Run 4 The Roses: Mason’s Friday Notebook
The biggest AAU basketball tournament in the nation kicks off the July viewing period as the Run 4 the Roses commenced today in Louisville. Over 1000 teams will compete on 78 courts spread out over four days. On the first day I was able to see some teams that I hadn’t seen this spring and came away with three big takeaways.
Team Indiana-Burton is a Group to Watch
This was the first time this season that I have been able to see this Team Indiana-Burton group. While I did see most of them at our Uncommitted Showcase last month, this was the first time I was able to sit down and watch them play as a team. They definitely did not disappoint. It all starts with Kiersten Poor. Poor is a fluidly athletic wing who plays a point-forward role. Very smooth around the basket and a good player in transition. I love her game and it’s going to translate to the next level really well. Lexie Green is a player on the rise. She played fairly well on Friday night as she was playing solid defense and really moving the ball well when she had it. I like the aggression that she showed with the ball tonight. Isabell Claywell is a really solid lead guard who plays with energy. Good ball handler who is able to push the tempo of the game. She’s a player who a lot of small colleges should be showing interest in. Tasi Kukobat is someone who I was first seeing tonight but and she really impressed me. She’s athletic in all directions and has solid passing and shooting ability. She’s really a player to keep an eye on this summer. Chloe McKnight kind of did what she usually does this evening shooting the ball. She is a knockdown shooter from behind the arc and has one of the purest shots in the state. Good frame allows her to get to the rim and finish at times with ease. Natalee Tabor is a really solidly athletic guard who is smooth with the ball and holds the ability to score at the rim with a high ability. I really enjoy watching her play with her ability to affect the game in so many different ways. Madison Webb played a great game and was really active on the inside. She’s got a back to the basket game but also showcases the ability to stretch it out. She can shot the ball pretty well from the outside which will make her a hot commodity at the next level. Maycee Lange is a kid who I really like because of her ability to play defense. I thought that she was spacing the floor well and communicating with her teammates well tonight. She showed some really nice things to the coaches in attendance.
Indiana’s 2023 Class is Solid
I was able to see both Karsyn Norman of Indiana Showcase-Johnson and McKenna Layden of Indiana Elite Fury. Both players played huge parts in the wins for their teams. Both are getting ready to jump onto the high school scene in style and likely impact their teams early and often. Norman is a pure point guard with the ability to score it. She has a good frame and a willingness to pass the ball. She will put her body on the line for her team and that energy is contagious. Smooth playmaker who showed a variety of ball fakes, hesitation dribbles, and scoring today. I really enjoyed watching Norman and she’s one of the better 2023’s I have seen across the nation so far. Layden is a hassle to deal with defensively. She’s mobile enough to play out on the perimeter but she’s strong enough to post up and score through you. Layden also has no problem stepping out and knocking down a shot to stretch the defense out. Good floor vision from the high post and a very good rebounder on the inside. Layden was racking up the blocks today and against smaller teams, she is a walking triple-double.
Lady Martin Brothers and Indiana Elite Prime Locked into a Battle
In what was the game of the day, the Lady Martin Brothers 2021 squad came out with a tightly contested victory over a very good Indiana Elite Prime squad. For Lady Martin Brothers Sasha Koenig played really well .She set the tone early with her shooting ability. Tough and gritty play from her really helped Lady Martin Brothers stay in the game. Audrey Koch, Ella Van Weelden, and Samantha Scott were a few others who I thought played well in the overtime win. For Indiana Elite Prime Alyna Santiago and Jessica Carrothers both set the tone. They were helped out quite a bit by both Alex Richard and Lilly Stoddard. This is a very talented group who just fell to a solid team. I really like both of these teams’ makeups and I they’ll have tons of college coaches out watching them the rest of the week.