Kelsey Lenzie
Destinee Oberg was simply dominant in the post all weekend at the Check Me Out Showcase in Seattle. *Photo by Glenn Nelson.
SEATTLE, Wash. Just as the high school session was finishing up Sunday afternoon, in walks the future. A gym that was filled with highly recruit able prospects was replaced with eager sixth, seventh and eighth graders ready to make their mark and establish who is next in line.
The biggest player with the most noticeable impact came from half way across the country to participate in the Check Me Out Showcase. Destinee Oberg, the 6-1 post out of Burnsville, Minn., was a head-turner this past weekend, showcasing a dominance inside the key. She demonstrated her ability to use a fakes right and left into a turnaround jumper with textbook footwork. Her feel for the game and touch inside was well beyond her years. The Minnesota Stars post showed several mature signs of being an elite interior player in the 2019 class.
Bailee Chynoweth of Woodway, Wash. *Photo by Glenn Nelson.
Bailee Chynoweth of Woodway, Wash., started this past weekend off with some impressive performances beyond the arc. She knocked down several treys off the bounce and found space in the key for some pull-up jumpers. She brings speed and toughness to the backcourt and can penetrate defenses and get to the rim. This kid is only going into the seventh grade, but she is showing a lot of court savvy running the guard position on and off the ball.
The backcourt at the Check Me Out Showcase had many notable performances starting with Kelsey Lenzie, who was the most electric guard this past weekend. The 2019 ECBA point guard had every key element to be a top prospect at the next level when her time comes. She consistently knocked down the 3-ball both behind the screen and off the bounce. She had an attack mode to score at the rim and find her teammates, which is great to see in a setting that challenges players to get to know each other in two short days. She brings good energy and point guard charisma to the floor.
Deja Kelly of San Antonio, Texas, is another rising guard in the 2020 class. The 5-8 guard traveled a long distance to play against some of the best players in the Northwest. Her athleticism and hesitation move make her attacking ability hard to guard. She has so much length and quickness that she was able to get to the hoop at will. Kelly is a for sure player to watch over the next few years. Her athleticism, basketball IQ, and skill set are big reasons why we believe she will explode on the recruiting scene in a year or two.
AROUND THE RIM
Taylor Flores of Auburn, Wash., is one of the most talented players in Washington for the 2019 class. She can shoot the three, has so much confidence and plays hard. Shes a player that can make adjustments on the fly. She sets a good example for younger sister and standout 2021 player Hayley Flores. She was the shiftiest player we saw all weekend and is already showing signs of great command on the court.
McKelle Meek of Beaverton, Ore. *Photo by Glenn Nelson.
McKelle Meek of Beaverton, Ore., is the classic coachs daughter. The youngster, whose dad is the head coach at George Fox University, has a court savvy about her and she makes a variety of plays on the court.
Hope Lalau of Tacoma, Wash., had an impressive showing against a talented group of guards. The 5-5, 2019, had a lot of craftiness attacking the basket. She possesses a scoring mentality at a young age and is aggressive on the defensive end.
Kiki Milloy out of Woodinville, Wash., is a two-sport star already, combining softball skills with her basketball talent. She has the length and quickness to be a matchup problem and just seems to be missing that confidence to take her game to the next level.
Another strong perimeter player in the younger group was Karena Taylor of Spanaway, Wash. Shes surprisingly strong for a guard so young and attacked the drill work as hard as the live action. Follow @MercedesPSB
Wetmore joined ProspectsNation.com in the summer of 2014 after graduating from the University of Washington with a Communications degree. She left Washington as the all-time leader in games played and also played with the softball team in the College World Series. She was the Gatorade State Player of the Year her senior year in high school capping off a career which included three state titles. She can be reached at mercedes@prospectsnation.com.
