The Premiere Basketball Report trio with their thoughts on the trials, player evals, omissions, etc:
SHANE LAFLIN
Haley Jones– To me, hands down, the best player at the U17 Trials overall. There is not a part of the floor in which she is uncomfortable. She is a two-way player and displays IQ on both ends. She rebounds, she defends, she is a good passer, and has the skills to score the ball in a variety of ways.. Having been cut here before, she could have easily pressed a bit, but she is cool and calm at all times. She is smooth with the ball in her hands.. and knows the subtleties of playing without the ball. Her versatility is very key… absolute HOOPER.
Paige Bueckers– She loves to play.. and it screams from the floor. Another player that seems to be collected at all times and versatile at the guard spot.. With a frame that some could think needs strength, she finishes extremely well with contact and in traffic. The J is smooth.. She is crafty and uses her size and length well on the defensive end. She is the right mix of flash and fundamentals and I had to use the phrase “Pistol Paige (Bueckers) Maravich” several times this weekend – and in no way do I think I’m the first one to make that comparison.
Cameron Brink– Of my five, this one is admittedly the one based the most on upside – but that is not to say the current production should be dismissed. When I see tools, size and athleticism + that look in a player’s eye that says they have high expectations for themselves, I can vibe a bit more with the “projection” talk. Cameron is a sponge and in talking the game with her, she understands basketball concepts at a very high level. She was great in the trail spot here and always leaves her mark defensively. She showed us flashes of the upside on a couple long range jumpers.. As she gains strength and then patience in her post/extended post/high post touches… she can be almost unstoppable.
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JASON KEY
To Shane’s point, I thought that Jones and Bueckers were the most outstandingly consistent players of the trials.
Jordan Horston– I termed Horston “Little Penny”. Horston’s ability to create for others off the bounce stood out as soon as the games began. Flashed the ability to finish in traffic off the bounce. Showed easy 3-ball range both off the bounce and catch. Good use of length defensively with the ability to guard any perimeter position.
Azzi Fudd– I called both Mark and Shane the first time I caught Fudd a few summers ago and I proclaimed Fudd to be the next “one”. I admittedly can get excited when I catch a young player for the first time, but boy was I right on this one. Has an old-school feel to her game and plays with the patience and understanding of the game of a grizzled vet. Natural leadership qualities… A major weapon in Fudd’s arsenal is the one or two-dribble pull up jumper from the mid-range. Efficient dribble and excellent use of shoulders to create space… Vision off the bounce… Easy 3-ball range off the bounce or catch… Use of shoulders allow for many and-1 opportunities. Excellent on-ball perimeter defender…
Hailey Van Lith– Hailey came in as a mystery guest with a huge reputation to many who had not seen her before and lived up to the hype. Explosive right to left cross… Creates contact and gets to the free throw line seemingly at will. Strong frame allows for contact finishes. Excellent vision off the bounce… Excels in pick and roll situations. Extremely competitive perimeter defender…
Hannah Gusters– Anybody who knows me will tell you if a Duncanville Pantherette is in the mix, I’m going to write about her. The next in a long line of hoopers to come out of the Texas powerhouse, Gusters made her presence felt throughout the weekend. Does the work early in creating deep post position. Excellent touch in the paint. Will face up and hit you out to 15-18 feet consistently with emerging ability from the 3-point line at the top of the key. Active post presence defensively and on the boards…
MARK WILLIAMS
Aaliyah Boston - Boston was MVP of the 2017 FIBA U16 Americas Championship in Argentina, but she didn’t really on that coming into 2018 USA U17 Trials. She came to trials in better shape than last year and on a mission that no one was going to take her spot. She was a beast on the boards and it was tough to keep from scoring in the low post. Her improved conditioning allowed her to keep her high level of play through the trials.
2018 U17 USA Basketball Trials
