An action packed day of basketball at Willowbrook High School for the 30thannual Coach Kipp’s Hoopfest. The day featured seven games and plenty of top talented from around greater Chicago. 

Jenna Badali (Mother McAuley HS IL 2020): Very good with the ball in her hands with her ability to score and distribute the basketball. High level scorer (27 points), but always scanning the floor to create for her teammates with great vision. Smart player who always knows where to go with the ball. Good handle, quick to the basket, and changes speeds so well to get into the paint and score there so often. Great finisher around the basket, and also scored out from the perimeter with her jumper. Went 11-12 from the free throw line. Lewis University is getting a good one. 

Fantasia Baines (Thornwood HS IL 2020): Scores it well in the paint or when heading to the basket. 6’0” forward who plays even bigger with her strength, athleticism, and big motor. Good versatile skill set and contributes in so many big ways on both ends of the court. Scored it well in transition as she moves well with the ball and can be very tough to stop in the open court. Able to defend on the interior and perimeter well with her size and quickness. With all her tools expect her contribute at Illinois State from day one. 

Taylor Charles (Montini HS IL 2022): Lengthy 6’1” forward with great upside. Able to play out on the perimeter or in the paint effectively on both ends of the court. Scored the ball around the basket as well to showing extended range spotting up for jumpers in the mid-range and from three. As well can take defenders off the dribble. Skilled shot blocker and rebounder with her great length. 

Krystyna Ellew (Taft HS IL 2021): Highly skilled junior point guard who scores the ball at a high rate. Shoots it incredibly well off the dribble with great range hitting multiple threes well beyond the three-point line. Rises up quickly in the mid-range and knocks down tough contested jumpers at a high percentage. Had 22 points at the half and finished with 29 as she was double teamed throughout the second half. Tough rebounding guards who finished with 16 boards. 

Ambrea Gentle (Evanston Twp. HS IL 2020): The SEMO commit is 6’3” and has great strength to just be dominant in the paint. Draws so much attention but is still tough to stop in the paint without fouling. Battles hard to get good position and scores it a high rate when she gets the ball on the block. Did a good amount of her scoring in this one on put backs, as she is just so tough to box out. One of the best post scorers around. 

Ava Gugliuzza (Lincoln-Way West HS IL 2023): Highly impressive outing by the freshman putting up 14 points, hitting four of her six three-point shot attempts. Good looking spot up jumper with a very quick release. Can also put the ball on the floor and hit pull up jumpers or get to the basket when being overplayed out on the perimeter. One of the better freshman around. 

Taylor Gugliuzza (Lincoln-Way West HS IL 2020): The Lewis commit is so good with the ball in her hands. Has good strong handle and can score and distribute the ball at a high level. Scores it efficiently from beyond the arc and attacking the basket. Has good moves and changes direction and speeds well to beat defenders often. Gets to the basket well but also showed great vision on the move. 

Grace Hall (Homewood-Flossmoor HS IL 2021): The athletic 6’2” wing forward is an incredibly talented junior who is able to do so much on the court. Skilled versatile scorer who can put up points on all three levels. Smooth jumper spotting up from three and the mid-range. Overpowers defenders to score in the paint. Very tough and active defender inside and out with a strong frame but still moves so well. As well, Hall plays so hard to make her that much better. 

K’Aliyha Herron (Willowbrook HS IL 2020): Senior guard who played well on both ends of the court. Tough on ball perimeter defender, able to collect four steals in the game. Has good quickness and agility to stick with opposing guards and is very tough to beat off the dribble. On the other end Herron is at her best attacking the basket, has good quickness to drive to the basket hard and finish well there. Very active and was all over the court making plays. 

Claire Hyde (Wheaton North HS IL 2022): Talented sophomore guard who can create her own shot as well as distribute the basketball. Does a good job creating space for herself to knock down jumpers in the mid-range and three off the dribble. Also spotted up for a couple threes with a smooth jumper. Was able to penetrate the defense and find teammates for a few easy buckets around the paint. Doesn’t force anything and plays hard. Good showing by the sophomore. 

Camille Jackson (Butler HS IL 2022): Highly athletic and lengthy 5’11” sophomore guard. Skilled versatile scorer who gets in done in a number of ways. Moves so well around defenders with great moves off the dribble when attacking the basket. Incredibly tough to stay in front of her when she’s going downhill. Hit a tough contested pull up jumper. As well, posted up for a couple baskets showing good strength. Tough and active defender who showed her athleticism on multiple impressive blocks. Jackson has a very good well-rounded game with such a high ceiling. Big stat line of 19 points, 13 boards, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks.

Alyssa Latham (Homewood-Flossmoor HS IL 2023): Freshman forward that is just scratching the surface of her potential. Latham is 6’0” and has great length. Scored the ball strong around the basket on cuts, dump offs, put backs, and posting up. 12 points on an impressive 6 of 7 shooting from the field. Already a good defender that can match up with guards and forwards, shows the potential to be a lock down defender. 

Nayo Lear (Thornwood HS IL 2022): The athletic sophomore point guard is extremely good attacking the basket in the half court and in transition. Incredibly tough to stay in front of with her quickness, acceleration, and great moves with the ball. Does a very nice job of finishing in and around the paint. 

Kendall Moriarty (Benet Academy IL 2021): Versatile and lengthy 6’0” wing guard. Did the majority of her damage in this one from deep. Hit three threes in the game, including a pivotal one that down the stretch the helped Benet grab the victory. Has a good all-around skill set and plays with great energy.   

Brooke Schramek (Benet Academy IL 2020): One of the more well-rounded and skilled seniors in Illinois. Versatile scorers who did most of her damage in this one going to the basket in the half court and transition. Takes it strong to the basket and is just a very tough finisher in the paint. Also got a few key baskets posting up. The future Badger also contributes well with her ability to defend guards and forwards at a high level. 

Mira Schwanke (Fenwick HS IL 2022): Highly impressive shooting performance by the 5’10” sophomore guard. Drilled six three pointers on just seven attempts. Moves well without the ball to get decent looks spotting up, plus has good length to get her shots off. Just a sophomore but didn’t force up any bad shots. 

Sophie Sullivan (Montini HS IL 2022): 5’8” guard with a very smooth shooting stroke. Hits perimeter jumpers at a high percentage hitting three in the game. Has good handle and moves the ball well. Only a sophomore but shows good IQ on the floor. 

Tatiana Thomas (Montini HS IL 2022): Thomas continues to show she is one of the top sophomore forwards around. Very few play as hard she does.  She may only be 5’11”, but plays much bigger with her strength and big motor. Can score the ball in a number of ways including posting up as well to taking it strong to the basket. Continues to show an improved and more well-rounded offensive game. Tough interior defender who battles on the glass to grab boards in bunches. 

Jayla Turchin (Evanston Twp. HS IL 2020): Skilled guard/forward who continues to show more and more skills each time we see her. Has the ability the score the ball in a number of ways. Did plenty of damage in this one on the offensive glass, scoring on several put backs. Simply outworked the opposition to grab o-boards in bunches and finish them strong in the paint. As well the senior scored with a smooth jumper from three and posting up. 

Brianna Woolridge (Lincoln-Way West HS IL 2022): Talented sophomore forward with strong frame. Tough and agile interior defender, who cleans up the glass as well. Scores it well posting up and on put backs. Also drives it well to the basket, especially from the high post and short corner. Tough to defend with her strength and mobility. While only a sophomore, she can overpower defenders.