USJN Gateway Challenge Preview (2021-2022)
There will be plenty of talent in display in St Louis this weekend. The USJN Gateway Challenge gets underway on Saturday. Southern Illinois will be well represented in the 2021 and 2022 classes. Amelia Bell of the St. Louis Eagles/O’Fallon is…
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Continue ReadingThere will be plenty of talent in display in St Louis this weekend. The USJN Gateway Challenge gets underway on Saturday. Southern Illinois will be well represented in the 2021 and 2022 classes.
- Amelia Bell of the St. Louis Eagles/O’Fallon is a 2021 post player. Bell is a strong 6’2 player with a toughness about her. She is not afraid to mix it up inside with anyone. She can run the floor, defend and rebound at a high level. Amelia can finish with either hand and will finish through contact.
- Clare Breden of the Hawks Elite 17u/Jerseyville is a 2021 guard. At 5’5 she is a smaller player, but she is fast. She has really improved the floater to get her shots off over the bigs. Clare is a plus shooter with deep range. Her game is played with a scorers mentality.
- Natalie Iberg of Blue Star Renken 16u/ Greenville is 2021 guard. She is a 5’8 wing player that can really run the floor. Natalie is a great defender and excels in a fast paced game. She will step into the starting lineup next year as a junior. Natalie will have a chance to showcase her improved outside shot and her ability to drive to the hole.
- Haylee Sagle of the Central Illinois Predators/Taylorville is a 2021 wing. She is 5’11 and can slash to the hoop very well. Haylee can hit the mid range shot consistently. Haylee is an excellent all around player that can help the team in many ways.
- Chloe Book of the Hawks Elite/Breese Central is a 2021 wing player. Chloe is 5’8 and can really fill the stats sheet. She can shoot it, she can drive it and she can finish inside. Chloe uses her strength very well to take the ball to the basket. She rebounds well from her wing spot.
- Kirsten Taylor of Blue Star Renken 16u/Highland is a 2021 guard. Kirsten has a consistent outside shooting stroke that makes her dangerous. She really earns her keep every game with her effort. Kirsten is a coaches dream. At 5’7 she is inside fighting for offensive boards with all of the bigger players. She makes hustle plays that help teams win!
- Macy Silvey of Blue Star Silvey/Edwardsville is a 2022 guard. Macy is a 5’9 plus shooter with range. She can fill it up at times and change a game on her own. Macy handles the ball well and really knows the game. Her potential is high if she continues to improve.
- Maura Niemeier of Hawks Elite/Civic Memorial is a 2022 guard. Maura has elite speed and athletic ability. She excels on defense and the transition game right now. Her offensive game is improving, especially her ability to get to the hole. Maura is definitely a prospect to watch the next 3 years.
I look forward to seeing many of the younger girls play again. Jeff Silvey has an outstanding group of 2022 players on his Blue Star team. There are a few new faces from the Missouri side I have not seen. In addition there are teams from northern Illinois coming down with talent that I am excited to watch. It should be a great weekend at the USJN Gateway Challenge.