Unwrapping Hershey

HERSHEY, Pa. – For the past 11 years a trip to Hershey has been the perfect “tune up” for the looming NCAA July Evaluation Period.  This year was no different as 204 teams representing 13 states, the District of Columbia and Spain descended on Hershey and metropolitan Harrisburg for four days of competitive play in seven separate divisions of the USJN Hershey Park National Showcase.  Utilizing six facilities and 21 floors the action tipped off last Friday and wrapped up with Tuesday’s championship match ups.

The Vogues out of Virginia took home top honors in the 16 / 17 division as did fellow commonwealth representative WFBC Mustangs in the 15 year old bracket.  The Philadelphia Belles – Bamford team continues to impress as they nabbed bragging rights among a very competitive 14 year old field.  Below are the complete championship round results. 

For complete brackets go to http://www.usjn.com/xtm_files/2012%20Playoff%20Brackets.pdf

Here are a few of the standout performers from last weekend in Hershey.

The “New” Senior Class

In the Vogues 16 / 17 championship effort it was hard not to notice point guard Lauren Cox’s ability to make plays.  The 5-8 point guard has a very sound skill set that is exhibited time and again through solid basketball instincts and good court decisions.  The native of Sterling, Va. pushes the ball at every opportunity and has the court vision to exploit defenders who fail to match up quickly with her teammates in transition.  The form and touch are there to knock down the perimeter opportunities though she may need to look for her own more often to keep opposing defenders honest.  Defensively she’s assertive and demonstrated an effective understanding of spacing and gaps on her closeouts against quicker match ups.  Speed and quickness won’t be the first adjectives used when describing Cox but that shouldn’t be mistaken to mean that she’s lacking in either department.  This sound athlete has an important summer in front of her in establishing just what level she can ultimately play on in the Division I hierarchy.

Sometimes you see those kids you wish were just a year or so younger.  The Warhawks have the services of 6-3 post Dakota Farmery who offers up plenty of potential for those longsighted in the evaluation department.  Calling Clearfield, Pa. home, Farmery plays with plenty of effort and gives glimpses of some post fundamentals that have a rough edge but also the possibility for refinement.  Add to that a solid frame that college strength coaches will love and it’s a safe bet that there’s going to be some good basketball down the road in her future.  While she won’t be winning any of the sprint events in London this summer she’s consistent in getting up and down the floor and seems more than willing to put a body on any opponent who crosses her path in the paint.  She finishes around the rim with looks that come her way but will need to show that she can create her own opportunities on the catch if she wants to be a legitimate offensive threat.  Lots of work still to be done for the senior to be but the willingness is there as are some possibilities.

The Vogues did not have the services of 6-1 Elizabeth Manner in Tuesday’s 16 / 17 final.  The Oak Hill, Va. standout was held out as a precautionary measure following a shoulder injury suffered in Monday night’s semifinal win.  While Manner wasn’t needed to take home the title, she was instrumental in getting her Virginia based teammates into position to win all the marbles and will be a significant impact player for them throughout the summer.  Combining good size with a versatile inside-out game makes her an appealing prospect to the folks at the next level.  She can create her own looks off the dribble but still has the stroke to knock down the open perimeter shots that come her way.  Around the rim she can finish in traffic while going up with plenty of confidence and ball control.  Posting up she reads her options before attacking and has the instincts to get her shot off or draw the foul against bigger defenders.  Physically she’s got a solid build but runs the floor well often leading to good looks as a result of sheer effort.  There’s a premium on size and skills in the eyes of recruiters and plenty should be watching Manner next month.  

Villanova has to love their commitment from Philadelphia Belles forward Megan Quinn more every day.  The 6-3 forward simply goes to work every time the ball goes up and may define the word productivity.  The Belles top team actually played only in Sunday’s pool games but they demonstrated that the final results may have been different had they been on hand from start to finish.  In just two games Quinn demonstrated consistent play both down on the block or working from the high post and 15 foot range.  She’s physical in her attack of the rim and there’s nothing shy about her when defenders try to muscle her on the shot.  The post moves in place are well read, simple, methodical and most of all, effective.  If she’s not the outlet defensively she runs the floor in transition and is a challenging match up for opponents with more size.  Defensively she’s not hesitant to play physical but several times seemed content to contest after the catch rather than taking away entry options.  Having her college decision out of the way, the Berwyn, Pa. native should have a relaxed and successful summer out on the club trail.

The latest branch campus for Mike Flynn’s Belles program is down in North Carolina.  The first year program had some solid moments in Hershey highlighted by the play of 5-7 point guard Diamond Tyson.  Athletic and quick, the Chapel Hill N.C. resident possesses some strong individual skills that serve her well on the break and in the halfcourt.  She uses an impressive change of speed to draw defenders out of their stance and create her path to the rim.  The pull up and floater are there when defenders rotate but she’s not afraid to take it into traffic either.  She’ll need to become much more active when she doesn’t have the ball to keep her match up on her toes and draw helpside away from her teammates.  The tools are there to be a strong defender.  She was aggressive on the ball and took away options time and again.  Just as on offense, she’ll need to be more active on the weakside defensively as well to make the most of the tools and potential she brings to the floor.  

Next Year’s Juniors

If you’re looking to push the pace and play up tempo you may want Jenna Green as your point guard.  The 5-7 Clifton, Va. product is on the run from makes, misses and turnovers.  She has the ballhandling skills to weave through traffic and reads numbers situation like a Rhode’s Scholar.  Off the entry the floor leader of the WFBC Mustangs is quick to cut or screen and, to the dismay of her opponent, isn’t likely to be found standing still too often in the halfcourt.  Though she didn’t light it up from the perimeter while we were watching, her stroke and form looked sound and reliable.  Off penetration she delivered several sharp passes that developed easy looks for her teammates and kept defenders guessing.  Defensively she’s assertive and anticipating.  On the weakside she’s a little ball oriented occasionally which could lead to her getting cut on when she faces smart and mature competition.

One of the more impressive performances at the true forward spot came from Katherine Haines of the North Jersey Celtics.  Standing 6-2, she offered up an outside – in attack that could translate well on the colligate level.  The only Pennsylvania native on an all Jersey roster, Haines was a factor in each of the games she played in though she was not on hand for the Celtic’s final game in which they were eliminated on Monday.  Catching the ball in the high post, as a trail in transition or in a four out set she has the skills to attack both off the dribble and through her passing.  The perimeter shot still needs some refinement but defenders have to respect her threat and that makes her all the more effective.  The ability is there to take it all the way to the rim and her size makes her a formidable penetrator to contain.  Haines will be there on the break with the guards and even provided some impressive passing of her own including a touch pass leading to an easy layup.  She could stand to be more physical defensively but she’s not hesitant to mix it up on the glass looking for rebounds on either end.  It should be a revealing summer in terms of what she can do against top competition day in and day out.     

If it’s true that the most challenging part of the transition to college ball is the physical aspect of the game, Rennie Harrison of No Limits should have no problem making the move.  The 6-3 post from Silver Spring, Md. has both the size and frame recruiters love to find and better yet, the willingness to use them.  Harrison is aggressive at both ends of the floor and plays with plenty of effort to make her an impact contributor.  Offensively she works hard for position and holds her ground well as defenders try to move her off the block.  She’s strong with the ball can finish in traffic but will need to have a few more counters in her arsenal to call on against more advanced opponents.  Her speed is average but you can count on her putting plenty of effort into running the floor and challenging faster opponents to keep up.  At the other end she’s physical as well and quick to rotate on penetration.   Like a lot of high school defenders she often plays defense after the catch in lieu of taking away passes which could lead to foul issues down the road.

The Pittsburgh Rockers had a solid weekend due in part to the efforts of wing / forward Taylor Thomas.  Athletic, aggressive and physically strong, the 5-11 left hander was effective from the perimeter as well as in the paint.  The tools are there to work away from the rim as a wing but she’s just as capable at creating options on the catch down low or at the elbows.  Her ballhandling is adequate but will need to be refined to be effective at the next level but she’s already comfortable putting it on the floor.  Her touch seems to be reliable as she stepped out to hit several midrange jumpers forcing bigger defenders to give chase.  Off the ball she’ll need to be more active to make herself a more complete threat and keep her match up busy on the weakside.  Defensively she has the tools that could allow her to make a major impact.  The size and athleticism are there to be a factor in almost any pressing or trapping situation if she’ll embrace the role.  Lots of potential is in place but her role and position still needs to be defined for the recruiters who’ll be watching this summer.

Soon to be Sophomores

While we just wrote about Taylor Murray recently following an AAU Showcase in Florida, her play in Hershey makes it difficult not to do so again.  The 5-7 point guard continues to demonstrate why she’s already among the elite in her class and looking to make her mark among all comers.  Her ability to create with the ball in her hands stood out once again and she delivered both her own point production as well as some quality assists to her talented Philadelphia Belles teammates.  What the Odenton, Md. native did this time around that we did not see much of in Florida was provide a perimeter attack.  Murray removed any doubt by connecting both on pull ups and the long ball time and again.  Though still content to penetrate and create, she demonstrated why defenders will have to play her straight up on the catch or pay a price.  Defensively she was assertive on ball and looking to create turnovers one pass away with some instinctual anticipation.  This time around she was also more disciplined on the weak side of the floor both in terms of rotating to help or closing out on the skip pass.  If the spring has been any indication of the summer to come for Murray, keep watching.

The New England Crusaders are beginning to show resurgence among their younger players and one worth keeping an eye on is Molly Reagan.  At 6-2 she’s got the size to be a presence inside and the frame to add a physical dimension to that presence.  She posts up big and has the strength to hold her ground when the pushing and shoving begins.  What makes the Braintree, Mass., native all the more challenging to defend is her willingness and ability to cut away from the ball.  Reagan isn’t out for a walk, she’s going to get from A to B and do it quickly.  That effort extends to the fullcourt as well as well where she’s more than willing to get out in transition if she’s not making the outlet pass.  On the defensive end she demonstrated some agile footwork and lateral speed that is eye catching for a player of her size.  She’s possesses lots of possibilities for the next level and has an important evaluation period around the corner that will have plenty of coaches watching. 

While the team’s from Spain didn’t find too much success on the scoreboard they were enjoying the competition and taking photos with their opponents after every game.  Photos after the game are about the only way you’ll ever catch 5-4 Tamera Rodriguez standing still.  The diminutive point guard is on the go from tip to buzzer and keeping up is a challenge for almost any defender.  Rodriguez utilizes some sharp and very effective ball skills to navigate traffic both in transition and in halfcourt sets.  Several times her attack looked more of desperation rather than focused offense but it still led to many defensive shifts and some easy assists for the young standout who calls the city of Tias home.  She connected on several pull ups but seemed more content in improving her teammate’s opportunities rather than finding her own.  She’s quick on the defensive end but gives up a lot from a physical standpoint when the whistle isn’t blowing and contact rules the day.

A Few From the Freshman Class

There seems to be a new wave of big, strong and physical post players on the way.  One of the young standouts fitting that build in Hershey was Kyla Irwin of the Blue Thunder.  She’s solid and plays an aggressive game at 6-1.  There’s no hesitancy about putting to work her physical tools and the State College, Pa. native is offering up some play that’s going to impress more college coaches than the ones already aware of her potential.  In addition to being effective down low she’s got some ballhandling in place and one of the best outlet passes in club or high school basketball.  Not many players still throw the baseball pass but Irwin will pull a defensive board and throw it to halfcourt on a line that triggers a fast break that’s a challenge to contain.  Obviously at her age there’s plenty to work on but this is someone to keep a close watch on the next several years.

One of the most impressive performances from the 2016 class came from Tori Lesko of the South Central Select.  The 5-10 combo guard showed off some advanced individual skills that allow her to create not only her own looks but some deceptive passing that often led to a teammate’s easy opportunity.  As she penetrates it’s difficult to read her intent and the decision making she relies upon is the result of the kind of court vision that coaches hope all their players will ultimately have.  The Pennsylvania native gets deep into traffic by virtue of a surprisingly quick first step and the willingness to lay her shoulder into her defender and that opponent sealed on her side.  Once there she can finish with contact or deliver the last second pass into any gap created by defensive rotations.  She was able to convert several pull ups and showed solid form at the line.  Her gaps will have to be measured carefully on the defensive end on her close outs but she’s aggressive and should be able to have the same impact as she does with the ball in her hands.     

The New England Crusaders have backcourt duo in the 2016 class that should draw plenty of attention to their games this summer.  Madison Springfield of Jaffrey, N.H. and Nikki Tucci from Bedford, N.H. both have games that are mature beyond their experience.  The 5-10 Springfield already has size on the wing to go with some solid ballhandling skills.  Her attacking approach gets her to the rim but the pull up and perimeter shot are both strong threats as well.  While not quite on the same level (yet!), think of a young Angie Bjorklund (former Tennessee standout).  Tucci is a 5-6 point guard who is smart and instinctual with the ball in her hands.  Off the dribble she can create both shots and passes while making decisions that well-read and productive.  Oh yeah, the stroke is there as well to keep folks honest.  Lots of potential for both and well worth a close look this summer.