Indy Clash Review
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A week and a half ago was the first “Live” weekend of the 2022 grassroots season in which Division-I schools are allowed to attend and evaluate, so travel teams and college coaches were out in full force across the country.…
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Continue ReadingA week and a half ago was the first “Live” weekend of the 2022 grassroots season in which Division-I schools are allowed to attend and evaluate, so travel teams and college coaches were out in full force across the country. While my back yard is Indiana, I was able to catch a couple of non-Indiana teams in action at the Indy Clash in Indianapolis. Below is a look at five prospects from Tennessee and Washington who stood out to me with their play throughout the weekend.
Emily Hunter, 2024, 6-5 C, Nolensville H.S. (TN)
– Emily is a nice-sized, traditional post prospect, with a solid frame, long arms, and decent hands. She runs the floor hard and tries to establish herself inside early in a possession. She relies a lot on mismatches right now, and her teammates understand when and how to get her the ball. It’s almost too easy at times, as she just turns and lays it in. I would have liked to have seen her play facing the basket, to truly understand how much skill and potential she has, but at 6-5, she’s already drawing a lot of looks.
Lilli Williams, 2024, 5-5 PG, Yelm H.S. (WA)
– Lilli is a little, quick, and dynamic point guard prospect for a solid and fundamental travel program. She does a nice job of playing with her head up and trying to find teammates. She’s almost too unselfish at times and needs to be encouraged to shoot it, but she can knock down open shots when in rhythm. Defensively, she can get after the ball-handler anywhere on the floor, and she plays with a constant motor. I don’t know West Coast recruiting well, but around the Midwest there would be a number of types of schools interested.
Julia Dalan, 2025, 6-3 PF/C, W.F. West H.S. (WA)
– Julia was highly intriguing, considering her size and age. She has a wiry-strong frame, really nice length, and she moves well in most directions. She showed skill on the block, but she also understands how to play facing the basket in the mid-post. I really like how she tries to earn her spot on the block, and if she gets pushed out, she can reverse-pivot and score over her defender. She was also solid at the defensive end of the floor, and she times blocked shots well. She could make a really nice inside-out ‘5’ in a variety of offenses.
Lauren Hassell, 2027, 6-3 PF, Clarksville Christian School (TN)
– Lauren is an elite talent oozing with upside. She has tremendous length, a wiry-strong frame, and she is very quick and runs the floor with great speed. She is every bit of 6-3, but she isn’t a post. She likes to catch the ball somewhere around 18 to 20-feet, take a dribble, make a dribble-move, and then either rise up and shoot or continue to the rim to finish. Her quick first step, coupled with the fact someone taller must defend her, make her a major mismatch for her age…only she was playing 16U all weekend and handling that competition.
Marley Spiers, 2027, 6-3 C, Clarksville Christian School (TN)
– Marley is a nice compliment to Hassell (above), both in school and grassroots ball, because it allows Hassell to move around the floor and use her versatility. Spiers, however, is still a long and wiry prospect herself, but she’s a little stronger and not quite as fast/explosive. Spiers has good hands, and when she catches it around the block, she often looks to make a post-move, though those should become more instinctual/immediate over time. Depending on how much she grows, she will draw a wide range of interest over the years.