Premiere Prospect .. 1 v 1 Standouts
In this article:
This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a one of a kind… combine-esque event held at Mt Carmel High School. The “Premiere Prospect” event was sponsored by Eastbay, Wilson Basketball, Gatorade, and CRTSIDE. These sponsorships gave…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThis past weekend, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a one of a kind… combine-esque event held at Mt Carmel High School. The “Premiere Prospect” event was sponsored by Eastbay, Wilson Basketball, Gatorade, and CRTSIDE. These sponsorships gave the 4-hour showcase a “professional” atmosphere from the front door. As the girls walked in they were welcomed with combine jerseys, towels, a photoshoot area, and also the feeling of professional cameramen highlighting their every move.
“Queen of the Hill” or 1v1… is one of the best ways to test the overall Offensive & Defensive IQ of a player. Though there’s no one to give the ball up to or anyone to help… this “drill” teaches players how to score/defend in a one-on-one situation. The questions that this “drill” can answer are: Can you break down your defender in 3-5 dribbles? Can you create separation? How creative are you? Can you get to your spot? Are you defensively disciplined? Can you recover quickly? Are you balanced?
Listed below are a few players who understood the assignment.
Jessie Ozzauto Jessie Ozzauto 5'10" | CG Huntley | 2023 State IL | ’23 Elite Scoring Playmaker | Huntley
Easily one of my favorite players to watch. Jessie is VERY talented. Her game is smooth & simple. In one of my previous articles, I mentioned how she only needs 2-3 moves to get a bucket. I’m guessing this is why she “NEXT’D” 5 straight players. Her skill is hard to defend because of her length and the control she plays with. I watched her get simple buckets on players who were giving 100% on the other side. Jessie… Keep working on your craft. It’s going to pay off big time.
Faith Okorie | ’22 Stretch Forward | Mother McAuley
If Faith gets position on that block.. give it to her. She’s built for the low post area. Whether it’s pivot work, pump fakes, or simple bully ball. Faith will get hers 95% of the time. If she gets “tired” from working down low, she can easily step away and knock down a 10-15 ft. Her hard work and patience are why in these 1 on 1 drills, she excels. Faith will only get better with time, and I cant wait to see it.
Kennedi Perkins Kennedi Perkins 5'6" | PG Bolingbrook | 2022 State IL | ’22 Elite Scorer | Bolingbrook
Scoring at 3 levels is one thing, but to have the ability to legitimately create a shot from the arc to the mid and in the paint is the definition of a hooper. Kennedi just hoops. She’s aggressive on the drive, patient when she’s creating in the mid, and a sniper supreme from the 3. Guarding her in this drill was a challenge for every defender. You had to lock in before you rolled that ball out.
Nakiyah Mays-Prince | ’22 Elite Combo Guard | Morgan Park
If you arent built to play 100% defense.. don’t reach, don’t sag off, and don’t play up when Nakiyah is in front of you. A lot of “Ooos and Ahhh’s” when Nakiyah opens that bag. She has that quick first step and even quicker handles. The ball stays in control and within the frame of her body when she’s stringing combos together. Her recovery counter is something special too.. you won’t get her to pick the ball up and stop her dribble. Each dribble is clearly meant to create space and not for show.. so the result is a bucket. She was in her element in this drill… “Me vs You”. It seemed like she was working on her game and trying new things when she was up… but still scoring. The creativity, fluidity, and ability she has to score at all 3 levels are what separates her from most small scoring guards.