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LBI Round Up: Queen Of The Rock Day 1 (Toledo OH)

By Jason Wilkins @LBInsider @WilkinsReport, 05/09/21, 1:45AM EDT

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Toledo, OH: The Queen of The Rock tournament took place on the campus of Owens Tech Community College. With over 90 teams and over 20 college coaches in attendance, there was at times standing room only from court to court.  There was definitely not a shortage of talent in Toledo this past weekend. Below are just a few good players and teams that I saw

Teams That Caught My Eye

Michigan Storm GUAA 15U Simpkins
The Storm is a very long, athletic, tough defensive-minded squad that feeds off of their coach’s intensity. Each girl that enters the game is expected to be aggressive on both ends of the floor, attacking the basket and causing relentless pressure to their opponent. Led by the Davis girls, this team is loaded, dangerous and fun to watch. Multiple girls scored in many different ways today, shooting and hitting the three, going to the basket, and creating off the dribble for themselves or a teammate.  

Always 100 Paul 9th Grade 
If you like great team basketball, with a swarming defense and a couple of big-time players to lead the way, the Always 100 (Paul) 9th-grade team is the squad for you. Led by a nice floor general in Kyndra sheets, a do-it wing in Alexis Castator, and a three-point specialist Jersey Paul, this team put on a show all day. Their swarming 1-2-2 Zone defense and their willingness to get out and run in transition made them fun to watch. When forced to play in the half-court, the Always 100 squad ran their sets to perfection scoring off of basket cuts and back cuts all day. Look for big things from this team all summer.

Wes Michigan Drive (Wypych) 8th grade
A scrappy defensive team that applied pressure all game using their athletes Jaslynn Ward and Anna Wypych creates turnovers and turns them into buckets in the open court. The Drive moved the ball well and got some pretty jaw-dropping finishes from Anna Wypch to run away with their contest vs. Michigan Premiere White.

Michigan Finest 2023
A very balanced team with great guard play from their floor general and a big-time inside presence from Ava Scanlon, Emily Scanlon, and Hannah Pricco. Add the Shooters on the wing with great penetration and playmaking, and this team is super dangerous and a hardcover for most teams they face.

Michigan Mystics 9th Grade
I watched this team beat an outstanding Always 100 squad with an aggressive defense, a balanced scoring attack led by Mckenzie Bisballe, Mia Mcgloughlin, and Ali Bisballe doing a little bit of everything inside and out to help seal the win. Not a lot of weakness on offense for this squad as they can shoot it, drive it, and make the right pass to set up a teammate.

Always 100 2023 Elite 3SBB
They played an exceptional back and forth game vs. 1 Nation getting down late, but their aggressive, attacking, relentless style paid off as they fought back, and behind the deadly shooting of Allie Stevens, Always 100 pulled out the 1- point victory down the stretch. Always 100 had success making the extra pass and finding the open player, as was the game-winner a back-cut layup off a great pass.

Michigan Mystics 17U RUH
The Mystics showed that they will be a team to watch in 2021 as they battled back and forth with a very good Crossover team, not backing down one bit. A team full of players all able to shoot the rock and attack off the dribble, the Mystics made big play after big play to stay in the game. Zoey Persalis was all over the floor, knocking down some big-time shots and making plays with and without the ball. Hannah Schroeder was very effective offensively and defensively for the Mystics trying to do whatever she could to will her team to victory.

Saturday Standouts

2024 Jordan Pool | Always 100 9th 
Big time talent with the full package as a point guard, the handle, the vision, the dimes, the shot this young lady has all the makings of being the next big thing she never got sped up and lost control even against the extremely aggressive press from the Michigan Storm. Look for HUGE things from Pool.

2024 Summer Davis | Michigan Storm GUAA 15U
As advertised, Summer continues to improve every time out; she doesn’t have many weaknesses, she defends at a high level, scores the rock, drops dimes, leads her team emotionally and hell, I think she even went out and popped the popcorn. Summer is surrounded by excellent teammates, and she manages to find a way to get everyone involved but still make plays for herself; this young lady is special.

2024 Kyndra Sheets | Always 100 9th
The general of a very solid team, Sheets, did it all for her squad, making some eye-popping passes, moves, and buckets. Sheets, an intelligent guard, took advantage of getting to her spots and played with a lot of poise for a 9th grader.

2023 Jada Dames |  C2K Thunder
I love this young lady's motor; she played on the go the whole time offensively and defensively, attacking the rack off the dribble and displaying her range from deep. Jada plays with a maturity beyond her years and had her hand in pretty much everything on the floor when she was in; the sky is the limit for Dames.

2024 Alexis Castator  | Always 100 9th
Mrs. Do it all, Alexis was so smooth handling the ball, knocking down the three, scoring in the paint, or beating her girl off the dribble. Alexis is asked to do a lot for her team, and she did not disappoint. In one stretch, she hit a three, blocked a shot, scored in transition, and hit a cutting teammate for an easy layup. All looking as if she didn’t even break a sweat (the girl is SMOOTH).

2024 Reese Polega | West Mich Drive Copeland 9th
Quietly, Reese consistently made shots for the drive, hitting some big three's and getting to the basket with some excellent finishes. In a comeback attempt vs. Always 100 Reese refused to let her team go away by knocking down shot after shot showing her scoring ability. I look forward to seeing her get more buckets throughout the summer.

2024 Aniya Billups | 1 Nation Elite 3SSB 16U
Billups, a super athletic wing, had it all clicking today, knocking down threes from deep, slashing to the hoop blocking shots, and stepping up big in crunch time. Billups is always one of the most athletic girls on the floor, and when the shot is falling, it's trouble for her opponent.

2023 Armoni Strozier | Michigan Storm GUAA 16U
Strozier rebounded the ball well and frequently scored around the basket.  Armoni posted up strong and made some very nice back-to-the-basket moves. She is active on both ends of the court and works hard.

2024 Yasmyn Palmer | Michigan Crossover 16U EYBL
Palmer was very physical on the inside making her opponent work for everything. She ran the floor well for her size and was also effective on the boards on both ends, blocked and altered numerous shots. She is improving daily and her stock is definitely rising. 

2022 Mia Riley | Michigan's Finest
Mia is good at creating off the dribble for herself and her teammates. She was very effective in half-court sets. She works hard off the ball to get open for high percentage shots. Her athleticism allows her to be a good on-ball defense as she rarely allowed penetration.