Highlights: Brelynn Brice (Lincoln), Haley Smith (Liberty Ranch), Stockton Mustangs ball out at Bound Showcase
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The summer of 2023 was a successful one for Stockton Mustangs 17u, a fun club team to watch and one that notched many impressive victories over the summer.
After winning a tournament in Las Vegas earlier in the summer, the Mustangs returned to the scorching heat in late July to play in Bound Showcase and Ballin in the Ballroom during the NCAA live period. During the Saturday portion of Bound, they took on two quality SoCal foes – Cal Storm Nike 17u Black and Flex Premier – and went 2-0 in a couple exciting games.
On paper, the Mustangs appear to be a bit of an underdog in some of the higher-profile events they compete in, but that doesn't stop them from racking up wins. Last week they had a slight size disadvantage against nearly every team they faced, and half the team – including some of their top producers – consists of underclassmen playing up one, two, or even three years. But they still compete with, and beat, well-known club teams from more populous areas. They play unselfishly and with an energetic edge, pushing the tempo on offense while sprinting back on defense to limit opponents' transition opportunities in turn.
Haley Smith, a rising 5-10 sophomore wing, is the biggest name on the team after making the Sac Bee First Team All-Metro as a freshman at Liberty Ranch. And she was scored in double-figures in nearly every game all club season while fulfilling a number of other roles.
But the Mustangs were one of the more balanced and offensively egalitarian teams out there, even down the stretches of close games. Lincoln (Stockton) senior Brelynn Brice was dominant throughout much of the team's last week in Las Vegas. She not only held it down inside as the lone post player on the team, but in fact took over for quarters at a time as an undersized big. At 5-10, Brice was a walking double-double and a defensive playmaking machine, outplaying matchups a couple inches taller by virtue of standout athleticism and motor that set the tone. Nearly every player on the team had at least one standout performance during their short stint in Nevada.
ROSTER:
Coach: Wilson Yu
Coach: Alfred Santos Jr.
#00 Samantha Kakala – 2027
#5 Sophia Gines – 2024 – Lincoln (Stockton)
#8 Alanis Sulivan – 2024 – St. Mary's (Stockton)
#14 Haley Smith – 2026 – Liberty Ranch
#16 Thalia Chavez – 2025 – Valley Robotics Academy
#18 Cecilia Gines – 2024 – Lincoln (Stockton)
#20 Brelynn Brice – 2024 – Lincoln (Stockton)
#21 Marissa Yu – 2026 – Lincoln (Stockton)
#30 Lauren Yann – 2025 – Chavez (Stockton)
#33 Carrington Lewis – 2024 – Lincoln (Stockton)
