PGH Illinois: Don’s Film Room Session 2
In this article I again jump into some highlight and game film sent to me by players. This article features many northern Illinois players that have presented me with a chance to learn about them and evaluate their game. I…
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Continue ReadingIn this article I again jump into some highlight and game film sent to me by players. This article features many northern Illinois players that have presented me with a chance to learn about them and evaluate their game. I am sure that soon Jacob will jump into similar articles and be able to share his opinions on some of the same girls. It is nice for the players and for us as scouts to get a chance to use the film to see players in other areas of the state than we cannot normally see in live games.
Brianna McDaniel Brianna McDaniel 5'10" | CG Kenwood | 2022 State #13 Nation IL is a 5’10 2022 Guard from Kenwood and Chicago Hoops Express. Brianna is a the number one ranked player in the PGH class of 2022 rankings. She is a unique blend of strength, athletic ability and skill. Brianna has the frame and strength to get her way to the lane where she finishes with a variety of moves. Sometimes they are a bit unorthodox which adds to their success. She has the ability to see the floor and is a willing passer that likes to set up her teammates. Brianna is also deadly from beyond the 3-point line where she can again use that strong lower body to provide the power and let her great release and follow through do the work.
Lola Lesmond is a 6’0 2022 Shooting Guard from Evanston and Chicago Hoops Express. Lola has a very nice shot that she can get off quickly. I really like that she catches high and does not dip the ball which allows her to have a quick release. Because of her size and strength in her lower body Lola has great range on her shot so she can easily shoot it 2 steps behind the line. Because of the length she has Lola is also very effective inside the lane against smaller players. Lola is clearly a player that has a good feel for the game, she makes nice passes and puts herself in good positions to make plays.
Mariann Blass Mariann Blass 5'8" | CG York | 2023 State IL is a 5’8 2023 Combo Guard from York and Illinois Rockets. Mariann has a nice shot that she can hit at a high level from behind the 3-point line. She does an excellent job of getting her feet set and on balance which allows her to run off screens to get open, use her dribble to create space and even use the step back to find the space for her shot. Once she gets going north and south with her dribble she is most effective as a passer. Mariann sees the floor very well and can see the open shooters when the help comes and she will give the ball up. Defensively she is fundamentally sound and does very good work getting in help side to close off dribbling lanes or double down on the post.
Tessa Towers Tessa Towers 6'5" | C Batavia | 2022 State IL is a 6’5 2022 Post from Batavia and M14 Hoops . Tessa is a very tall post player that has good touch around the rim. She does a good job of establishing position and giving her guards a target to pass to be raising her hand(s) and showing where she wants to ball. Once she catches it Tessa is willing and able to turn off either shoulder and finish with either hand. Tessa has been working hard on her body and has dropped a significant amount of weight this fall/winter. That is a big step as to maximize her potential she needs more quickness and agility along with some added strength. The skill set is good if she can put the whole package together it would turn out well because you cannot teach 6’5.
Angelina Smith is a 5’9 2024 Guard from Bolingbrook and Bolingbrook Panthers AAU club . Angelina is already showing signs of being a very special player. She is athletic and has great body control for her young age. This allows her to attack the basket and finish in a variety of ways without being out of control or off balance. She handles the ball well and is effective using a nice in and out move that freezes her defenders. On defense she has the ability to be a great defender based on her strength and lateral quickness and agility. Angelina puts in the work and has the potential to be one of the best.
Madison Seward is a 6’1 2023 Forward from Deerfield and Chicago Hoops Express. Madison is a strong player in the post that shows the ability to put the ball in the basket when she catches it in the paint. Her most success to date is really on the defensive end of the floor where she has been able to use her height and long arms to average over 7 blocks and 9 rebounds per game. If Madison can improve her strength and agility she will be able to maximize the potential she has. So far she has already gained interest from some college recruiters who see her possible upside.
Emily Galvan Emily Galvan 5'7" | PG Rolling Meadows | 2022 State IL is a 5’6 2022 Point Guard from Rolling Meadows and Illinois Rockets. Emily has a very nice shot from the outside that has good form and a nice follow through. With the ball in her hand she shows the ability to stay patient and find her openings. She does a good job of using her hesitation and step back dribbles to freeze the defender and change directions. At times Emily will take her defender through 2-3 changes of direction or speed before she sees the opening and then can attack. She finishes with a nice variety of floaters and runners that she will get off before the shot blocker can get to her.
Alayna Kulesza is a 5’11 Point Guard from CRU(Homeschool) and Illinois Rockets. Alayna is a long and athletic point guard that can jump and runs the floor well. She is best with the ball in her hands driving to the basket. Alayna makes good reads and sees open players as she is on the move and will deliver the ball to her scorers. When she keeps the ball and goes to the rim she is best finishing with her left hand and can use it out to 5-6 feet effectively. Because she has the athleticism Alayna can also be a tough defender. She does a good job of anticipating in passing lanes and shooting the gap or just simply using her length to get a hand on the ball. She is definitely an under the radar player that small colleges should watch.
Caitlin Washington is a 5’6 2024 Point Guard from Nequa Valley and M14 Hoops . Caitlin is a relentless worker that is always looking for a way to improve. She has nice handles that combined with her “burst” when she changes directions allows her to create space. Caitlin has the ability to score the ball in the paint and in mid range but is also a willing passer when the defense helps on her. Her shot from outside and beyond the arc is a pretty high arcing shot that will seem to just drop through the net when she has her touch going right. I love this players heart as she famously snuck her way into the 2019 PGH Top 250 camp claiming to be a 2023, just so she could compete.
Reagan Sipla is a 5’11 2024 Wing from St. Charles North and All Iowa Attack. Reagan is a nice young player with very good length that is showing early promise. She has a nice shot that she can hit consistently out past the three point line. When defenders crowd Reagan she is very capable of putting the ball on the floor and attacking the basket. Reagan has a long frame and uses that to rebound on both ends but she is especially aggressive going after offensive boards. Reagan has grown over 4 inches in the last year and so her game is changing. Where she ends up will somewhat depend on how tall she gets but right now she looks to potentially develop into a nice 2/3 player or even a stretch 4.
Mallory Cyrulik Mallory Cyrulik 5'11" | SF Clinton | 2022 State IL is a 5’11 2022 Guard from Clinton and the Illinois Valley Warriors. Mallory is a long wing that has a nice knack for playing good defense and blocking shots. Most players that are right handed try to block shots with their right hand but Mallory most often uses her left hand. This puts her in line with the right handed shooter and she can deflect the shot. Offensively she can catch and shoot well when she has space and will attack the rim off the bounce.