Chicago, IL: To win the coveted EYBL Championship and have bragging rights for the year. To sacrifice time with friends and family, or as one player elected to do, decline an invitation to tryout for the U19 USA team. Whatever the sacrifice, the moment has come for four teams to have a chance to say, “We are the 2019 EYBL Champions.” LBI was strapped in and ready to see the action in Windy City Chicago. Here are the 16U and 17U championship game recaps from the 2019 Nike EYBL Championship games.
16U EYBL CHAMPIONSHIP
All Iowa Attack 62 North Tartan 42
The All Iowa Attack program was looking to secure a double with their 16U and 17U teams reaching the final in their respective divisions. But first, All Iowa 16U would have to find a way to beat North Tartan...and they did. 2022 Mara Braun kicked off the festivities with a three pointer. Braun was solid throughout as was SG Adalia McKenzie who helped keep things close early using a side step off the dribble to create space for three then scoring on a drive from the right wing. As things begin to pick up, it was back to back triples from Katie Dinnebier that I believe swung the pendulum back to All Iowa for good. Then the 2nd quarter came, and All Iowa attacked! Their style of play on the offensive end proved to be too much for the North Tartan defense. Led by the wizardry of 5’4” Caroline Waite, All Iowa penetrated, got in the paint, and created scoring opportunities for each other at an elite level. Waite was the catalyst as she broke down North Tartan’s defense time and time again. The diminutive one finished drives, kicked to teammates for three's, and dictated the fast and furious tempo of the game. 2022 Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda was electric. This skilled ball handler and finisher was a nightmare one on one. She has a silky smooth rhythm to her game that was a pleasure to watch. PF Jada Gyamfi made momentum changing shots from beyond the arc and fortified the paint with solid defense vs. one of the top centers in the 16U EYBL League in 6’4” Maya Nnaji. And the contributions don’t stop there. 2022 PF Hannah Stuelke was a monster. North Tartan defenders bounced off her as she drove through the lane to finish. Stuelke converted multiple three point plays while anchoring a stellar defensive effort from the Attack. All Iowa dominated this one with a 62-42 win and completed the first half of what would hopefully be a sweep of the EYBL 16U and 17U championships for the All Iowa Attack program.
LBI Game MVP
PG Caroline Waite All Iowa Attack
LBI 16U All-Championship Game Team
PG Caroline Waite AIl Iowa Attack
SG Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda AIl Iowa Attack
SG Mara Braun North Tartan
PF Hannah Stuelke AIl Iowa Attack
C Maya Nnaji North Tartan
17U EYBL CHAMPIONSHIP
Team Takeover 67 All Iowa Attack 57
Earlier in the week, I read a story (Walter Villa/ESPNW) that Angel Reese declined her invitation to try out for the USA Basketball U19 team so she could spend one last summer with her Team Takeover squad. There’s no doubt that her decision was not only based on her love for her girls but also because she believed they could be 17U EYBL Champions...and she was right. All Iowa Attack hangs their hat on precision on the offensive end and knocking down the three points shot and in the 2nd quarter of this game (the only quarter they lost) the aforementioned was not there as they were outscored in the quarter by 14 points. And when a team is fortunate enough to face an All Iowa team that is cold from the field there is only one thing for Team Takeover to seal the deal: REBOUND. Team Takeover would do just that as they were able to limit All Iowa to just one shot for most of the afternoon and out-rebounded AIA 45-22 for the game. Team Takeover’s Mir McLean and Reese grabbed 11 rebounds apiece and led the team 15 and 18 points respectively. I was thoroughly impressed with All Iowa’s grit probably most embodied in the demeanor and play of 2020 SG Kylie Feuerbach who lefty everything out on the court and finished with a game-high 20 points on 8 of 13 shooting from the field. But Reese combined with Team Takeovers overall athleticism and ability to score in transition proved to be the difference as Team Takeover denies the All Iowa Attack a chance at an unprecedented double at the Nike EYBL Championship.
LBI Game Co-MVPs
SF Mir McClean Team Takeover
SF Angel Reese Team Takeover
LBI 17U All-Championship Game Team
SF Mir McClean Team Takeover
SF Angel Reese Team Takeover
SF Liatu King Team Takeover
SG Kylie Feuerbach All Iowa Attack
SG Aubrey Joens All Iowa Attack
