New Faces Making a Difference for Upstate NY AAU Programs

In the world of AAU basketball, the one constant is change. Individuals playing with programs are essentially one-year deals, and teams can quickly rise from fledgling to a true contender in a short amount of time. While out at the Hidden Gems Spring Showcase in Foxboro, MA on Friday & Saturday and New Jersey Sparks tournament in Paterson, NJ Sunday, many of the players that caught my eye from teams in upstate NY were making their live period debuts for those particular programs. Some were new to the national AAU scene; others were in front of the coaches wearing different colors last year. A list of those new program additions that made major differences for their team in front of me, in order of graduating class:

Alexandra Tudor (Shenendehowa 2018/I-90 Elite Wright) - Tudor, an uber-athletic 5'11" wing that an extensive list of Division I programs are intrigued by, is the pure 3 that Randy Wright's team needed; a player that can guard multiple positions, score in a variety of ways, and above all, the fastest player in the gym just about every time she walks in the building. Tudor went a long way to answer questions & concerns that coaches have had about her, as she did a good job scoring in half-court sets, creating her own shot and hitting teammates on feeds off the drive, and knocking down mid-range & perimeter jumpers off the catch and off the dribble. Look for her recruitment to hit the next level in the very near future.

Cameron Tooley (Shenendehowa 2018/I-90 Elite Wright) - Tooley's presence also makes a major difference and will likely lead to more wins in close games for I-90. Currently holding a Division II offer from Le Moyne and Division I interest from UMass Lowell and St. Francis (Brooklyn) among others, her steady presence at the PG spot not only provides a change of pace, but it provides a ballhandler & decision maker that can be trusted at any point of any game. She seemingly always makes the right play, can knock down the perimeter J at a high clip, gets to the rim off screens, and has consistently been an 85%+ free throw shooter in HS and AAU ball over the last two years. The calming presence & basketball IQ she brings while running the show for I-90, who often plays at a frenetic pace, was easily noticed.

Jenna Zimmerman (South Jefferson 2018/NY Havoc Blue) - Whenever a coach asks me what Zimmerman can do on the court, I instantly respond by telling them to ask me what she can't do because that list will be much, much shorter. On Sunday, perhaps no one in the gym aided their stock more than her. In a short stretch in the 1st half of a Sunday afternoon game against Exodus EYBL, she scored 12 points by hitting two threes, two free throws after getting fouled on a putback attempt, getting a layup rolling off a screen she set, and getting by a defender off a perimeter shot fake & finishing at backboard level. She defended all 5 positions in multiple games, going from guard standouts Jenna Annecchiarico, Aziah Hudson, Dara Mabrey, and Erica Martinsen (Virginia commit) to 6'9" post & Oregon State commit Andrea Aquino & 6'3" Tennessee commit Amira Collins. She shot it well, handled it, rebounded well, and averaged close to a handful of blocks per game against elite competition. The scary thing? She's still growing. From 6'1" last year to 6'3" now, along with a 6'8" wingspan, and a young 2018 at that (having turned 16 in the fall) - this is a player that coaches will have to keep both eyes on as this spring progresses.

Haille Hart (Albany 2018/I-90 Elite Wright) - Activity, ability to defend the post, and rebound the ball to spark the break provided a major lift off the bench for their team. Her ability to play strong post defense, rebound at a high rate, and slide to the right spot on guard penetration, catch, & finish was needed throughout the weekend, especially against a bigger & stronger City Rocks team in the morning featuring 6'4" high major recruit Olivia Owens. Hart did a great job playing within herself and doing what was needed, which was the work that many players don't want to do. In doing so, she certainly caught my eye.

Traiva Breedlove (Our Lady of Mercy 2018/City Rocks) - On a team with 7 out of the 9 players being new to the program, Breedlove's (along with others mentioned below) contributions were desperately needed and easily noticed. Traiva, a wing that can seemingly score from anywhere on the court, kept her group in it for a long stretch because of her ability to put it in the basket at will. Her mix of skill, strength, and deception with jabs and ball/head fakes makes her a tough cover for any one person. When the going gets tough, every team needs a player that can be trusted to go and get a bucket - Breedlove, along with her vocal leadership, can flat out do that in bunches. She's already been on the radar of Division I programs, but her performance Saturday opened eyes of numerous other D1s that I spoke with at the event.
  
Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018/NY Havoc Blue) - Jankovic made her presence felt especially in their first game on Sunday, as they battled DC-based EYBL squad Team Takeover to a 9 point loss. Jankovic can be aptly described as a pitbull with a jump shot, and both of those sides came in handy. Her pressure on Takeover's guards turned into a handful of steals throughout the game, leading to layups or open shots on the break for teammates. She also worked hard on the glass, proving to be a sound rebounding guard by grabbing numerous offensive boards. When it was time for her number to be called, she had success knocking down the three or beating a closing-out defender off the dribble.

Makaila Wilson (Penfield 2018/City Rocks) - As players on this team get used to each other and start fitting into roles, Wilson's versatility will prove to be very important. While most players here have a true primary position, the athletic 6'0" swing player can seamlessly transition from the wing to the 4. If a coach is feeling really adventurous, she could even slide to the 5 in a Golden State Warriors 'death lineup' setup. Her athleticism & ability to defend most players, regardless of position, can make her a 'glue girl' on this team. On Saturday, she flashed an improving ability to knock down the perimeter jumper. Continued improvement with that can make her an exponentially tougher cover, as she'll be able to burn defenders more easily getting to the rack.

Brianna Rozzi (Highland 2019/NY Havoc Blue) - Usually, you have to watch a team play for a little while to realize where an individual make a difference. The impact Rozzi makes for her team slaps you in the face. At her best, she's a certified game changer at the PG spot. Her ability to handle the ball - and her wanting the ball in her hands, willing to battle anyone pressuring her - provides a great deal of pressure relief for others like Grace Heeps, or allows Heeps to move to the 2 spot, depending on the lineup. She can heat up at a moment's notice, and her ability to score 8-10 points in the blink of an eye can change the momentum of a game. She really brought it in a Saturday game against the NJ Sparks EYBL team, where she broke their press several times in a row on her own and either scored or assisted a teammate's basket on every one of those occasions. A relative unknown to Division I coaches before this stage, look for her recruitment to hit another level in the near future.

Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019/City Rocks) - Flaherty, a 2 guard with a pure stroke, scored 5 quick points upon entry against I-90 Elite. These points were important, as they helped settle the team down and get them into the game. She did so early by getting to the rim, a part of her game that has noticeably been improving of late and is making her an even tougher cover. Flaherty's elite perimeter shooting ability, especially off the catch, still showed itself throughout the day - being able to knock shots down at a high clip from deep means defenses can't help off her, which opens up room for other players to penetrate or post.

EmmaLee Morgan (Averill Park 2019/I-90 Elite Kinch) - Morgan, a 6'1" natural wing, provides Tony Kinch's team with a versatile player that can (and did) split much of her time between the 3 & 4 spots. She can knock down the three, attack the rim from the perimeter and hit mid-range jumpers & floaters, or she can get all the way to the rim and finish higher than most girls can get up to. The versatility and ability to slide her in different spots, both offensively & defensively, man or zone, allows them to hit the opposition with a variety of different lineup looks.

Alyssa Stevenson (South Jefferson 2019/I-90 Elite Kinch) - Stevenson also showed what she brought to the table, as the 6'1" forward gave them a physical presence on the blocks that they don't get from anyone else on the roster. Her post defense & rebounding ability helps spring their high-octane fast break offense, spearheaded by returners Mackenzie & Madison Smith and Angel Parker. Look for Stevenson's role to expand as she gets more acclimated to the style of play, as this is her first year of high level AAU ball.

Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020/City Rocks) - It was also easy to see how important Cairns, along with fellow Blue Streak teammate Flaherty, were to this group. I-90 Elite jumped out to a quick 13-0 lead with the Saratoga pair on the bench, and City Rocks had a great deal of trouble with I-90's press. Dolly's ability to control the defense with the ball in her hands, unmatched by any guard in upstate NY in the 2020 class, changed City Rocks' luck against the press instantly upon her checking in. Cairns is also getting noticeably stronger, which helped her immensely against physical pressure defense. She can score against anyone and create for others, and most importantly, knows when to do what so others are constantly involved while still making the defense respect her scoring ability.

Kelsey Wood (Averill Park 2020/NY Havoc 9 Silver) - Wood, a powerful yet versatile 6'1" F, was a highly coveted player on the AAU scene that Terrance Florence. There are very good reasons why she was wanted so badly, and she showed a lot of that in Paterson on Sunday. She's an elite rebounder at any level, and you can put her down for double-digit boards in Sharpie before the game starts. Off of those rebounds, her high motor and ability to run the floor often means layups in transition for her at the other end. Not only did she use her strength to post up & score, but she also showed the ability to step outside and knock down jumpers - the ability to step out beyond the 3 point line makes her an extremely difficult cover at her age group. Opposing teams learned this the hard way, and it raised her Havoc squad to a level they wouldn't have been at otherwise.

Dani Haskell (Franklinville 2020/I-90 Elite LaClair) - The 5'7" guard is riding high on confidence, coming off a freshman season that saw her blow past the 1,000 point mark while averaging well over 25 PPG. When she walks into a gym, she's usually the best shooter there. Most importantly, she has the handle & craftiness to get her shot off against even the toughest on-ball defenders. She uses that shooting ability to carve her way into the lane and wreak havoc. Her addition to this I-90 team turns them into a team that has the firepower to score against any team they go up against, and they had a great deal of success in the W/L column over the weekend. Players like her open the game up even more for people like...

Jess Cook (Cicero-North Syracuse 2021/I-90 Elite LaClair) - Another new addition to I-90 who adds a true dominant post presence that they - and most teams they play - wouldn't otherwise have. With a strong frame and standing every bit of 6'1", Cook also has post skill - good footwork, good hands, a go-to & counter move, and good finishing ability - that you rarely see at that age. Plus, the 8th grader is playing up a year. Look out for Jess, as her game is quickly expanding - she appears to be the next major player in a long line of high-level talent at CNS.