COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—What started with 133 hopeful athletes is now down to a select group of 37 hoping for the best when USA Basketball announces the finalists for the 2017 U16 team at 10 a.m. Monday. The selection process narrowed the field with a third cut Sunday morning prior to the first of two workouts to get down to the remaining athletes in the mix. Those hearing good news Monday still won’t be guaranteed a roster spot and a ticket to Buenos Aires as the final 12 won’t be tabbed until training camp closes and the bags are packed for the airport June 4th.
Once more we’re sharing three standouts from the trials who offered up some strong play in their effort to take the floor for Uncle Sam. All or none may end up wearing the colors but for today’s conversation we’re just talking basketball.
For a look back at our first two Triple Plays from the Trials, follow the links below.
http://www.bluestarmedia.org/usa-u16-trials-day-two-triple-play/
http://www.bluestarmedia.org/usa-u16-trials-day-three-triple-play/
There’s generally a consensus in the gym that there’s never enough good young posts in the pipeline. While you might always debate the depth at the position you can’t question the potential surrounding one young 2020 standout from Beaverton, Oregon. Cameron Brink continues to impress and her productivity at the U16 trials has only increased the profile of her game. The 6-4 Southridge High School post is the poster child for constant and consistent effort, something that can be hard to find among bigs on occasion. Her lean build at this point doesn’t inhibit her willingness to mix it up inside and on more than one occasion she hit the floor making a play. Along with her size and length comes a versatile skill set. There are some solid tools on the block plus there’s some efficient ballhandling and passing in place to challenge oversized defenders. On the catch, Brink’s patience and ability to read opponents serves her well and creates options. She keeps it high in traffic and uses her body well to protect the ball. The perimeter stroke is sound and she necessitates a close out on the catch at the trail spot. She’s not ready to “muscle” the opposition on the defensive end but she sees the floor and anticipates well both one and two passes away. Upside has very few boundaries.
One of the great ironies in watching guard Azzi Fudd is that it seems like we’ve been evaluating her for a while now yet she’s just a 2021 class member at the Potomac School back home in Virginia. The multifaceted standout continues to show more and more depth to her skill set making her increasingly one of the more challenging match-ups in scholastic and club basketball. She’s been a proven scoring option from day one and the ballhandling in her attack has served her well in developing options. The attack is aggressive and physical with the ability to convert off the drive or the jumper against both quicker and bigger defenders. As she’s matured and grown the 5-10 Fudd is using her body more and more efficiently in developing both shots and passes. She has a good understanding of the impact of her own opportunities benefitting by improving those of her teammates. Off the drive, she can get to the rim, pull up with confidence or draw rotations to set up the simple pass. Defensively you’ve got the combination of size, strength and impressive lateral speed to give her the tools to have an equal impact as an on ball defender. If youth has its virtue it’s in the potential to add even more skills to the tool box.
Not everyone in the gym at the United State Olympic Training Center is a household name but one 2019 interior presence will leave Colorado Springs with some new branding. Ramani Parker, a 6-3 Fresno, California product, hasn’t given the selection committee the option of writing her off. Long, lean and athletic, Parker runs the floor with a lengthy stride and the kind of speed that will make her a factor in any fullcourt contest. She’s quick for her size and attacks on the catch both by the rim and out to 15 feet. Down low she loves the baseline drive and has the capacity to convert strong side or by way of a long reaching reverse. While the perimeter shot isn’t a mainstay in her arsenal at this point, the form appears to be sound and comes with a decent touch. Her build is somewhat narrow right now but it’s not stopping her from finishing inside against both size and bulk. Parker can elevate and finish near the rim making any catch down low a high percentage shot. The same height and athleticism that goes well with her offensive game puts her in a position to change both shots and passes on the other end of the floor.
For further Blue Star Media coverage check out these additional articles.
http://www.bluestarmedia.org/getting-right-mix/
http://www.bluestarmedia.org/next-cycle-please/
http://www.bluestarmedia.org/day-one-usa-2017-u16-trials/
http://www.bluestarmedia.org/blue-star-30-athletes-take-usa-basketball-stage/
