Nike TOC Iowa Session III Day 3: Cal Stars 17U Red
Colorado Premier 17U, L, 46 – 54 The Stars were challenged in their first game in the Championship Bracket by a very tough, athletic, and tall Colorado Premier 17U squad that showcased several national talents. Lauren Betts, 6’7” forward who…
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Continue ReadingColorado Premier 17U, L, 46 – 54
The Stars were challenged in their first game in the Championship Bracket by a very tough, athletic, and tall Colorado Premier 17U squad that showcased several national talents. Lauren Betts, 6’7” forward who is considered by several outlets as the top player in her class, was on the team as well as Reagan Beers – a versatile scoring guard from Valor Christian HS. Makena Mastora started things out with a three and soon after she was met at the rim by Betts and threw up a floater that must’ve been twenty feet in the air before it dropped into the net. Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA was weaving in and out of the defense, as everyone for Premier was over six foot tall. She masterfully paced throughout the game, as she finished with a team high 6 assists and she also was aggressive in taking it to the rim herself. Marley Langi Marley Langi 6'0" | SF Archbishop Mitty | 2021 State CA made a huge statement this game, challenging her defender, poking the ball out, and slashing and finding open teammates as well as scoring herself. Lepolo and Langi helped keep things close as Donovyn Hunter Donovyn Hunter 5'10" | PG South Medford | 2023 State #26 Nation OR and Calli Stokes Calli Stokes 6'0" | SF Redondo Union HS | 2021 State CA hit threes as at halftime it was a close 21-28 in favor of Premier.
The second half is where Colorado’s height began stifling the Stars as they began taking turns scoring off Betts’ height as well as her facilitation skills. Marya Hudgins was another big player for Premier as she hit multiple threes for a total of 16 in the game. Betts finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds, battling Vonleh and other defenders in the post. It looked to get out of hand as the Stars were down 12, but late game heroics by Addison Wedin Addison Wedin 5'11" | PG La Salle | 2021 State OR kept them in the game. It started with a Calli Stokes Calli Stokes 6'0" | SF Redondo Union HS | 2021 State CA pass to Wedin on the perimeter for a three. On their next possession, Langi makes her way to the basket for a next for a score and after, Wedin is fouled and hits two free throws. On the next possession, Lepolo found Wedin for a three – nothing but net, as they were down only three points. However, Premier made a late surge to score twice on the next few possessions and the Stars came up a little short 46 – 54.
Stats:
Donovyn Hunter Donovyn Hunter 5'10" | PG South Medford | 2023 State #26 Nation OR : 3 points
Marley Langi Marley Langi 6'0" | SF Archbishop Mitty | 2021 State CA : 5 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA : 5 points, 6 assists, 5 steals
Makena Mastora: 5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Audrey Roden Audrey Roden 5'9" | SG West Linn | 2021 State OR : 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 3 steals
Jessica Peterson Jessica Peterson 6'3" | C Corona Centennial | 2021 State CA : 1 rebound
Calli Stokes Calli Stokes 6'0" | SF Redondo Union HS | 2021 State CA : 7 points, 3 rebounds
Aaronette Vonleh Aaronette Vonleh 6'3" | C West Linn | 2021 State #76 Nation OR : 3 points, 3 rebounds
Addison Wedin Addison Wedin 5'11" | PG La Salle | 2021 State OR : 10 points
All Iowa Attack 11th Carpenter – W, 72 – 53
Their next game in the Championship Bracket came in the form of All Iowa Attack 11th Carpenter – a team that the Stars took on last week during Nike TOC Iowa Session III. They are led by Maggie Phipps, shooting specialist and Drake commit. This game for the Stars was a team affair as four players scored 9 or more points. In the first half, the Stars surged to a 18-6 run, as they took turns carving into the Iowa defense. Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA found Makena Mastora for the first five points in the form of a three and a lay-in. Followed by a Calli Stokes Calli Stokes 6'0" | SF Redondo Union HS | 2021 State CA score, Lepolo shot, and an Aaronette Vonleh Aaronette Vonleh 6'3" | C West Linn | 2021 State #76 Nation OR to Lepolo give and go. Addison Wedin Addison Wedin 5'11" | PG La Salle | 2021 State OR spot up in the corner and Donovyon Hunter began showing her passing abilities in finding others and throwing passes from half court. Hunter Hernandez was one of the stories of the game as she began rebounding with effort and intention.
The second half was very much the same story, as the Stars initiated a full court press that caught up with All Iowa Attack, enabling them to get loose on offense. Marley Langi Marley Langi 6'0" | SF Archbishop Mitty | 2021 State CA began showing her offensive versatility in the form of step back jumpers, reverse lay-ups, and a beautiful hook shot. She led the Stars in scoring with 12 points. Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA was active as always in finding teammates in their seams, but especially today as she ended with a game high 11 assists. Donovyn Hunter Donovyn Hunter 5'10" | PG South Medford | 2023 State #26 Nation OR had a breakout game, as she knocked down a long jumper and had a steal that she took the length of the court for a nice lay-up, avoiding a defender in the process. The game was a breeze for a Cal Stars team that had been through a test in the form of a very good Colorado Premier team as they took this one 72-53.
Stats:
Donovyn Hunter Donovyn Hunter 5'10" | PG South Medford | 2023 State #26 Nation OR : 10 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Marley Langi Marley Langi 6'0" | SF Archbishop Mitty | 2021 State CA : 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA : 9 points, 3 rebounds, 11 assists, 1 steal
Makena Mastora: 10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Audrey Roden Audrey Roden 5'9" | SG West Linn | 2021 State OR : 2 rebounds
Jessica Peterson Jessica Peterson 6'3" | C Corona Centennial | 2021 State CA : 6 points, 6 rebounds
Calli Stokes Calli Stokes 6'0" | SF Redondo Union HS | 2021 State CA : 7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
Aaronette Vonleh Aaronette Vonleh 6'3" | C West Linn | 2021 State #76 Nation OR : 6 points, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal
Hunter Hernandez: 7 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
Addison Wedin Addison Wedin 5'11" | PG La Salle | 2021 State OR : 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
Addison Wedin Addison Wedin 5'11" | PG La Salle | 2021 State OR Letting Loose
Addison Wedin Addison Wedin 5'11" | PG La Salle | 2021 State OR scored 8 points in the last few minutes of the Colorado Premier game for a total of 10, as they came during crunch time. When the Stars desperately needed somebody to step up and provide some points, she was there. She has a quick trigger when she has the space and she is an excellent free throw shooter. With Roden struggling with the field, Addison Wedin Addison Wedin 5'11" | PG La Salle | 2021 State OR was an excellent option who was able to show her skill set during a time when they most needed it.
Donovyn Hunter Donovyn Hunter 5'10" | PG South Medford | 2023 State #26 Nation OR Showcases Her Lofty Skills
Donovyn Hunter Donovyn Hunter 5'10" | PG South Medford | 2023 State #26 Nation OR spent the first session in Iowa last week trying to find the seams on the ball and her rhythm out on the court as it had been a year since she had played any sort of organized basketball. It all came into fruition against All Iowa Attack, as she looked every bit of a floor general, heaving out passes from half court, playing defense with effort, and finding ways to get loose herself. She knocked down jumpers, made great players around the rim and finished with a great stat line.
Hunter Hernandez and Jessica Peterson Jessica Peterson 6'3" | C Corona Centennial | 2021 State CA Rewarded
Hunter and Jessica are both of the more physical and defensive minded players on a Stars team stuffed with offensive talent. Because of this, their efforts are sometimes not always shown in the box score. For instance, Peterson came in during the Colorado Premier game and took turns at effectively defending Lauren Betts, however, one could not decipher this by simply glancing at the stats. The two were rewarded against All Iowa, as they scrapped for rebounds and got good looks at the basket as a result of it. They nearly both finished with double doubles.
Lepolo and Langi Continue to Impress
Talana Lepolo Talana Lepolo 5'7" | PG Saint Joseph Notre Dame HS | 2022 State CA showed up in the Stars’ most important game as she continued her mixture of cool but pierce against a tall and athletic Colorado Premier team. Marley Langi Marley Langi 6'0" | SF Archbishop Mitty | 2021 State CA played with a chip on her shoulder against Premier, making plays for her team, adding pressure on defense, finding teammates in stride, and taking it to the cup. So when it came for the All Iowa Attack, Lepolo and Langi had sensational turnouts as they combined for 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 14 assists.
Mastora and Stokes: Cloves of the Same Leaf
Makena Mastora and Calli Stokes Calli Stokes 6'0" | SF Redondo Union HS | 2021 State CA are two of the most well rounded guards you will see out there, as they bring a level of consistency that is difficult to come by. They also do this in an altruistic fashion, as they do not command a lot of maintenance or possessions. Mastora and Stokes play sensational team defense night in, night out, create opportunities for themselves and others. Mastora is the spot up shooter whereas Stokes is the isolation player. Efficient and effective come to mind for these two.