Wartburg Shootout Day 1 Notes
I was at the Wartburg Shootout on Monday and while some teams were not at full strength, I was able to get a good glimpse at what teams will look like next season. A few teams looked the same, but quite a few are heading into the new season with a new identity. Because both softball and soccer overlap with the AAU season it was a good chance for me to get a look at players who I don’t see a lot of during the summer. Below are notes on 22 players who I thought stood out on Day 1 of the Wartburg Shootout.
Amanda Chizek – 2020 6′ PF – West Hancock – Chizek is a solid post player down low. She is very strong and has a good amount of mobility as well. She’s a good rebounder who is starting to gain more touch around the rim. Physical player who plays hard at all times.
Aree Beckmann – 2022 5’7 SG – Xavier – Beckmann showed confidence today that I haven’t seen from her all summer long. She was knocking down shots from behind the arc and was getting to the rim. Really good with the ball in her hands and gets herself open off the ball really well. If she keeps showing this confidence throughout the summer then her stock is really going to rise.
Averi Porter – 2023 5’6 PG – Ankeny Centennial – Porter is a small but solidly built and muscular guard who plays very solid on-ball defense. She pesters the player with the ball and creates turnovers because of how hard she plays. Her offense is certainly coming along as well and once she starts getting more comfortable being aggressive I think her game is going to take off.
Britney Young – 2020 5’8 SF – Waverly-Shell Rock – Young really impressed me today. I thought that she was shooting the ball well all day long as well as playing really solid defense. She is so intriguing because of her athleticism and strength in her lower body. She has a very solid frame that can hold even more strength and she’ll always be one of the most athletic kids on the floor.
Brooklynn Smith – 2022 – 6’2 C – Waterloo West – Smith showed a lot today as she was constantly finishing down in the post. She is more mobile that you would think and has a good feel for the defenders around the basket. I think that she is going to end up being one of the top players in the class and her ceiling is astronomically high.
Caitlynn Daniels – 2020 – 5’8 PG – Xavier – Daniels is a very fluid point guard who showcases a really nice feel for the game. She was creating separation throughout the entire day. One of the more overlooked parts of her game is her ability to play on-ball defense at a high level. She is a small guard but makes up for it with her IQ and quickness. Committed to Alabama-Birmingham.
Camryn Grawe – 2020 – 5’7 SG – Waverly-Shell Rock – Grawe is another player for Waverly Shell-Rock who is just built so well. They are going to be so solid this year with athletic guards and wings and Grawe fits right in. She plays as hard as anyone on the floor and will always be the first on the floor for a loose ball. There is something about Grawe that draws me to her as a prospect.
Elle Street – 2022 – 5’8 SG – Ankeny Centennial – Street was so good today flying around the floor and making things happen. I think that she is really going to step up this year for Ankeny Centennial this year. She has good length, she plays hard, she has a very athletic build, and has a nice overall feel for the game. Street is going to be looked to do more this year and I think her sophomore campaign is going to be solid.
Grace Boffeli – 2020 – 6’1 PF – North Scott – There isn’t much to say about Boffeli that I haven’t continuously said already. She’s a high motor player who plays tougher than anyone in the state. Today she was getting out and pushing the ball in transition looking to score which was nice to see. She also hit a few mid-range jumpers. Committed to Northern Iowa.
JeMae Nichols – 2021 – 5’9 SF – Cherokee – Nichols is one of the top athletes on the floor every time she takes the floor. She is strong in her upper body allowing her to score at the rim both around defenders and through them. The next step in Nichols development is to stretch her game out so that she can consistently hit the mid-range jumper.
Jordan Simon – 2020 – 5’10 SF – Cascade – Simon is a very thin wing but has a lot of skill with the ball and toughness. She has the ability to consistently knock down 3-pointers at a good clip from behind the line. I really like her ability to play both in the post but also on the wing. Simon is going to be a nice prospect at a “fit” school if she decides to play basketball.
Kennedy Kelly – 2022 – 5’4 PG – West Hancock – While Kelly didn’t garner a ton of “counting stats” today, she impressed me with her quickness and willingness to play hard the entire time. She chased down a couple players and nabbed a few steals in the game I saw. She’s one of the hardest workers on the floor and really has a passion for the game.
Lauren Conrey – 2020 – 5’8 SG – Waterloo West – Conrey was showing some things today that I haven’t seen from her before. She is a very solidly built combo guard who has the ability to shoot the ball really well but she was also getting to the rim. While she wasn’t finishing plays at the rim, it was still nice to see her show the ability to get into the lane and look to score.
Libby Arnold – 2020 – 5’9 SF – Xavier – Arnold is a very solidly built wing who is continually improving. She is scoring the ball at a good clip and is full of energy. She’s gotten a lot stronger since last season and it is noticeable in how she plays the game. Arnold is a student of the game and you can tell that she processes things happening really well.
Madison Eisenman – 2020 – 5’5 PG – West Hancock – Eisenman has a really nice feel for the game from the lead guard spot. While she didn’t score the ball a ton, she threw good passes and was in command of the offense all day long. Didn’t make a ton of shots from the perimeter but the willingness to shoot it is there, and you have to honor it.
Maya McDermott – 2020 – 5’5 PG – Johnston – McDermott might have played the best I have ever seen her today. She was knocking down jumpers with ease and she was getting to the rim really well. McDermott always sees the floor well and is a very unselfish lead guard who could score 30 points every time out if she wanted to do so. One of the top seniors in the state. Committed to Northern Iowa.
Meg Burns – 2020 – 5’8 SG – Ankeny Centennial – Burns was playing fantastically today and it was the best that I have seen her play. She was getting to the rim and making really solid passes all game long. Burns was showcasing her length and skill finishing at the rim through and around players. She’s going to be a key player for Ankeny Centennial this year. Committed to Nebraska-Kearney.
Nicole McDermott – 2020 – 5’5 SG – Cascade – One of the best pure scorers in the state, McDermott was getting it done today. She has a ton of skill with the ball in her hands and has the ability to create separation on her own. McDermott can really take over a game and score the ball while also providing really solid defense. Committed to Clarke.
Rachel Leerar – 2021 – 5’7 PG – West Hancock – Leerar is a fluid guard who can push the ball up the floor pretty well. Good defensively with her length and was all over the floor on defense. Struggled at times to finish on the inside but her jumper was working well both from the perimeter and in the mid-range.
Sharon Goodman – 2020 – 6’2 C – Crestwood – Goodman is one of the top players in the team camp as she is the #4 prospect in the 2020 class in Iowa. She’s a great combination of strength and skill down in the post. She has great touch around the rim and will beat you herself unless you double and triple team her. Committed to Iowa.
Sidney Happel – 2020 – 6′ PF – North Scott – Happel is such an intriguing prospect due to her length and mobility. She does have some skill to her game as well which allows her to get to the rim off the bounce and score the ball. The next step in her development is to simply just gain strength so she can score on the inside a little more effectively.
Trinidee Moore – 2022 – 5’4 PG – Waverly-Shell Rock – Moore is a small lead guard who showcased really nice handling ability today and a feel for the game. She is pretty thin so she isn’t going to get to the rim but rather look to collapse the defense and pass it out. She’s very good at playing her game and is a very nice true point guard to have on your team.