End Of Summer Wrap-Up: Part-4
As I’ve said in past articles, my focus is primarily Indiana, but with many of the Indiana teams traveling cross-country for different events during July’s second “live” period, I remained in the Midwest and attended USJN’s Midwest Summer Showcase in…
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Continue ReadingAs I’ve said in past articles, my focus is primarily Indiana, but with many of the Indiana teams traveling cross-country for different events during July’s second “live” period, I remained in the Midwest and attended USJN’s Midwest Summer Showcase in Westfield, Indiana, July 21st & 22nd, and then went to Cincinnati, Ohio, for Certified Basketball’s The Finale on July 23rd and 24th. I saw several teams from Michigan, and below is a look at four additional 2022 prospects, as well as four 2023 prospects, specifically from Michigan who had nice performances when I was able to watch them.
Maeve St. John, 2022, 5-6 PG, Howell H.S., Michigan PR1DE 15U
I was able to see Maeve and her team in Westfield at the USJN event, and she was one of those kids who just stood out instantly. It wasn’t necessarily because of her size, elite athleticism, or anything like that, but her style of play separated her from everyone else. She has really good length for her height, she’s still somewhat slender and will need to build muscle, but she is very quick/fast and shifty, and she has a really nice, instinctive game, where she can adjust to any situation and make a play. Her feel for the point guard position is right where you want it, and she often finds teammates on-time/on-target with a variety of passes. She is quick with the ball, and she has almost a playground type of handle, but she isn’t sloppy with it and takes care of the basketball. She also knocked down a couple of perimeter shots in the game I saw, and she is a solid on-ball defender. If she can continue to gain strength while maintaining her shiftiness, and if she can make her jumper more lethal, she could definitely draw a lot of Division-I interest.
Diamond Sawyer, 2022, 6-1 F, Muskegon H.S., MBA-Brown 15U
Diamond is an incredibly intriguing frontline prospect with a high ceiling. She is a long, wiry strong, very athletic forward who moves well in all directions, including being very bouncy. She plays with a solid motor, and she looks to be most comfortable away from the rim. She is terribly effective in the mid-post, but at times she can get caught around the perimeter just floating around. She has some touch at 15-feet, and she can put it on the floor and make athletic plays for scores, but she can also create for others. Defensively, she can come out on the floor a little and defend some bigger wings, she’s athletic enough to switch ball screens and contain guards for a few seconds, but she can also act as a really nice rim protector. As she develops her skillset and becomes more disciplined, she has the potential to draw mid-major and possibly high-major Division-I interest.
Madison Skorupski, 2022, 5-7 G, Clarkston H.S., Michigan PR1DE 15U
Madison is a second really nice perimeter player for this Michigan PR1DE team, but she’s a little different than St. John (above) stylistically. Madison is a wiry strong, tough-nosed, and somewhat physical combo guard. She has some length, and she is a solid on-the-floor athlete who plays with a very disciplined and skillful approach, as she lets the game come to her. She’s more of a game manager who takes care of the ball and runs offense, than a creator. She has a great feel for the game though, and she understands situations well, plus she’s a decent shooter from the perimeter. She’ll need to continue working on her quickness & explosion, and defensively she’ll need to take better angles, but she definitely has the skill and mindset to be a really nice college player. I can see her drawing some Division-I and a lot of small college interest over these next couple of years.
Lauren Sollom, 2022, 6-1 F, Hartland H.S., Michigan Mystics DreamTeam 17U
Lauren is the younger sister of recent Michigan commit Whitney Sollom (2020). Lauren possesses a lot of the same qualities as a talent, so if she continues to grow and approaches Whitney’s 6-4 frame, she could see a lot of the same college interest for sure. Lauren is an extremely long, wiry strong, fluid, fast, and bouncy prospect. She plays with a nice energy, rebounds the ball outside of her area, and she has good hands and can finish around the basket. Because she’s still young, I actually think Lauren has a great start at possibly developing more as a wing, rather than playing an inside-out, face-up ‘4’ type of position. She’s certainly athletic enough, and she plays with a great motor. Regardless, her trajectory as a recruit is only pointing up right now, and I look forward to watching her development as a prospect.
Annabel Ayrault, 2023, 5-10 W, Grosse Pointe North H.S., Michigan Mystics Black 14U
Annabel is the younger sister of Michigan State Freshman Julia Ayrault, and like Julia, she has a twin brother of her own. Annabel is a long, somewhat slender, but fluid and very smooth wing prospect. She has a great deal of versatility, both offensively and defensively. Annabel can play off the ball on the wing and consistently knock down open jumpers, she can glide to the basket for scores, but she can also cut to the mid-post and score it from there at a high level. At the same time, she has a nice handle, good vision & understanding, and she can play almost a point forward position. Defensively, she plays with a motor, and she moves well enough to defend most guards/wings, plus she’s tough enough to defend some undersized power forwards. There is a lot to like about Annabel’s game, so a lot of her recruitment will come down to if she continues to grow and get stronger. She’s a really nice, young prospect.
Zoandria Bamm, 2023, 6-0 C, Columbia Central H.S., Jackson Jets Elite 17U
To start with, what a great last name for a post prospect. Zoandria is a broad-shouldered, strong, and very physical interior player. She reminds me at that age of 2020 Indiana prospect Kendall Bostic, who just happens to be committed to Michigan State. Zoandria plays with an outstanding motor, she moves around the floor very well for her size, and because of those two things, I think she can become more of a power forward as she develops her skillset. She is already somewhat comfortable in the mid-post, but she doesn’t score it particularly well yet up there. She’s still more of a back-to-the-basket kid and finds solace overpowering defenders on the block. I was really impressed with her at the end of July, and I think even as a 6-0 post she’ll draw Division-I interest, but she could definitely stand to expand her game offensively.
Emma Riley, 2023, 5-5 G, Fowler H.S., Michigan’s Finest 15U
Sometimes I come across ballplayers who regardless of whether or not they become elite prospects, they are just enjoyable to watch because they play the game the right way. Emma seemed like one of those kids when I saw her in late-July. She is tough-nosed & feisty, and she’s very strong for both her age and her size. She plays with a good motor, she has some North/South speed, and she played with a lot of poise and patience. She is a very good shooter from the perimeter, she can handle the ball and run offense, but she can also create scoring opportunities for herself or others if she can turn the corner and attack the basket straight-line. I think she’s ultimately a point guard prospect, but one of her teammates handled the ball a lot more. If Emma can work on her quickness and tighten her handle a bit, I can see her drawing some Division-I interest and a lot of small college onlookers.
Layne Sleight, 2023, 5-7 G, Jackson Northwest H.S., Michigan Mystics Black 14U
Layne is already a fairly complete basketball player, which could be scary for her opponents the next four years. She is a strong, tough-nosed, and somewhat physical guard. She is a solid athlete in most directions, but it wouldn’t hurt for her to work on her explosiveness in all directions. She has a good feel for the game, she’s a very good perimeter shooter, but she also has the ability to handle the ball on occasion and run half-court offense. I think she’s probably more of a 2-guard long-term, and she’s possibly done growing too much more. But her skillset and understanding of the game remind me of a 2020 Indiana prospect who is committed to Division-II power Ashland. If Layne can continue to tighten up her entire skillset and work on her explosiveness, she should draw a variety of Division-I and top-tier small college interest.