In my most recent post, I covered our Under 16 girls team playing in the World Cup of the Americas in Mexico. The Gold Medal game with Canada was what a lot of the people were waiting to see. The undefeated Canadians seemed light years ahead of the kids on the other teams in the tournament who had been completely undone by Sue Phillips' (Archbishop Mitty H.S. in San Jose, CA) full court press.
But no, the kids from up north withered and wilted, as well. Cassandre Prosper, a 6'-2" forward, emerged, to me, as the MVP of their team. Turns out almost no girls on their team, or any of the other teams in the tournament, could handle the press executed by the kids who had USA across the front of their jerseys, who were quick as hell and could anticipate where the next pass was going. A few minutes in, the games all seemed to turn into a layup drill.
Those two qualities pretty much defined the girls in red, white and blue. They ended up winning the Gold Medal game by 60, and Coach Sue shut down the press in the third quarter and played her least lethal players from there on. The quickest of our numerous quick guards was Jaloni Cambridge (#4), a 15 year old 5'-5" projectile who accelerates like something shot from an electric rail gun. She brings Aari McDonald to mind - how Aari must have played when she was 15.
At the same time, in Debrecen, Hungary the FIBA U18 3X3 women's World Cup tournament was happening. I was particularly interested in watching Kiki Rice ( #7.) She's the highest ranked point guard in the 2022 class and was locked in a series of six great basketball battles.
Kiki is being as heavily recruited as Lauren Betts was by all the major powerhouse schools, including Stanford - but Kiki hasn't made her decision yet. My sources tell me that Stanford had a coach at that tournament and that her folks have deep ties to The Farm. She seems to me like a Kiana with a bigger frame. She's 5'-11", built strong, able to play through contact, and can shoot. Here's hoping Kiki picks up the Cardinal colored hat on signing day.
The USA 3X3 team was made up of three of the top ranked recruits in the Class of 2022 and one in the Class of 2023. Only one of which has committed, to date. Ayanna Patterson (#4) has verbally committed to UConn. The other three were Kiki Rice, Janiah Barker (#11), and Mikaylah Williams (#12) (2023). (Janiah is a beast!)
You should treat yourself to watching some of all the games our 3X3 team played this past week on YouTube. It was a brutal gauntlet - nothing like the cakewalk our U16 5X5 team enjoyed. You had the feeling, watching the USA/Russia 3X3 quarter-final contest that the Russian players' families might lose their homes or their careers, if they lost. It was no game for anyone with weak knees or a faint heart. The refs had to stop the play several times and warn the players to reduce the level of contact - and handed out technical fouls, as well, trying to moderate the level of physicality. Bodies were strewn about the tarmac now and again. The Russians won in overtime, but I think it took so much out of them they lost their semi-final game.
We played the Spanish team for the Gold Medal. They played great basketball and were the European 3X3 champs. Winning that Gold Medal was a massive accomplishment. My hat is off to those four brave indefatigable American warriors.
Anyway, who says this is the off season?
COME TO STANFORD, KIKI, AND HELP US WIN!! AND TREAT YOURSELF TO THE BEST UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD (AND NEEDS A GREAT POINT GUARD!!)
No comments:
Post a Comment