Victory Region Finals: 16U Combos & 2-Guards
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The featured image is of Imari Berry Imari Berry 5'10" | SG Clarksville | 2024 State TN (2024) of Clarksville H.S. (TN) and the Tennessee Sol Black 16U team. Memorial Weekend 2021 was the conclusion of the very first Prep…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Imari Berry Imari Berry 5'10" | SG Clarksville | 2024 State TN (2024) of Clarksville H.S. (TN) and the Tennessee Sol Black 16U team.
Memorial Weekend 2021 was the conclusion of the very first Prep Girls Hoops Circuit. There were three regional finals spread across the country, with Fishers High School in Central Indiana playing host to the Victory Region Finals. All of the teams in attendance were from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee. I was tasked with covering the entire 16U Division, so I wanted to take the time to highlight those players who stood out throughout the weekend. This is the second of four articles breaking down the 16U Division by positions, and yes, some of the highlighted prospects might have appeared earlier this week on our 16U All-Tourney team.
Tori Allen
Tori
Allen
5'9" | CG
Andrean | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-9 CG, Andrean H.S. (IN), IGB
Tori has spent the Spring growing a reputation as a very good shooter with range, but it’s her all-around play and ability to play either guard spot effectively that is going a little unnoticed. Yes, she had another nice-shooting weekend, but she also acts as this team’s primary ball-handler a lot of the time, and her ability to handle pressure and traps, while being forced to change speeds and directions constantly, has really stood out.
Adylan Ayer
Adylan
Ayer
5'9" | SF
Daviess County | 2023
State
KY
, 2023, 5-10 SG, Daviess County H.S. (KY), IGB
Adylan was one of the better athletes in the 16U Division this past weekend, and it’s easy to see from the tip. She is long and bouncy, but she also has go end-to-end speed. You notice her quickness when she defends smaller guards off the bounce and fights over ball-screens. She can knock down an open rhythm jumper, and that part of her game has improved quite a bit, but her ability to finish at the basket is what stands out most.
Trinity Britton
Trinity
Britton
5'5" | CG
South Spencer | 2023
IN
, 2023, 5-5 CG, South Spencer H.S. (IN), S.W.I.S.H. City
Trinity is a gritty, hard-working, energy type of kid who does a nice job of playing whatever perimeter role is needed for her team. She has some length for her size, good quickness, and she plays with a nice motor. She can handle it and push in transition, she can initiate the offense in the half-court, but she’s also solid moving without the basketball, and she always seems to find open space, where she is a very good perimeter shooter.
Brooklyn Cann, 2023, 5-6 CG, Elizabethtown H.S. (KY), Team Firstep
I felt like Brooklyn fulfilled the role of being one of the most well-rounded basketball players at the event last weekend. She does so many things to help contribute to her Team Firstep. She is a balanced athlete with good quickness and wiry strength, she can handle the ball and run offense, plus she’s an accurate shooter with a quick release. She’s also feisty/tough, has a good motor, and plays with a nice hoops IQ.
Eva Dodds, 2023, 5-8 SG, New Prairie H.S. (IN), Tipping Point
When I saw Eva as a younger player, I felt like she was more of a forward, but she has done a tremendous job of building her skillset and understanding of the game. She is a primary ball-handler for this Tipping Point squad, but she is probably best-suited as an off-guard at the next level. She is strong, she’s a solid athlete in most directions, and she can score the ball a little at all three levels. She’s also a very effortful contributor.
Natalie Gentry
Natalie
Gentry
5'9" | CG
LaRue County | 2023
State
KY
, 2023, 5-8 SG, Larue County H.S. (KY), Team Firstep
When you watch Team Firstep play, there is a really nice front-liner, plus two guards who are much more ball-dominant who stand out immediately. But if you ignore Natalie, she can hurt you in a variety of ways because she is a really nice, versatile athlete. She has length and wiry strength, she is very good attacking the basket off the bounce, plus she can knock down an open rhythm jumper. She’s also versatile defensively.
Emily Mattingly
Emily
Mattingly
5'10" | SF
Evansville Memorial | 2023
State
IN
, 2023, 5-10 SG, Evansville Memorial H.S. (IN), IGB
If Emily has done anything this Spring, it has been to develop into a much more versatile, complete player. For Memorial over the Winter, she was a nice shot-maker from the perimeter, but she’s becoming a lot more assertive off the bounce, absorbing contact well, and scoring more inside and at the free throw line. She has also shown the ability to step up and consistently defend the other team’s better perimeter players.
Macy Runner
Macy
Runner
5'6" | PG
Nelson County | 2023
State
KY
, 2023, 5-7 CG, Nelson County H.S. (KY), Overtime Performance-1
I’m still trying to put my finger on what position exactly Macy will play at the next level, but all-in-all she is just a really nice basketball player. She has some length, solid speed and quickness, but she’ll need to continue getting stronger to absorb contact better. She has a nice handle and can push the ball in transition or initiate the offense in the half-court, plus she’s an accurate perimeter shooter when given time/space.
Madisyn Bailey
Madisyn
Bailey
5'9" | PG
Bedford North Lawrence | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-8 SG, Bedford North Lawrence H.S. (IN), Indiana Showcase
Madisyn is really gaining a reputation as a tough-nosed, do-whatever-it-takes-to-help-my-team-win type of player. She plays with great effort at both ends of the floor, she is willing to be physical, rebound, and defend multiple types of opponents, and she is willing to take charges and dive on the floor for loose balls. Additionally, she is versatile skillfully, she can handle it some, find open teammates, and make shots at all levels.
Imari Berry
Imari
Berry
5'10" | SG
Clarksville | 2024
State
TN
, 2024, 5-10 SG, Clarksville H.S. (IN), Tennessee Sol Black
I really like Imari’s talent, and I feel like she has as much potential as any 2024 who was playing in the 16U Division at this event. She is so long, wiry, and smooth, she moves around the floor almost effortlessly. She is skilled and can handle it some in transition, but in the half-court she is a consistent perimeter shooter and a big-time scorer who is always eyeing the basket. She just slices through the defense and scores it with ease.