Posting this here for this who haven't ventured into the U16 General Thread.
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Very detailed look at the trials from PBR's Shane Laflin.. Lots of info on what drills were done and how things were processed. He also profiles the final 18 players. Below are the UConn-connected players.
CELESTE TAYLOR – (2019 NY) Prototypical 2 guard; has a brilliant fundamental base – uses jabs & shots fakes very well to get to her 1 or 2 bounce pull up jumper. The 3 ball is nice; she is an explosive finisher at the rim and can finish in a variety of ways. She is economical in the way she uses her dribbles – never pounding that thing too much. Great feel for the game. (Invitee)
KYLEE WATSON – (2020 NJ) Workhorse! Her footwork in and around the paint is A1. She seals extremely well and feels the defense and counters very well. She has nice face up game. She is a good passer and is well aware of spacing and placement on the floor. A couple of times she got a long rebound, pushed the ball with impressive speed and made great decisions. (Invitee)
MADDIE BURKE – (2020 PA) SHOOTER! She has a great frame to be a wonderful shooter for a long time. There is a perfection to her release that leads to really crisp makes; she showed a bit of shake off the bounce as well. She has a bit of Katie Smith (Ohio State/WNBA) to her game – she plays very hard and is good on the glass. Wonderful fundamental foundation to her game. (Invitee)
ZIA COOKE – (2019 OH) Electric with the rock!! She is quick, fast, athletic… all of that. She stood out from Day 1 to Day 4. This PG can dance with that thing.. She knows how to create angles in small space to shake her defender to score or create for teammates. She showed a nice 3 ball, pull up, and finishing at the rim. She competed defensively and always put pressure on the other team with ball pressure or pushing the ball down the floor. She showed nice leadership attributes as well. Has some Tyler Scaife/Kelsey Mitchell/Russell Westbrook elements to her game. (Invitee)
AZZI FUDD – (2021 VA) Eye opening young guard. She is poised well beyond her years. She is physically strong and had no problem competing with players older than her. Her eyes are up and she distributes the ball and controls the tempo of games by leading her team. She has a nice pull up – elevation and high release. She is going to be fun to continue to watch. (Applicant Athlete)
HALEY JONES – (2019 CA) “Swiss Army Knife” type of game; She is a very good all around basketball player that can truly play positions 2-4 because she has the skill and IQ to do so. She understands flow, reads the floor so well, and can score in a variety of ways. She got on the glass well and can rebound and lead the break or sprint the lane and get ahead of the break. I’m a big fan.. (Invitee)
ALIYAH BOSTON – (2019 MA) Major post presence. Had an impressive showing last year at U17’s and did not disappoint this year. She has true back to the basket game and a nice touch in finishing from the HP area and just outside the paint. Strong and powerful athlete who is locked in and competitive – very reliable!! (Invitee)
SAM BRUNELLE – (2019 VA) The vet! By making last year’s team, Brunelle opened eyes all over the world to her talent. She is as fundamentally sound as they come – range, vision, handle, post game, perimeter game. She looks to be in great shape and showed leadership qualities. She is going to be a weapon in their system and will be able to play multiple spots for Team USA. (Invitee)
PAIGE BUECKERS – (2020 MN) Hooper!! She has a wonderful feel for the game and can dance a bit with the rock. She is a good shooter with PG skills that make her a threat every time she touches the ball. Defensively she uses her anticipation skills, quickness, and length to get to the right spots to disrupt her opponents – she got a ton of tips and steals. She is no stranger to the gym – she can play! (Invitee)
2017 U16 USA Basketball Trials
Whatever two players that Geno covets the most, if we get them, I'm happy.