Eye-Catching Performance
Temi Fagbenie showed off her skill set at the U.S. Junior Nationals -- one that coaches dream about. The London-native has good size, athleticism and incredible hops.WASHINGTON, D.C. -- There are not a lot of things that you can count on in our nation's capital and things seem to constantly be changing. One thing that hasn't changed over the years and always holds a prominent spot on the July recruiting landscape is the U.S. Junior National Championships. The talent and level of competition may well have been the deepest and most competitive to date this summer. While it wasn't possible to see all the teams in action, the ones we did see offered up some impressive prospects including many we haven't profiled in any previous tip sheets.
With the abundance of athletes who have come out of the New York Gauchos program over the years, it's no surprise that this year's team has several more talented recruits. While a couple of her teammates have already committed, Elaine Swaby is starting to emerge the shadow her teammates cast. Certainly not a secret to college coaches, Swaby is worth a second look. The 6-2 wing is a lean, athletic leaper and despite her slight build, she's more than willing to bang around inside with the large bodies. However, her agility and quickness make her best suited for the wing spot that requires both size and quickness. She can slash, drive and has the ability to finish in traffic. Defensively, she can match up at any spot on the perimeter and would be a coach's dream on top of a zone or the front of a press.
Valencia McFarland of the Tennessee Flight missed the first part of the July evaluation period with a sprained ankle, but showed no lingering effects during her return to action in D.C. The 5-foot-6 Ole Miss commit got right back into the swing of things at her usual breakneck pace. The ultra-quick point guard changes the tempo of any game she plays in and keeps opposing defenses on their toes until the final buzzer. While she's a capable scorer in her own right, what McFarland does best is create opportunities and looks for her teammates through her penetration. There are few quicker players out there and she applies that at both ends of the floor. Defensively, she's willing to dig in and work a ballhandler the length of the floor.
The player who can play both the wing and the small forward spot may be as rare as anything recruiters can find in the gym. Sabine Niedola of the Philadelphia Belles 16U Mike Flynn Team not only has that ability, but she's impressive at that. Physically strong and mature, the 6-1 native of Latvia seems to be involved in virtually every play at both ends of the floor. One play she'll mix it up in the paint and the next possession she'll be attacking from the perimeter. Her skills are fundamentally sound and her court intelligence leads to good decisions with or without the ball. She can post a smaller defender and penetrate easily, if her opponent has more size. Where she really stands out is her movement without the ball. Her cuts are well read, aggressive and often lead to good looks at the rim.
Marissa Taylor of the Illinois Hustle is still evolving as a player. Despite being a senior, this may be an evolution that recruiters need to watch. At 6-4, she has a solid, strong build and the mobility to get up and down the floor with the guards. The biggest missing piece to her game is consistency. One moment she gives you the play that gets your hopes up, but follows that up with an inexperienced decision or move. All the physical aspects are in place and playing for highly-regarded Hustle coach Derril Kipp can only help take her to another level. This is one athlete who's future is really in her own hands. What she does with it is up to her.
There aren't many athletes who combine the athletic skills with the basketball skills that Maryland-commit Alyssa Thomas does. The 6-0 wing from the Mid-Penn Motion is an impact player at both ends of the floor and should have no trouble being the same player for the Terps when she moves on to the college level. Currently ranked No. 42 in the ESPN HoopGurlz Hundred, she's constantly on the offensive attack and has a first step that few defenders can effectively react to. Her ballhandling allows her to create, while her aggressiveness lets her to the rim time and again. Her perimeter shot will need to become more of a consistent threat for the left hander to keep opponents honest, but the stroke is sound. Defensively and on the boards, Thomas is as relentless as anyone in the class and she's making a very valid case for a higher spot in the post summer rankings.
Sherrone Vails has always captured people's attention with her size alone. However, it's her game and the advancement of her skills that seem to be catching more eyes this summer. The 6-4 Fairfax Stars forward has emerged as one of the true forwards with the combination of size, skills and athleticism recruiters search high and low for. There is a confidence in her play that hasn't always shown through and she appears to be playing with more of it every day. She runs the floor like a deer and is utilizing her mobility much more effectively in the half court. Her size demands a bigger matchup from defenders, but perimeter shots and penetration are the price they pay. Vails still has a very lean build and struggles at times with physical play, but she's countering with more and more movement. You can't hit what you can't catch.
There aren't too many sleepers out there, but every once in a while there will be an under-the-radar player who makes a pretty good-sized splash. Monica Wignot did just that in D.C., demonstrating a great combination of size and skills that may well bring a few more phone calls her way come August. She has the ability to create with the ball on the dribble and very impressively with the pass. Playing with the Firm AC Elite, the 6-1 Wignot has the physical makeup to play almost any spot on the floor. You wouldn't use her as a true post-up player, but she has the potential to be effective almost everywhere else and the size to be more than effective. That versatility makes her a challenging matchup for opposing teams and an attractive prospect for college recruiters at a very high level.
One of the more eye-catching performances from any athlete in D.C. came from Temi Fagbenie. The 6-4 forward of the Philadelphia Belles 16 U Mike Flynn Team has virtually all the tools you would order, if you could purchase a player online. The native of London, England, has size, athleticism, advanced skills and a work ethic that coaches seldom find. She runs the floor with the guards and often finishes a break that she started herself with an outlet pass. Lean and agile, she's most effective on the move and is just as adept 15 feet from the basket as she is down on the block. Her leaping ability combined with her height and wingspan make her a formidable force defensively and impressive presence on the boards. There's little doubt she'll have her choice of schools when the time comes. Attending Blair Academy in New Jersey, she's also the reigning state high jump and javelin champion.
If the race for the top spot in the 2011 class was perceived to be a three-person race this spring, the field has definitely expanded this summer. One of the top candidates for that conversation has to be Orlando Comet's 6-4 forward Amber Henson. Currently ranked No. 6, Henson's game almost appears to be evolving right in front of everyone this summer and, just for good measure, she appears to be growing just as fast. Now standing almost 6-5, she has become one of the most versatile players on the floor, effectively scoring both inside and out. Her range and touch make it difficult for defenders. Leave her open and she can hit with uncanny accuracy, but close out too tight and she's going to use her athleticism and quickness to penetrate. Even more of a threat is her desire for the ball. She cuts aggressively on the perimeter or in transition and demands the ball on the block with active posting. Her vision and willingness to help on the defensive end allow guards to take a few extra chances and keeps opponents from getting too deep in the lane.
Every once in a while there is an athlete out there who almost defies description. Desiree Drayton may well be a one-person track team. The 5-11 wing with the Greensboro Galaxy has physical skills that allow her to make play after play and make them in impressive style. She has speed, quickness, leaping ability and despite her lean build, pretty good strength. She's playing the small forward spot with her club right now, but will ultimately end up on the perimeter on the college level. She already handles the ball well and made several coast-to-coast plays that few athletes could have managed. Her shot needs refinement and work, but the potential is there for a good jumper. Even with all her physical tools what may set her apart is the fact that she works at it. Drayton is active at both ends of the floor and plays with a wild abandon that's going to take her a long way.
If you look around you can find Shakena Richardson's height listed anywhere from 5-3 to 5-6. Her own team, the Jersey Shore Diamonds, list her at 5-3 and that may be close to accurate. No matter what, the explosive point guard is a catalyst for excitement on the floor. Her quickness and strong athletic build allow her to attack constantly on almost any opponent. Add that to her first class one-on-one skills and you've got a dynamic player. Richardson can also pull up on the drive and knock down the short jumper or connect from the perimeter, if defenders back off. Defensively, she has the lateral speed to turn almost any ballhandler and can contain the best penetrator.
If you're going to check out Brene Moseley, you better do it during a dead ball. When play is live, there's not much of a chance of catching the 5-8 DC Heat point guard standing still. Quick does not seem to do justice to her ability to get from point A to point B. What makes it even tougher for opponents is that she has that speed with and without the ball. Creating off the dribble, she possesses one of the most lethal crossover dribbles a defender could face. She reads her opponents and utilizes impressive individual skills to get them out of their stance and penetrate repeatedly. In transition, she doesn't have to have numbers to find an opportunity. There should be a long line forming at her door.
D.C. Cobra guard Jephany Brown may be in the class of 2012, but you might not know that from her size and build. Standing 6-0 tall with a strong, athletic body, she gives the impression of a more experienced athlete. Her play does nothing to dispel those thoughts, either. Attacking with the ball in her hands, she's able to use her size and strength to get into the paint and finish in traffic. Her one-on-one skills help her get by defenders and she'll make the smart pass when defensive rotations come her way. She'll need to be a legitimate threat from the perimeter, if she wants to play at the highest level, but the potential is there. Defensively, she can match up with both quicker guards and even some smaller forwards.
There are players that catch your eye the moment you walk in the gym and Lanay Montgomery is one of them. The Maryland Lady Panthers post is 6-5 with a solid and strong build that makes her an imposing presence on the floor. Add to that a wingspan that practically covers the width of the lane and you've got someone who could have an impact. There are lots of tools in place and the potential is very obvious, but at this point there is a very raw aspect to her skills. Size alone makes her a solid defender and rebounder, right now. She can finish the shots that come her way, but at this point isn't going to create her own. As a refined set of post moves evolve for her, she's going to become the kind of player who keeps opponents up at night.
When you look at Team Unique's youngest team it's hard to imagine that their ages are correct. With athletes standing 6-1, 6-2, two at 6-3 and another at 6-5, big things are in the future for James Nichols' group. Infiniti Alston checks in the tallest of that group at 6-5 with a solid and impressive build. She has good hands, runs the floor well and is constantly active at both ends of the floor. Her skills are just developing and she need lots of repetitions beyond just game time on the floor. The promising aspect of her game is her willingness to work. Combine that with her physical potential and good things could happen.
