CHANDLER, Ariz—Last week’s annual Nike Tournament of Champions did what it always seems to find a way to do. It raised the bar one more time for teams, players and scholastic basketball tournaments to a new level of excellence that will most likely go unchallenged until things tip off again next December in Chandler. Games like the Mater Dei’s (Santa Ana, Calif.) win over the defending champs from St. Mary’s (Phoenix, Ariz.), or the thriller that saw St. Mary’s (Berkeley, Calif.) edge Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) for the Joe Smith Division crown were the kind of games that make girls’ basketball and the TOC special. Watching teams like Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.) and Windward (Los Angeles, Calif.) not only win their respective divisions but do it while playing some textbook team basketball was an early holiday gift for those who like the game in its purest sense. On an individual basis, nobody watching the E Division title game for top tournament bragging rights will ever forget the shooting and scoring exhibition put on the Samuelson sisters (Senior Karlie and Sophomore Katie Lou) in leading Mater Dei to 96 points and the championship while sharing Co-MVP honors.
Girls’ basketball media is often criticized, sometimes deservedly so, for featuring the same players again and again but in this case, that approach is entirely appropriate. Since the Nike Tournament of Champions is the “big stage” we’re going to take a look back at some of the high profile performers from the event and just where their games stand these days. In that light, it would be entirely inappropriate to start with anything other than with Saturday Night Samuelson Shooting Show.
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) head coach Kevin Kiernan is well known for the defensive mentality and approach that his teams bring to the floor. He’s had his share of offensive firepower as well but the addition of both Karlie and Katie Lou Samuelson had to make even an experienced coach like Kiernan crack a smile. Both are well established prospects through their play with the Cal Swish Nike program and their play at previous school Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.). Karlie, a 6-1 guard, is set to join older sister Bonnie on Tara VanDerveer’s Stanford roster next season and 6-3 sophomore Katie Lou is making a legitimate bid for the top spot in the 2015 class nationwide.
Karlie has evolved over the years with both instinctual and consistent play that makes her a challenge for both man and zone defenses. As evidenced by her barrage of threes in the championship contest she has the family tradition of range but at the same time is effective in navigating traffic and isn’t the least bit hesitant about taking the hit and finishing with contact. Having spent plenty of time at the point herself she’s an asset with the ball in her hands both in transition and the halfcourt. Playing alongside impressive point guard Andee Velasco as well as versatile sister Katie Lou gives Mater Dei one of the most talented backcourts on the scholastic level. Karlie’s championship performance featured a 7 of 10 effort from three point range and also include 15 attempts from the line. For good measure she added 11 rebounds for one of the more complete single game performances in TOC history.
Katie Lou is following in both of her sister’s footsteps and making those steps bigger with each stride she takes. Already showing herself to be the most versatile of all the Samuelsons, she’s also hit the 6-3 mark and may well add some more size before all is said and done. This talented sophomore can create off the dribble and finds success getting to the rim, pulling up or calling on a more and more reliable floater. She’s active without the ball in her hands and forces opposing coaches to debate whether to go big or small in matching up with her defensively. As with her sisters, range is hardly an issue and she’s confident in her shot selection and decision making on the catch. A little more muscle will be needed down the road but that can be said about most players in the 2015 class.
Yes, junior Gabby Green hit the runner with six second left to provide St. Mary’s (Berkeley, Calif.) with an exciting win over Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) and yes Green is among the more impressive players in the 2014 class. However, you can’t talk about St. Mary’s and Green and not include fellow junior Mikayla Cowling in the same conversation. Standing 6-1 and playing with some impressive athleticism, the early Cal commit gives Coach Nathan Fripp a double barrel shotgun that very few teams will have an answer for in the high school ranks. Cowling can create her own looks off the dribble and is smooth and fluid in her attack. While she is somewhat upright handling the ball, she consistently gets deep in traffic and can pull up as well as attack the rim. On either attempt her elevation offers up some clean looks and makes her a threat on the offensive glass. The tools are there to be an impact defender with her combination of size and agility. She does take some risks both on ball and one pass away but she also makes some impressive plays. Cowling should only continue to improve as time goes by.
Chantel Osahor of St. Mary’s (Phoenix, Ariz.) continues to amaze anyone who really hasn’t been watching her closely over the past four years. The 6-1 Washington bound post has been and still is one of the most deceiving post players in the country. While she and her teammates failed to repeat in Chandler this year, Osahor continued to be productive in textbook high post play and even took to creating off the dribble more often than she has in the past. Her attack in the tournament’s second round almost single handedly overcame a 17 point deficit to eventual E Division champs, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.). Working from both up high and spinning off defenders down on the block, she switched from her usual pass first mentality and produced time and again for Coach Curtis Ekmark. She still delivered some beautiful assists from up high to some sharp cutting teammates but she provided some added scoring that was much needed across the tournament for St. Mary’s.
Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) was forced to play their opening game without Stanford signee Kailee Johnson (concussion) taking some of the wind out of an anticipated match up with Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.). Coach Sandy Dickerson still had the services of Tennessee bound combo Jordan Reynolds for the contest and the Rams came up just 10 short against an always tough Poly squad. The 5-10 senior is a challenging assignment for any opposing defender. Her explosive athleticism combines with a willingness to stay active with and without the ball creating looks both off the dribble and the cut. On the catch she can utilize a quick and lengthy first step but also does a good job of getting defenders out of their stance with head and ball fakes. At the rim or on the pull up her ability to get off the floor is a major asset and allows her good looks even with tight contesting. Reynolds is more than willing to give up the ball when needed and played well alongside Johnson who returned for the final games of the event. On defense she occasionally gets her head turned but does a good job of anticipating on the weakside of the floor.
Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.) has come up one game short the past two years in Chandler. Loosing many talented players to graduation and going through a coaching change, their run back to the final was impressive. Junior guard Chloe Jackson is a physically strong perimeter asset for Coach Sam Caldwell that can get to the rim on almost any opponent. The 5-8 Jackson is adept at getting a match up on her side and not allowing her to recover as she attacks on the break or in the halfcourt. All of her movement is very fluid and there is a conscious effort to use her physical strength on the drive or as the rotations come her way. She can slash and create and uses a strong change of speed to get defenders lunging and leaning. The perimeter shot has some extra movement in it that may lead to some consistency problems down the road as she faces bigger and equally strong opposition.
Anybody who loves the game knows that there are some teams that are just fun to watch. Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.) is one of those teams and just to add a little more fun to their efforts they took home the L division title by way of an exciting two point win over always tough Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.). Leading the way in the title game was 5-9 junior DaiJia Ruffin. This multi position powerhouse has a thicker upper body build to go with some lean, cut legs that get her from A to B with an ultra-deceptive quickness. She spent her time in Arizona at the forward spot but made plays time and again that give you the impression that she’ll be more than comfortable moving out to the wing and putting it on the floor. Her mentality is essential to her success as she’s constantly attacking and taking a toll on defenders across four quarters. Making that attack all the more effective in the effort that she and her teammates play with and that’s all out from tip to buzzer. Ruffin has a running mate in the junior class who is an eye catcher for recruiters as well. Raven Merriweather, a 5-6 guard, had some special moments before going down with a knee injury with just three minutes left in the final. While both athletes are successful now, their styles and approaches have them well suited for the next level.
Early Missouri commit Sophie Cunningham of Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.) plays a solid and consistent game for someone just beginning their sophomore season. Slightly over listed at 6-1, this wing/guard has the skill set to take advantage of size mismatches by going past the bigs or taking the small folks down low. On the reception she’s looking to create her own but has her head up and sees the floor. She can read and make the difficult pass but also has the decision making in place to know when not to push the issue. There’s no “flash” to her game, just smart, effective and attacking basketball. The form is there from the perimeter but the consistency and range will have to come to keep opponents at the next level honest. Cunningham’s versatility makes players like her a commodity in recruiting circles but the Tigers got their claws in early on this one.
Jordin Canada is one of those players that have really left little for evaluators to say about her that hasn’t already been written. The 5-6 Windward (Los Angeles, Calif.) point guard is among the elite not just in her 2014 class but among all those on the scholastic level. What Canada did show in leading her teammates to three straight wins and the G Division title was the maturity and decision making skills that set an elite point guard apart from the crowd. There are plenty out there who can get by defenders time and again but what happens after that is often a mystery. Canada is now not just creating shots for her teammates, she’s improving them. You can see her eyes reading the floor as she penetrates and the snap on her passes is providing extra time for her shooters like 5-7 three point threat, senior Courtney Jaco. She’s also dictating the pace of the game these days and is more than willing to hit the breaks in transition if the numbers aren’t in her favor. Defensively she’s quick and assertive on ball but needs to see the whole floor more efficiently in helpside situations.
Another 2014 that had some impressive moments at this year’s TOC was Archbishop Mitty’s (San Jose Calif.) Kelli Hayes. Taking the floor with both size and athleticism, she has the tools and potential that recruiters are looking for at all levels. She can put it on the floor to develop her own opportunities or help create defensive rotations and exploit opponent breakdowns. There’s good physical strength to go with her size and mobility plus the elevation is there to serve her on the boards or on the pull up. She struggled to get some looks against Sacred Heart’s (Louisville, Ky.) aggressive man to man in the final but still found some options in transition and off turnovers. At the defensive end she anticipates well off the ball and could be a major asset in pressing scenarios with her height, length and quickness.
Christ the King (Queens, N.Y.) has brought more than their share of big timers to the TOC and while they haven’t taken home any hardware the last few years, they still bring some top talent to the table. Sierra Calhoun is the latest to stand out in the CTK uniform and it didn’t go unnoticed. Of course Calhoun has been on the recruiting radar for years but it’s always exciting to see an already established player advancing her game. For the 6-0 guard there is a more patient and decisive approach to her play. Just a year ago she was catch and attack, regardless of what opposing defenses were offering in front of her. Now she appears more conscious of her options and what she might create rather than just what she can take. There’s no less attack in her game, it just creates better options and has improved her shot selection. Defensively her size and athleticism still gives her the tools to be a lock down defender if she’ll embrace the roll.
While Reed (Sparks, Nev.) dropped two of three games there were plenty of folks in the stands on the coach’s side to take a look at junior standout Gabby Williams. The 5-11 combo offers up some versatile play in creating both her own scoring options as well as those of her teammates. She passes it well in numbers situation on the break or off penetration in halfcourt sets. Her ballhandling gets her past defenders and while she can and does get to the rim, she seems to like the pull up equally well. She can stop on a dime and elevates for a good look at the rim time and again. She has good size and athleticism that could put her in a position to be an impact defender when she moves on to the colligate level. That same vertical that serves her well on the shot also makes her a solid rebounding option at both ends of the floor. One element that did stand out was a tendency to get tired and its impact on a possession or two. While it was three games back to back to back, it was the same for everyone.
It’s not often that you’ll see a La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla, Calif.) team drop three in a row. However it’s possible no other team faced the line up Coach Terri Bamford did in taking on Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.), Christ the King (Queens, N.Y.) and Central Catholic (Portland, Oregon). Senior Washington signee Kelsey Plum did her part to try and get on the winning side of things and in doing so reminded everyone why she’s one of the most versatile and relentless players in the 2013 class. The 5-9 guard is playing baseline to baseline from tip to buzzer. She’s assertive with the ball in her hands or on the cut. Going into the land of the bigs is no issue and she’ll hit the floor faster than anyone if there’s a loose ball to be found. Her pull up is serving her well and she’s found some consistency even when off balance or falling away. There’s no reservation about giving it up to a teammate with a better look and she can be deceptive on delivering some of her interior passing.
One sophomore that offered up some eye brow raising basketball was Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) guard Aisia Robertson. Wishfully listed at 5-7, she’s got speed and quickness to spare. Her first step is exceptional at both ends of the floor. She gets past an on ball defender in a blink of an eye and defensively she can turn a point guard time and again if she so chooses. When she’s penetrating she has the tools to finish in traffic, pull up or call on a floater that’s tough to contest. The individual skills are there to make her a challenging assignment for opposing defenders. Her shot selection can have its moments but the plays that she does convert make it easier to swallow at times. Defensively she’s active and assertive. If the attack at both ends is equal, she can write her own ticket.
