Fresh off an offer from Texas Tech, '20 Nya Thorntan continued her stellar play at the LBI Michigan Live
Romulus, MI: Before many of the Mitten's travel clubs hit the road for there next event, they made a quick stop in Romulus, MI for the LBI Michigan Live. 20 college coaches were on hand to check out the action which featured Michigan Head Coach Kim Barnes Arico, Oakland University Head Coach Jeff Tungate, and Bowling Green Head Coach Robyn Fralick.
LBI Michigan LIve Top Performers
2020 6’1” SF Cameron Grant Michigan Mystics Showtime
Cameron Grant is not the same player she was a year ago. She has undergone an astonishing physical transformation that allows her to do everything that she has always done well…better. Grant has always had great footwork in the post, and it was on display at LBI Michigan Live. The difference I saw was that she was more explosive in finishing after making a great move. Opposing players were bouncing off of her as she crashed the boards and used counter moves in the paint to score. Picture setting your luggage on the bed, then opening it. Then, you start grabbing and flinging one article of clothing at a time as fast as you can all over the room. That’s how players were bouncing off of Grant. All I know is, it’s time to take a second look at Grant because she has elevated her game.
2022 5’7” SG Amanda Roach Michigan Mystics 2022
Amanda Roach is all kinds of tough (flex emoji). She keeps coming and coming on every possession. Many time girls are more athletic or taller or faster, but Amanda seemingly wears you down with her grit. She’s an opportunist as well. During a 4-5 minute stretch vs. Michigan Crossover 15U, Amanda caught fire with three triples that kept the game close. Throughout the game, she handled pressure with composure and did the little things to make sure her team was competitive. Amanda is just one of those kids that have infectious energy all the good teams need.
2021 6’1” PF AJ Ediger West Michigan Drive Copeland
In an OT thriller vs. Glass City Fury, Ediger proved to be the difference as she started the game with eight early points in the paint. She got those points in a variety of ways. She was able to rip through and drive from the high post. Also, she was able to use her size to grab a few offensive rebounds and convert those extra chances into points. Later on in the game, Ediger used her size, length, and mobility on the front of a full court press to cause havoc and get deflections that at times helped shift momentum in her team's favor. Ediger did a phenomenal job of making an impact on the game with her versatility.
2021 6’2” C Kendall Robertson Michigan Crossover 15U
I mean this in every good sense of one of the words I’m going to use to describe Kendall Robertson. Kendal is nasty. More politically correct: an enforcer. She’s a physical payer that doesn't take crap from anyone out on the court. She will screen you hard. Box you out of the gym. Put a little extra on a foul. Her throw-back, toughness, and physical style of play reminds me of a WNBA veteran like Lindsey Whalen. That toughness also allows her to finish well in the paint which she can do with either hand. She’s the girl teammates look at and say, “I'm glad she’s on my team.”
2021 6’0” SG Morasha Wiggins Michigan Crossover 16U
Morasha Wiggins is rounding into form after being out some time with a lower-body injury. The handle looks tighter, and the jumping ability is back and better than ever. Wiggins ability to play at the rim is a game changer, and that ability was a competitive advantage for Michigan Crossover at LBI Michigan Live. She made electrifying plays on alley oops and put backs. Her athleticism on plays in transition made on-lookers jaws drop. Wiggins displayed a soft touch on her midrange and 3-point shot. At LBI Michigan Live, Morasha Wiggins proved to be one of the most gifted players in the 2021 class.
2020 6’1” PF Sophie Dziekan Michigan Mystics Dream Team
Sophie Dziekan is a problem. In an overtime win vs. Michigan Crossover 16U, Sophie was at times the most dominant player on the court among many talented players. She was impossible to keep off the boards as she grabbed multiple offensive rebounds to extend possessions. Sophie was also a terror on the block, able to back down helpless defenders and finish with her patented spin drop step. If you've watched her enough, then you know what I mean. We will call this move the DZIEKAN DROP STEP. If you don’t know what it is, then either watch her play or ask me to show you the next time you see me :-) Great job, Sophie.
2021 5’10” SG Arieonna Ware West Michigan Drive Copeland
Good to see kids in their bag in crunch time and Arieonna Ware was doing just that. Most of the time, Ware is slashing down the lane for two or killing you in transition with her ability to use her speed to beat opponents down the court. However, in a heartbreaking loss to a talented Michigan Crossover team, Ware showed off her range and ability to get hot from behind the arc. She finished the game 3 of 4 from the three-point line, but all of her three-point makes were nothing but net and big-time momentum changers. Ware was impressive defensively as well, but showing off the range in front of about 15-20 college coaches most definitely was a plus.
2019 5’10” SG Anne McIntosh Michigan Triple Threat
I like when I get to watch a player like Anne McIntosh play. Slowly as the game goes on and the story of the game develops, you find players like McIntosh are vital to the story. McIntosh played very well against Factory Orange. She did a little bit of everything. She scored a few baskets in the paint. Kept the ball moving within the offense. Guarding multiple positions. Hit cutters in stride for baskets. Crashed the boards. Set screens. I think you get the picture. Anne was the Swiss Army Knife of the event. I'm convinced, you have to have players like Anne McIntosh to be successful.
2019 5’8” PG Alyzza Winston Michigan Crossover
Alyzza Winston could be pound for pound the most explosive PG off the dribble in the country. No one goes 0-60 faster with that much power. Winston was effective with the minutes she played at LBI Michigan Live. She was able to create for herself doing things like getting to her pull-up or finishing in the lane drawing fouls for multiple AND1s. Winston also created for others using a deadly crossover (pun intended) to break defenses down, allowing shooters to have an extra second or so to get clean shots off. Defensively, she can be a pest at times too. Always fainting and moving her feet to give the ball handler a lot to think about while trying to move the ball up the court. Winston’s stock is rising and rising fast. Michigan Live was just another venue to confirm that rise.
2020 6’1” SF Raven Jemison MBA National
Jemison is a player that is rapidly improving every time that she steps on the court, and at the Michigan Live, she continued to show signs that she’s ready to take her game to another level. Raven used her length and athleticism to secure many rebounds that were out of her area, which led to a few extra possessions on the offensive end of the floor. She scored around the rim mostly on putbacks or dump offs while defensively she can defend all positions on the floor. This is a kid that will be turning many heads shortly.
Jemison is a player that is rapidly improving every time that she steps on the court, and at the Michigan Live, she continued to show signs that she’s ready to take her game to another level. Raven used her length and athleticism to secure many rebounds that were out of her area, which led to a few extra possessions on the offensive end of the floor. She scored around the rim mostly on putbacks or dump offs while defensively she can defend all positions on the floor. This is a kid that will be turning many heads shortly.
