It's the most wonderful time of the year! Nothing is better than the Spring Live Period!
Scouts, fans and college coaches pack gyms to catch the next great star. There are countless great events to attend, but none are more powerful and popular than the Under Armour Association, The Adidas Gauntlet and the Nike EYBL.
As media and fans we have our view point on the event, but nothing is more authentic and pure than the view of the athlete. It's only right that we hear things from the players themselves and view things through their eyes. We have selected a player on the girls and boys side each session to do a mini diary discussing their journey that weekend. The next one will be a player from the Adidas Gauntlet on the Books and Basketball AAU team named Lola Mullaney.
Upon watching her play, it’s easy to see why scouts are locked in. Lola is a do-it-all- Klay Thompson- esque guard. Lo is KNOCK DOWN shooter but is very smooth off the bounce. She can also defend numerous positions on the floor at a high level. In 2018, Lo was selected as All-Group and has the potential to be an all-state player in 2019.
Below is the diary entry of the first Adidas Gauntlet session by Lola Mullaney. -as told to Christian Mordi @thedribbledrop
Hey guys,
This year I decided to move on from the NYC Exodus and play for BBA. I really wanted to play on a team where my role could be expanded and I could further showcase what I could do. Books and Basketball offered me an opportunity to display my strengths. The exposure I am getting now as a player is way better now as well as I have a bigger role here. Coach Sabb is a great coach. He really pushes us in a positive way on and off the court.
This weekend I played in my first Adidas Gauntlet event. The energy of the space was great. You had the two main courts that all the big Adidas teams played on. There were a lot of elite college programs in attendance. I saw Boston College, Louisville, Michigan, Vanderbilt, Purdue and more.
I’ve played the EYBL and the Gauntlet. Overall it was pretty much the same to me. Both have countless good players. You also have to remember that this was the 1st session. Teams are going to gel more and games will only get better from there.
Our first game was against the NJ Panthers. I went through my normal routine to get ready mentally and physically for the game. I have been vibing to Drake “Nice For What,” heavy in my pregame playlists to get my mind right! The team is led by Bound Brook center Cortlyn Morris. They are a well coached team. We did a good job of getting the game out in transition and creating in space. Once we started hitting shots we were able to expand the lead and win that game pretty big. I got pretty good feedback from coaches. I thought I played pretty well also as I hit my open shots and showed coaches I can create off the bounce and get to the rim.
The next game was against the WI Flight Elite. They were a very good team with players that had numerous division one offers. The game was very close and very intense. We tightened things up on the defensive end and hit our free throws down the stretch which allowed us to pull the win out.
Our final game was against the Western PA Elite. That team was really good. I think we played a bit sluggish in that one and we let them stick around. Teams are too good on that level. If you can put them away you have to because players will hit shots and get confidence as the game goes on. We ended losing that game down the stretch, 52-51.
Overall we walked away 3-1. Not bad for the first event. Our next tournament the Team Takeover event in Washington D.C. There will be Adidas and EYBL teams there so it will be a good one for sure.
Til Next Time,
Lo