COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.— We’ve already taken a look at 10 perimeter standouts who made an impression at the USA U16 trials last week and today we provide equal time for 10 more individuals who roam the interior come game time.
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There was plenty of size and skills on hand at the United States Olympic Training Center last week. As we “qualified” the perimeter profiles, we’re not saying these 10 were “next in line”. Our goal is simply to recognize some additional standout performances from the “auditions” in Colorado Springs so here’s a look at 10 more on the interior.
One of the semi sexist but ultimate compliments a player can receive is that “she plays like a woman among girls”. No one player fits that billing more appropriately the Rellah Boothe from Jacksonville, Florida. Boothe is already well established among the upper echelon of the 2017 class and many feel the 6-2 power forward may be the pick of the crop. When she turns it up she’s on a different level than any other player on the floor. There’s an explosive attack off the dribble but we’ve also seen her spot up from deep. She’s gone coast to coast and she’s worked the block like a true back to basket post. However, we’ve also seen her disappear at times as well. Lots of today’s premier players seem to be struggling with the “consistency” issue and it may well be the speed bump in Boothe’s fast-track. At her best, she’s virtually unstoppable. Opponents are in trouble if she ever figures out how to play at that level across the course of an entire game.
Charli Collier took her best shot at the trials in Colorado Springs…figuratively and literally. The 6-4 Baytown, Texas post isn’t shy about putting it up and certainly looked to exploit the inside – out aspect of her game against the other bigs looking to shut her down. The 2018 Collier has grown and filled out across the past year, now possessing the body of a true low post threat. At the same time she has the tools to work effectively from the high post including taking it up at the elbows, trail and beyond the arch. While she hit her fair share it wasn’t the kind of percentage that was going to get her the green light to fire at will. Nor did it get her a spot on the 12 man roster. The agility and diverse skills in the game put her among the elite in the class. There’ll have to be a better mix and application of those skills for her to be the true impact player she has the potential to be.
The high altitude in Colorado Springs shouldn’t have bothered 2017 forward Maya Dodson since she spends the majority of her time there anyway. The Alpharetta, Georgia native elevates on the boards, on her shot, on defense and may well need her own runway for takeoff. At 6-1, she’s long, lean and has the footspeed and agility of someone a foot smaller. Dodson can start and finish the break and puts the effort in on the glass as well as running the lanes. On the catch she rises above the crowd and even adds additional separation with a release at full arm extension. Good luck getting a hand on that one. At this point she is reliant on her physical attributes and takes and exploits all opportunities that come her way. What’s missing right now is the consistent ability to “create” her own look when defenders line up straight behind her. All the tools are there, she just needs a little more depth in her arsenal to keep opponents guessing what time she’ll be leaving the gate.
One of Dotson’s Saint Francis High School classmates, Kasiyahna Kushkitua, continues to elevate her already highly regarded game. At 6-4 and almost 200 pounds she’s a broad shouldered, athletic, cut challenge for any opponent unfortunate enough to draw her as an assignment. She works hard to get position down low and does an impressive job of sealing to the next pass, something a lot of her collegiate counterparts are slow to wrap their arms around. While she goes up strong, her post moves are still evolving but not quite totally refined at this point. The ball is exposed too often and defensive hands are getting touches and taking away options. From Austell, Georgia, Kushkitua is a presence on the glass at both ends of the floor has no reservations about clearing space when needed.
We’ll continue our tour of the Deep South and take a quick glance at Unique Thomson out of Theodore in neighboring Alabama. Agile and athletic at 6-3, the wide framed Thompson has a knack for making plays. The physical tools in place allow this 2017 standout to line up and compete with anybody the opposition might send her way. The strength is there and the impressive vertical allows her make some plays at the rim. There are times on the catch she seems hesitant or unsure on her attack but those gaps are becoming less frequent and much further in between. She’s a factor on the glass and that will keep her in the good graces of the coaches on any bench. Thomson gives you the feeling of much more to come.
Madison Treese of Columbia, Missouri provides plenty of diversity in her offensive approach. The 6-2 forward has the size and physical build to post up on the block and convert but also possesses the shot and range to step out and exploit the slow feet of a mismatched big. Unfortunately there tends to be a whole lot of the later and not so much of the former. When she’s mixing up her game, the 2017 Treese is as difficult to defend as they come. She’s skilled, strong and aggressive on the catch. There’s a physical element to her game defensively and on the boards that will serve her well at the next level when the time comes. Paired alongside a true back to the basket post, she could be the kind of player to open up a defense and create opportunities for herself and her teammates.
We just saw Ayanna Clark the week prior to the trials and the promising elements of the 6-2 power forward’s game were on display once again. The Long Beach, California native has left little doubt that she has the tools to compete among the best in the 2017 class. When Clark is in full attack mode she can create off the dribble, slash through traffic, post up at the rim and even knock it down from the 15 foot range. The aggressive approach is often intimidating and leads to additional options on ensuing possessions. However, our old friend “consistency” has not set up shop yet in Clark’s repertoire. Just like we mentioned with Rellah Boothe above, there has to be a more constant effort and attack for her to fully exploit the dominant game she’s capable of. Moments are nice, but a bunch of them are even better!
Jaala Henry is a work in progress that’s already producing results. The 6-3 Riverdale, Maryland forward / post has the size, frame and strength but also calls on some solid speed and quickness to challenge defenders. She’s quick and attacking on the catch while going up strong around the rim. The mid-range touch is there but the shot is slightly off her shoulder at this time. Henry plays with plenty of effort on both ends of the floor and even makes herself a factor in transition if she’s not the one making the outlet pass off the defensive boards. Her ability to read defenders is coming around and she has her mind made up on moves much less often than she did in the past. Bad news for defenders.
Charlotte, North Carolina’s Janelle Bailey makes you look. From her size and build to her aggressive effort, the 6-3 low post threat isn’t going to let you not at least take a quick peek. Another 2017, Bailey has lots of size, an already strong build and the frame college strength coaches dream about. At the same time, as with several of her interior peers in this article, she’s still very much an evolving prospect with lots of promise. She’s aggressive in establishing position on the low block and does a good job of holding her ground while calling for the ball. Bailey is quick to attack and has some post moves to call upon but there’s a mechanical, almost “stiff” element to her game that still challenges her ability to finish at times. When things finally smooth out and there’s a greater fluidity to her game she could become a real force to deal with.
MiMi Collins had a tough trip to Colorado. It’s a safe bet the 6-3 White Plains, Maryland native would tell you herself that it wasn’t one of her best outings. At the same time the 2018 standout found a way to impress the committee enough to hang around until the final roster cut and that’s worth highlighting. Despite going ice cold in the early sessions and struggling with some of the physical play, Collins still provided some productive play down the stretch and seemed to find a resurgence in her confidence before all was said and done. The aforementioned physical challenge was surprising given the build and strength that she already has in place. Bigger picture was her staying with it despite the uphill battle and keeping herself in the mix till the end. Important summer in front of her.
