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LBI Michigan Event Recap: Michigan Middle School AAU State Championship

By Jason Wilkins @LBInsider @Wilkins Report & Steve Reynolds @LBI_Steve, 05/01/18, 11:15AM EDT

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'23 Macy Brown of Michigan Basketball Academy showed this weekend why she is one the best players in her class


'23 Macy Brown of Michigan Basketball Academy showed this weekend why she is one the best players in her class

2018 Michigan Middle School AAU State Champions

7th Grade Division 1: Michigan Crossover
7th Grade Division 2: Hype Lady Hoopers

8th Grade Division 1: MBA Black
8th Grade Division 2: Lady Team Focus

Lansing, MI: LBI was on hand for the AAU Michigan State Championships.  It was an excellent atmosphere for clutch performances and highly competitive games.  There were some buzzer beaters, and there were blowouts.  All in all, the AAU Michigan State Championships provided a chance for programs to measure up and seize an opportunity to be called MICHIGAN STATE CHAMPS.

Michigan AAU State Championship Top Performers:

2022 6' Post Davi Matthews Common Bond
Davi was very physical on the inside making her opponent work for everything. She ran the floor well for her size. Matthews dominated the boards on both ends blocked and altered many shots. Her good lateral movement allowed her to get out and defend on the perimeter when needed. She can score around the basket very efficient from the left side of the rim and was effective scoring off of the pick of the roll, where she catches the ball at its highest point and goes straight up after the catch. 

2022 5'7" PG Lauren DeWolf Common Bond
DeWolf caught my eye with her ability to defend the ball. She went on to hit multiple shots from long range when left open. Lauren is a floor general that loves to get her teammates involved. She's terrific in the pick and roll as she made several good passes to her post players coming off of the screen, she was also able to come up with the points or assist when the team needed. Common Bond is a team on the rise and DeWolf is one of the main reasons. 

2022 5'8" PG Mya Petticord Michigan Storm
Petticord who was coming off a fantastic performance last weekend in Louisville in which she received a couple of scholarship offers, picked up which where she left off in Lansing this past weekend. The scoring machine went off for 25 plus points in several games over the course of the tournament with an array of moves, attacking the basket off the dribble and converting through contact, from behind the arc where she has good form and a quick release. Her high basketball IQ allowed her to make good decisions on offense while her ability to anticipate helps her play the passing lanes on the defensive end. 

2023 5'7" SG Dakota Alston Michigan Crossover
Pen, paper, and fire extinguisher.  That's what I needed to cover Dakota Alston’s breakout weekend because she was on FIRE!  I watched Dakota make 22 3FGs over seven games.  She has a sweet lefty stroke from behind the arc.  But she has so much more than that in the tool belt.  She’s a really good on-ball defender.  She can handle the rock too.  Dakota can get her defender off balance, and change speeds to get into the paint.  She has a soft touch on her floater with either hand.  Please, please, please, please (say like James Brown) don’t sleep on Dakota Alston…that would be a nightmare.

2023 5'10" SG Maddie Petroelje Michigan Basketball Academy
One thing that is a delight to see when I observe a kid over a period is that kid gaining confidence in her game.  Maddie Petroelje is that kid.  In the first of two 7th grade championship games (The AAU Michigan State Championships is a double elimination tournament), Maddie went on a 16 point barrage, unlike anything I’ve ever seen at the 7th-grade level.  In a few short minutes, Maddie made two catch and shoot 3’s, a mid-range jumper off of a step back, converted two AND1s, and finished a put-back on an offensive rebound.  The awe of this offensive burst was palpable and joy to see.  And probably the only thing that could stop her did, as foul trouble put a halt to what was
most likely a performance for the ages. 

2023 PG Macy Brown Michigan Basketball Academy
With the aforementioned foul trouble of teammate Maddie Petroelje, someone needed to step up for MBA in the first 7th-grade championship game.  Enter Macy Brown.  There was no doubt Macy embraced the moment.  She usually has a balanced floor game, allowing the game to come to her while managing to keep her teammates involved in the flow of the game.  But for the last 8 minutes of this contest, Macy attacked the rack putting her team on her back (that all rhymed on purpose ;-). Over…and over…and over she was able to finish going left, draw fouls, or find teammates for open shots.  A kid’s body language speaks volumes, and Macy’s body language screamed, “I WANT TO WIN!!!!!!!!!”  

2023 5'11" PG Amiyah Reynolds Michigan Crossover
If you haven’t caught on yet, the first championship game of the 7th Grade Division 1 Championship was epic.  Of the many great performances, none was better from beginning to end than Amiyah Reynolds 28 point, 14 rebound performance to help the Michigan Crossover win in OT to force a game 2.  Amiyah is an onion.  There are so many layers to her game.  She was able to attack the basket and get to the free throw line at will. She shot 12-18 for the game.  She made 3s, pull-ups, and floaters.  Her most significant contribution was on the boards.  Taking defensive rebounds and pushing the ball on the break.  With her size and court vision, she was also able to get the ball to teammates Asia Yokely and Dakota Alston, who shot the ball extremely well from 3.  Versatility is the name of the game for Amiyah Reynolds, and that versatility was on full display.

2022 5'5" PG Soraya Timms Michigan’s Finest Blue
Soraya Timms is the prototypical point guard.  She has sharp ball skills.  She’s a confident ball handler with her head always up and probing.  Shot the ball very well from 3, making five triples in win vs. Michigan Storm.  Timms makes terrific decisions with the ball.  Her passes are timely and on point.  Off the ball, she is as good.  She understands how to move and utilize screens.  Soraya is about as fundamentally sound as they come.

Honorable Mentions:

2023 5'6" PG Aaliyah Ratliff  West Michigan Drive Taylor
Has range 3-4 steps off 3-point line, really good anticipating & getting steals in passing lanes

2023 5'6" PG Aniya Fisher West Michigan Drive Taylor   
Strong, physical, athletic guard that attacks the rim with confidence  

2023 Cadence Dykstra Michigan Basketball Academy
Always in athletic position on defense and offense (a coach’s dream), slasher, very skilled

2023 5'3" PG Mary Coppoe Michigan Mystics
Can handle and pass with either hand, facilitates well, nice looking shot from 3, one to watch

2023 5'10" SF Macy Fagan Saginaw Triple Threat
Extremely tough, has good inside/out flow on offense, saw nice pull-up jumper in transition

2022 5'7" PG Taylor Piper Michigan’s Finest Blue
Very strong, can create space off the dribble to get her shot, can score from deep and in paint

2022 5’6” PG Anaya Coleman Michigan Storm
Quick, can get to the rim, tough defender, good court awareness

2023 SG 5'6" Asia Yokely Michigan Crossover
A very good shooter, shoot's it with confidence, plays hard all the time

 

 

 

 

 


Michigan Basketball Academy - 8th Grade Division I Champions

Michigan Basketball Academy - 8th Grade Division I Champions
MBA is very good…very, very, very good.  There were no teams at this year’s AAU Michigan State Championships that could stand up under the constant wave of pressure and energy MBA gives.  MBA had a plus 46 scoring margin in the three wins on their way to the 8th Grade AAU Michigan State Championship. They are the most consistent team I’ve seen so far this year.  Guards Abbey Kimball and Alli Carlson have a relentless and fearless nature to their respective games that set the tone for how MBA wants to play.  Sophia Richards, Alaina Diaz, Remington Ingraham (one of my favorite names btw), and Theryn Hallock all understand their roles and what the team is trying to accomplish. That’s what makes MBA special: they know their roles and what they are trying to achieve, and they go out and give 110% to that end.  MBA is committed to outworking you. They suffocate offenses with good pressure on the ball.  All help defenders are in an athletic stance ready to pounce on an opportunity to dart out in a passing lane or dive on a loose ball.  Offensively, they leverage their strong team ball handling skill set and basketball IQ to break you down off the dribble.  Abbey Kimball can score on all three levels and sees the floor exceptionally well.  Alli Carlson is Jimmy Johns fast with the ball in her hand and almost impossible to stay in front of.  Every possession seemingly ends with a wide open 3 or layup.  It’s incredible to watch.  MBA is going to have a great summer.