held this past weekend at the Matt Miller’s immaculate M14 Hoops Facility.

Blue Star’s Chris Mennig has resurrected the long running camp after a 10 year hiatus providing an avenue for select freshmen and sophomores of Blue Star Travel Teams to get in some invitation only preseason advanced training.  Players from 19 different states and the District of Columbia journeyed to Chicagoland and made the most of four separate sessions of focused breakdown work and a limited window of full court play to test drive the results of their efforts.

Miller and his staff of M14 coaches opened the on floor action with two sessions focused on detail and application while Mennig, a veteran college coach, provided much needed insight, wisdom and philosophy by way of three on three and five on five play.  At these young ages, many of these athletes are just scratching the surface of their potential.  Exposure to different concepts, skills, teaching and competition can only help them refine those possibilities.  Here’s a look at some of those individuals who polished up their game at the 2019 Blue Star All American Camp.

(And yes…Even with it being a Blue Star event I did voice my opinion on the lack of numbers on the front of the jerseys…No need for any reminders of my recent column!)

Gianni Boone – 2022 – 5-10 – Wing/Guard – Washington, D.C. – Exploits length and athleticism on the perimeter…First step is long and explosive…Creates her own looks off the dribble…Hesitation move is effective…Step back creates good separation…Crossover is low and quick…Weak hand needs to evolve…Length and agility are assets defensively

Zanai Barnett-Gay – 2022 – 5-4 – Point Guard – Glen Dale, Md. – Ultra quick but small point guard…Mixes speed and direction at will…Strong one on one skills…Gets into traffic easily…Floater has a nice touch over the bigs…Can deliver the interior pass off the drive…Assertive on ball defensively

Jayda Bowen – 2022 – 5-5 – Point Guard – Monee, Ill. – Quick…Plenty of speed with the ball in her hands…Handles traffic well in transition and off the drive…Good control against physical defenders…Change of speed and direction serve her well

Alexis Boyke – 2023 – 5-11 – Forward – Frankenmuth, Mich. – Good size and frame…Can hold her ground…Active around the rim…Reads on the catch…Good instincts…Works on the glass

Montaya Dew – 2023 – 6-1 – Wing – Las Vegas, Nev. – Length and athleticism on the wing…Smooth and fluid in all of her movement…Wiry build at this point…Sound ballskills…Always looking to deliver the pass…Could look for her own options more often…Perimeter shot is out front a bit…Gets on the boards on both ends

Emma Dretke – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – Massillon, Ohio – Aggressive and solid in the backcourt…Deceptive athletically…Can create her own looks…Has a nose for the ball…Active and aggressive on the cut…Makes herself an option…Narrow base on her perimeter shot…Valuable “utility” player

Macey Fegan – 2023 – 5-10 – Guard – Bentley, Mich. – Assertive play on both ends…Makes plays again and again…Gets to the rim navigating traffic…Handles contact…Plays with awareness…Elevates on pull up…Scraps on defense looking to convert…Sees the floor in transition…Leaves it on the floor

Peyton Fenner – 2023 – 5-11 – Wing – Naperville, Ill. – Size and strength on the wing…Good mix of inside out scoring options…Patient on the catch…Reads…Aggressive on the drive…Handles contact…Can finish…Form and stroke are sound…Quickness in her attack will evolve…Works defensively…Sees the floor on both ends

Ally Fitzgerald – 2022 – 6-1 – Forward / Post – Ballwin, Mo. – Nice size and frame…Active and moves well…Strength is deceptive…Ability is there and obvious…Rough edges smoothing out almost by the possession…Comfortable putting it on the floor some…Strong presence on the offensive boards…Runs the floor

Ryley Goebel – 2022 – 5-11 – Wing / Sm. Fwd – Urbana, Iowa – Size combines with skills on the perimeter…Very lean build at this point but active and efficient…Makes good choices with the ball…Can create and improve both shots and passes…Length of first step challenges defenders…Surprising speed with the ball in transition…Sharp passing from the trail spot and high post…Anticipates well on weakside defensively

Shantell Harden – 2023 – 5-10 – Wing / Sm. Fwd – St. Louis Park, Minnesota – Has tools…Sound ballhandling…Good explosiveness on the drive…More strength than first impression…Measured effort…Consistency will allow her to capitalize on potential

Aniyah Heavens – 2022 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Pasco, Wash. – Attacking point guard…Looking to create on virtually every possession…Good speed and quickness with the ball…Hesitation while keeping her dribble is lethal…Gets shot off among the bigs…Quick release is there on the jumper…Quick on ball defender…Could be more active two passes away

McKayla Hinshaw – 2022 – 5-7 – Point Guard – Fishers, Ind. – Strong skills…Good basketball IQ…Facilitator…Active on both ends of the floor…Makes the players around her better…Nice touch…Shot comes off the shoulder a bit

Nakiyah Hurst – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – Milwaukee, Wisc. – Physically strong guard…Understands and uses her power game…Has an attacking mentality…Form is there from 15 foot range…Attack is predominately right handed…Hard to contain…Tends to stand without the ball…Possibilities are limitless with consistent effort

Katie Krupa – 2022 – 6-1 – Forward – Morton, Ill. – Nice size…Good strength with the frame for more…Mixes attack both from down low or off high post drive…A factor in the trail spot in transition…Can create her own to a degree…A little mechanical at times but efficient and productive…Steps slightly into her perimeter shot…Brings effort to every possession

Nayo Lear – 2022 – 5-7 – Guard – South Holland, Ill. – Has some moments…Can attack with quickness and strong individual skills…Impressive first step…Ball control is there…Covers ground quickly…Pull up is more consistent than perimeter at this point…Needs to find that next gear and turn it up on every play…Has the tools

Brooke Murrell – 2023 – 5-11 – Wing – Aurora, Colorado – Length on the wing…All legs, will grow…Gangly build but no reservations about going into traffic…Penetrates consistently…Can give it up as defenders rotate her way…Perimeter shot is in need of refinement…Tools are there…Watch

Brianna McDaniel – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – Chicago, Ill. – Combines strength and power with refined ballskills…A challenge for any defender one on one…Understands how to use size and explosiveness to get to the rim or create her jumper…Explosiveness is there in first step…No issues with physical defenders or bigs rotating her way…Limited due to ongoing ankle issue…When healthy she stands apart from the crowd

Savannah McGowan – 2023 – 6-1 – Post – Plymouth, Minn. – Eye catching size and frame…Looks the part…Has moments on both ends but consistency is still evolving…Lefthander finishes well around the rim…Understands what she’s looking for…Needs to mix up her game and speed of attack to keep other bigs guessing…Lots of promise is in place

Mia Nicastro – 2022 – 6-0 – Wing / Guard – Saint Charles, Mo.- Good size and length on the perimeter…Demonstrates some sound ballskills…Upright to a degree but attacking effectively…Handled it well versus smaller, quicker defenders…Good vision…Understands the game…Size is a defensive asset…Could be more physical

Lauren Patnode – 2023 – 5-11 – Wing – Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Nice size and athleticism on the wing…Young but confident…Active…Playing with effort on both ends…Versatility…Gets out and runs the lanes on the break…Can take it herself…Doesn’t back down from contact…Reads defenders on the catch…Good agility on the defensive end of the floor

Grace Schmidt – 2022 – 6-0 – Forward – Ixonia, Wisconsin – Playing with more confidence…Looking to create her own looks off the dribble…Gets out in transition if not the rebounder…Has good physical strength…Game is smoothing out…Rotates well defensively down low…Could see the ball better when further from the rim…Works

Tatiana Thomas – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – Villa Park, Ill. – Solid build with good size on the perimeter…Physically strong legs…Deceptively quick with the ball…Good vertical…First step creates an edge for her…Crossover is a strong tool for her…Persistent offensively…Navigates traffic well on the drive

Jaci Tubergen – 2022 – 5-8 – Guard – Hudsonville, Mich. – Playmaker…Good instincts with the ball and on cuts…Pushes it in transition…Active baseline to baseline…Spots up…Low release point on her shot at this point…Strong weakside defender

Kailey Tulachka – 2023 – 5-10 – Wing / Sm. Fwd – Mishicot, Wisc.- Aggressive…Good strength for size…Created some looks off the one and two dribble drive…No issues with contact…Focused…Plays with effort on both ends…Understands her role…Only going to advance

Ellie Wilkerson – 2022 – 5-8 – Guard – Plainfield, Ind.- Effective in multiple ways…Can score it herself or improve options for teammates…Confident and consistent from the perimeter…Plays more physical than first impression…A factor in both the halfcourt and transition

Avery Zeinstra – 2022 – 5-7 – Guard – Byron Center, Mich. – Quick with the ball in her hands…Penetrates…Slight build at this point…Can spot up…Nice touch…Efficient on the boards for a guard from the perimeter