BLOOMINGTON, Minn.—As the litany of non NCAA certified events continues to grow and fill the spring and summer calendar, some tournaments continue hold their ground and stand the test of time. For the seventh year the Summer Jam presented by the North Tartan Basketball Club offered up an event showcasing the talent of the upper Midwest and providing a glimpse of what a few teams might have in store for the competition come July.
Bloomington Kennedy and Jefferson High Schools once again were the setting for the 12 division line up of 180 teams taking advantage of the impressive activity centers on both campuses. Players from eight different states were represented and the recruiters, evaluators and media were out in force as well.
Complete brackets and results can be found by following the link below.
http://www.aauevents.com/Documents/AAU_Summer_Jam_2014_Schedules.pdf
The event’s showcase Lake Minnetonka Division came down to an all Nike battle as host North Tartan lined up against defending champ All Iowa Attack in Sunday’s final. Both teams were missing plenty of firepower with Jessica Shepard still sidelined for AIA and North Tartan’s T.T. Starks on crutches. Also missing from the North Tartan rotation was high octane guard Arike Ogunbowale who is currently with the USA Basketball U17 team at the World Championships in the Czech Republic. None the less, both teams demonstrated plenty of depth and provided a competitive final with an outcome in doubt down to the last minute of play.
Out of the gate the All Iowa looked to be on their way to holding onto their 2013 crown converting four three pointers and grabbing an early 15 – 11 lead. Mackenzie Meyer, a 2016 point guard, provided plenty of long range production but also demonstrated the ability to find teammates as defenders adjusted. A North Tartan three by Courtney Fredrickson at the 6:20 mark tied things up for the first time since the tip and propelled them to a one point edge at the half, 33 – 32. North Tartan opened up several small leads in the second but a three pointer by AIA forward Audrey Faber cut the margin to 53 – 50 with just 2:07 remaining in the game. Unfortunately that would be as close as they got as the final possessions featured the inevitable foul line procession and ultimately a 58 – 50 win for North Tartan.
Here are some the standouts for both teams across the course of the weekend followed by some others who also had strong outings in Bloomington.
Sam Trammel offered up some of her best play to date in this event last year and after plateauing to a degree over the remainder of the summer seems ready to advance her game to that next level. The 6-1 Michigan verbal commit provides a strong combination of size and skills that makes her a challenging match up. There’s a smooth and fluid attack to her game both with and without the ball. She’s sets up her cuts well and exploited sleeping and slower defenders time and again leading to easy looks around the rim. Trammel can finish in traffic with a strong vertical and a willingness to take some contact around the rim.
Another Big 10 commitment (Illinois), forward Alexandra Wittinger, didn’t have her best game in the final but provided some versatile play in the games leading up to the championship. Active and agile at 6-1, she’s adept both down low as well as out on the perimeter. There’s a nice jump hook in place but the range is there beyond 15 feet as well. Like Trammel, she a strong cutter and does an impressive job of reading defenders. Her lean build will benefit from strength training at the colligate level but plenty of tools are in place and Wittinger is an ideal fit in the scheme of things in Champaign.
One North Tartan standout already primed for the physical nature of the Division I game is 6-2 Hannah Stewart. The size, strength and frame she brings to the floor is going to make some BCS coach very happy and keep some opponents up at night. Stewart can call on the baby hook inside but is just as comfortable laying a shoulder into an opponent and clearing space as well. Her vertical is deceiving and allows her to be a factor on the boards at both ends of the floor. If effort counts for something Stewart is your girl as well. Hardly a sleeper by any means, she may well be just scratching the surface of a very promising future.
If you were to hand out an MVP (Most “versatile” Player) award you might be shaking hands with Colorado verbal Monica Burich. At 6-1 she’s got good length to augment some very sound and effective perimeter skills. On the break or in the halfcourt she’s comfortable creating off the dribble and provides a difficult match up when the opposition has to decide to go big or small in defending her. Burich can navigate her way to the rim but has a reliable pull up to call upon if the rotations limit her options. A huge asset is her anticipation and ability to make plays on the defensive end of the floor as well. It doesn’t hurt that she’s a presence on the boards, too.
While All Iowa came up a few possessions short they got some standout efforts from several of their players as well.
If you don’t like 2016 forward Amanda Ollinger then we’re going to have to have those eyes checked. Standing a legitimate 6-2, she’s strong, active, skilled and willing to break a sweat. Likely a “true” #4 at the next level, she is a workhorse on the interior but equally proficient on the perimeter. Add to that some serious range and a quick release and you’ve got an asset against virtually any defensive scheme. It’s obvious with Ollinger, as well as other AIA players, that she’s been well coached and has a good grasp on the value of spacing. There are still some rough edges and some consistency to be refined but the potential is already becoming a reality.
Sunday’s final wasn’t Courtney Joens best performance of the tournament but her versatile play in earlier games shows this recent addition to the AIA top squad is a smart move. She can create off the drive but has the stroke and range to spot up on the perimeter as well. Joens, also a 2016, has a solid build and doesn’t back down when she takes the ball inside with the bigs rotating her way. She also provided some sharp, well-read passing at times that should keep coaches and teammates alike smiling. There’s an attack mentality that is obvious in her play that should serve her well this summer and beyond.
If you like the size, skill and effort thing then you should love Audrey Faber. Like her runningmate Ollinger, Faber is physically solid but has the depth in her skill set to play on the block or away from the rim. If she’s not the outlet she’s running the floor in transition and if the ball isn’t in her hands she’s cutting aggressively. Posting up she’s assertive in holding her ground and quick to attack on the catch. The jumper is there with a quick release despite a somewhat narrow base. The 2015 forward can put it on the floor a bit and has a pull up that serves her well. Tremendous fit for the game at the next level.
Easily the standout for All Iowa in Sunday’s final was 2016 backcourt threat Mackenzie Meyer. The depth to her game is the kind of thing that helps coaches sleep at night. Oh, she’s still going to cause some gray hair but you want the ball in her hands. Her long range attack in the championship loss was an early advantage and also afforded her attack some opportunities as the game progressed. Exploiting tight close outs, she can create off the dribble and has the eyes up reading not only her teammates but defenders as well. Not quite her listed 5-10, she’s still got good size and deceivingly faster feet than you might think with first impressions. Meyer appears steady emotionally with the ebb and flow of the game leading to good decisions with and without the ball.
Here are a few other performers who had some moments at the 2014 Summer Jam.
Team Wisconsin has a deep line up that features three verbal commitments already including Iowa bound 6-4 Megan Gustafson. However the weekend’s more eye catching play came from 5-8 guard Jasmin Samz. A high energy, always attacking ballhandler, the 2015 Samz sets the tone both in the halfcourt and on the break. Using an impressive crossover and a well thought change of speed she gets defenders out of their stance or leaning time and again. She can get deep in the paint and is more than comfortable in the crowd.
Another senior to be, Tara Dusharm, of the Minnesota Comets has already pledged her love to St. Louis University. Standing 6-5 with a broad shouldered frame, the Bilikins may have stolen one away from the big dogs. She’s not quite a refined product as of yet but there are flashes and possibilities that make you wonder just where the ceiling tops out in terms of potential. She runs the floor methodically but is in the mix at both ends. Dusharm reads on the catch and is capable of finishing with contact. At the elbows there is a surprising knack for the high low passing that many posts struggle with. It should be fun to watch her development.
All the Kingdom Hoops teams had some solid moments and performers in Bloomington. Standing out on their top team was multi skilled 2017 forward Taryn Knuth. Her deep skill set makes her an asset virtually anywhere on the floor. Throw in the fact that she’s still got three more years of high school and two more summers of club ball and the possibilities are endless. Coming in slightly under her advertised 6-3 height, Knuth is agile and active. The strength isn’t quite there yet but it’s not completely lacking at this point either. She can put the ball on the floor both to create her own opportunities and improve those of a teammate. Around the basket she protects the ball well and even offered up a jump hook at one point. Knuth got caught out of position defensively on occasion but has the tools and mobility to make an impact on that end as well with focus.
We first wrote about Taylor Koenen back and 2012 and then again in 2013 so we might as well add another chapter this year…and deservedly so. The Minnesota Fury 2016 standout continues to advance her game and is playing with a maturity and confidence usually reserved for players with many more seasons under their belt. As we’ve noted in the past, her combination of size and the ability to develop her own opportunities sets her apart from the crowd. Her use of the step back creates enough space to enjoy a Starbucks before having to get the shot off but Koenen is also crafty about keeping the dribble and re-attacking as defenders lunge to recover. Her pull up is delivering and providing an option that is going to force on ball defenders to rethink their closeouts if the help isn’t going to be there behind them. The 6-1 guard is beginning to fill out…to a degree…but still weighs in on the very lean side of things. Lots of options for this promising junior’s future but the rumors are flying!
One of the more impressive teams that kept coming up short last weekend was the ND Pro 17 squad from North Dakota. While they claimed just one win in four games they offered up some sharp, hardnosed play that made opponents work for every possession. Defining their approach was the efforts of 6-0 forward Fallyn Freije. Physically strong, she can post up or provide some abuse during a drive to the rim. On the catch down low she’s quick to react and is one of the few scholastic players utilizing an effective shot fake. Her post moves are well engrained and allow her to finish consistently. The shot is there to keep defenders honest and closing out on the perimeter but Freije has just enough ballhandling in place to make them pay for any over extension. This is the kind of player you want to play with…not against.
North Tartan’s 14U team has several promising prospects that should keep the tradition going for Bill Larson’s club. Mikayla Hayes, a 2017 forward, has the tools to evolve into something special if her game continues to develop. Long and lean, Hayes has a very lengthy stride that allows her to be a factor in transition or simply to seal a defender with a first step from the high post. At 6-1, she’s active in wanting the ball and cuts hard high to low and side to side. Her posting will need to become more physical as she faces more and more players of her own size and physical skills. Her vertical serves her well defensively and on the boards. Plenty of work to do but lots and lots of promise in her game.
A year behind Hayes in the 2018 class for North Tartan is 6-1 Kayla Mershon. A young, very hard working forward, she has the tools to be a factor both at the #3 and #4 spots on the floor. Mershon is active on both ends and moves well with and without the ball. She’s been exposed to some coaching as is evidenced by some sharp reading and cutting not often seen from an athlete just entering her freshman year. Obviously at this young age her build is lean but the length is there as is the work ethic. When Mother Nature does her part the sky may be the limit. What she does with it will be up to her.
As long as we’re taking a look into the future let’s stretch it out one more year to the 2019 class and guard Zoe Young of the Kingdom Hoops program. Already 5-7, this combo has the ball skills and individual attack to create her own looks as well as improve opportunities for her teammates. Young has plenty of acceleration and can get past most on ball defenders and slithers through traffic effectively. The shot selection will still need to mature a bit as time goes by but plenty of tools are in place. Off the ball defensively she’s a little ball oriented at times but at least there’s plenty of effort from her on that end contrary to many of her older counterparts.
