NATIONAL HARBOR, MD—Over the course of the past week the number of teams, recruiters, family, friends, media and more who have passed through the Gaylord National Resort is a testament to the staying power of the USJN and Blue Star brands. The recently completed 32nd annual USJN National Championships were followed with the 11 through 15 year old USJN National Championships as well as the 11thAnnual edition of Blue Star Nationals. Throughout all three events there has been something for everyone who made the trip to Washington, D.C. but few may have headed home more happy than the Philadelphia Belles / Breanna Stewart team coach by Michael Steidle.
The Belles grabbed Blue Star Nationals top honors by way of a 49 – 45 win over the Wisconsin Purple Aces. The 32 team field featured the Blue Star Travel / League Teams as well as a couple of competitive programs all looking for some end of July bragging rights. The Purple Aces had already claimed the Blue Division of the Blue Star League earlier in the month with a sparkling 10 and 1 record but came up short in their effort to cap off the club season with another notch in their belt. The Belles, who advanced to the final by way of their win over the league Gold Division winning Chicago Hoops Express, jumped out quickly with an 8 – 3 lead and settled in with a 14 – 8 edge after one. The second period was all Belles as an 11 – 3 difference made the margin 25 – 11 at the break.
The Aces opened the third with back to back turnovers but still stayed within reach though they trailed 38 – 22 entering the final period of play. At this point the Belles began to feel the wheels coming off as the Purple Aces mounted an intense comeback behind some deadly three point shooting and some uncharacteristic Belle turnovers. At the 6:27 mark the difference was 12. Another three took it to single digits and with 4:31 remaining things stood at 40 – 35 Belles. The gap fluctuated between three and six and ultimately stood at five with 1:13 remaining. Twice in the last minute the Aces were fouled on three point attempts but both times connected on only one of three. The Belles missed their own front end of two free throws but connected on the second to make it a two possession game with just eight seconds left and saw the horn sound with the final 49 – 45 decision.
The younger division title went to Team Sol who claimed a hard fought final win over the West Michigan Drive 56 – 53. In the consolation bracket, the Michigan Mystics regrouped after pool play to claim the hardware with a 64 – 55 win over the Indy Magic.
For a complete look back at the 2019 Blue Star Nationals, follow the link below to the USJN site for complete lineups, results, pool All Stars and more.
https://www.usjn.com/xtm_post_event_new.php?which=595
Below are the 16 teams who successfully moved from pool play into the championship bracket Thursday night looking for the chance to advance. Each banner also features an action image of one of their players in the first round of playoff games.
As with any of our event coverage, it’s impossible to see everyone and there’s no guarantee we’ll see their best or their worst even when we are courtside. What we will do is share with you some of the players who caught our eye, showed off some improvement or exhibited some potential that we thought might be worth sharing.
Maryn Archer – 2023 – 5-7 – Point Guard – Ohlde Elite 16 – Continues to play with maturity for age…Responds well to challenging situations…Ballskills allow her to create and improve…Handled physical defense effectively…Finding shooters off her penetration…Active defender…Good court awareness…Added consistency in perimeter shooting will keep defenders honest
Zanai Barnett – 2022 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Team Sol 16 – Small but athletic…Penetrates…Mixes speed and direction…Can spot up…Good passing skills off the drive…Assertive on ball defender
Samaya Beatty – 2020 – 5-11 – Guard – CA Lady Soldiers 17 – Solid and strong…First step helps her get into the paint…Floater has a nice touch to it…Good vertical
Alexandria Boles – 2021 – 6-1 – Post – Kingdom Hoops 16 – Works…Lefty…Deceiving movement…Strong with the ball…High post drive…Will get out and run the floor
Tosjanae Bonds – 2020 – 5-6 – Point Guard – Rockies – Athleticism plus…Pushes the ball…Plenty of speed in transition…Vertical is there on the pull up or finish…Quick hands and feet on defense
Gianni Boone – 2022 – 5-10 – Wing / Guard – Team Sol 16 – Nice length on wing…Decent speed and agility with the ball…Smooth in traffic…Change of speed…Active defender
Natalie Bruns – 2020 – 6-0 – Forward – Blue Star St. Louis – Versatile…Tools to work around the rim or on the perimeter…Can take it to the bucket…No issue with contact…Vertical is better than first impression…Plays with focus and effort
Marina Callahan – 2021 – 5-11 – Wing – EVOelite 16 – Smart…Good feel for plays on both ends…Effective ballhandling and passing…Shot fake and drive is efficient…Solid passing out of the high post or trail spot…Anticipates well on the defensive end
Jiana Creswell – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – CA Lady Soldiers 16 – Some length already…Strong individual skills help her develop options…Good form spotting up or on the pull up…Sharp interior passing off the drive
Kate Dennis – 2021 – 6-1 – Wing – Illinois Elite – Had some moments…Mixes her attack…Demonstrated some range…Got to the rim as well…Can be a factor on the glass from the perimeter
Stephanie Davis – 2020 – 5-10 – Wing – New England Crusaders – Depth and versatility…Good speed in the open court…Tools to be physical…Decent ballhandling in halfcourt and transition…Weakside awareness on defense…Utility player
Kykie Ducharme – 2021 – 6-0 – Wing – EVOelite 16 – Nice length and depth to game…Active cutter to make herself an option…Ballhandling and passing are efficient…Baby hook is there…Not overly strong but handled contact well…Works for position to get on the glass
Angela Dugalic – 2020 – 6-4 – Forward / Wing – Chicago Hoops Express – Highly regarded Oregon commit…Ability to create her own options…Agile with ballskills to work from the perimeter or trail spot…Instincts are there in traffic…Utilizes her off hand effectively…Form and touch are there from 15 feet…Anticipates on defense
Allison Ediger – 2021 – 6-3 – Post – West Michigan Drive 17 – Solid frame with size…Strong set of post moves…Deceiving first step…Goes up with contact…High post drive…Can spot up with decent form…Gets on the boards
Krystyna Ellew – 2021 – 5-10 – Guard – Illinois Lady Lightning – Aggressive and attacking…Making herself and teammates better…Can be physical…Decent form…Good jumper…Competes on both ends of the floor…Sidelined last day
Bridget Froehlke – 2020 – 5-8 – Guard – Wisconsin Purple Aces – UMKC verbal…Touch and range…Three point consistency…Moves well without the ball…Makes herself an option and available…Understands and reads defense…Shat fake to pull up is efficient…Impact shooter
Ava Interrante – 2020 – 5-9 – Guard – Illinois Elite – Skills and instincts are obvious…Plays hard with a good understanding…Competes
Amiya Jenkins – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – Kentucky Premier 16 – Good length…Physical strength…Smooth…Long first step…Good interior passing…Gets on the offensive glass
Emily Johns – 2020 – 6-1 – Post – Philadelphia Belles – Big and solid in the post…Deceiving…Effective in reading and exploiting…Solid skill set for the post…Nice touch…Can finish…Moves well defensively
Brianna McDaniel – 2022 – 5-9 – Guard – Chicago Hoops Express – Solid and strong guard…Plenty of speed and quickness with and without the ball…Explosive first step…Strong passing skills in transition and off penetration…Step back frees up her jumper…Makes plays
Machia Mullens – 2020 – 6-0 – Forward – Ohlde Elite 17 Pink – Works well with one and two dribble drives…Good on the glass…Strong passing awareness…Decent pull up…Step back is sound…Plays with plenty of effort
Rose Nkumu – 2020 – 5-7 – Point Guard – Kingdom Hoops 17 – Good lower body strength…Quickness serves her well…Hesitation move is effective…Decent form and stroke…Plays with energy
Kendall Renard – 2020 – 6-3 – Forward – Wisconsin Purple Aces – Wisconsin Green Bay commit…Nice size and frame…Versatile…Can work down low or away from the rim…Decent touch…Step through to a hook…Reads defenders…Can step out…Boards…Could be more physical at times
Sidney Richards – 2021 – 5-8 – Guard – CA Lady Soldiers 17 – Attacking guard…Physically strong…Impressive individual skills…Mixes both speed and direction…Step back gets her plenty of room…Creates and reads
Bella Runyan – 2020 – 5-11 – Wing – Philadelphia Belles – Villanova commit…Long and lean…Constant motion…Gets out and runs the floor in transition…Can get to the rim in traffic…Handles contact despite leaner build…Finishes among the bigs…Length is an asset on defense…Aware on the helpside…Anticipates
Bree Salenbien – 2021 – 6-3 – Wing / Forward – Michigan Mystics – Long and lean…Could still grow…Strong skills and knowledge to apply them…Transition passing…Sees the floor…Can spot up with range…Challenging match up…Strength will have to come…Elite tools
Maddie Scherr – 2020 – 6-0 – Guard – Kentucky Premier EYBL – Oregon commit…Skill set is as complete as it comes…Plays with patience and good decision making…Can attack off the dribble or shoot from deep on the perimeter…Consistency of production…Reads the floor on both ends…Shares it off penetration…Works on the ball defensively
Whitney Sollom – 2020 – 6-4 – Post – Michigan Mystics – Ideal size and build…Runs the floor with ease…Good lower body strength…Knows her role…Assertive effort in working for position…Plenty of depth in low post skill set…Impact player
Afton Thomas – 2022 – 5-10 – Guard – Illinois Lady Lightning – Good size and athleticism…Physically strong…Gets out in transition…Tools are there to create some options…Could protect the ball more efficiently…Strong presence on the boards from guard spot…Shot needs fine tuning…Follow through has a twist
Jaci Tubergen – 2022 – 5-10 – Wing – West Michigan Drive 16 – Impressive mix of skills…Can create and finish her own penetration…Hesitation move works well…Crossover also…Nice form and range…Active with and without the ball
Aniyah Vanhook – 2020 – 5-8 – Guard – Carolina Waves 17 – Athletic guard…Plenty of speed and quickness to call upon…Crossover sets up her penetration…Sees the floor and passes well on the break…Active without the ball…Defends
Katie Wagner – 2020 – 5-10 – Wing / Forward – Ohlde Elite 17 Pink – Active…Textbook skills…Upright at times handling the ball…Posts up on occasion…Gets out and runs the floor…Gets on the boards
Ellie Wilkerson – 2022 – 5-9 – Guard – Indiana Showcase – Young guard…Some ballskills…Good IQ for age…Can spot up with range…Makes good choices…Good strength
Kaiya Wynn – 2021 – 5-8 – Guard – Kentucky Premier EYBL – Smooth and dynamic athletically…Skills combine to allow her to make plays both in the halfcourt and transition…Ballhandling and passing are both sharp…Pull up is there…Change of speed gets defenders up…Lateral speed and hands are exceptional on defense…Elite possibilities
