Evaluation

USA U16 Trials-May 09: Already considered one of the best shooters in the country, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis came into the trials with perhaps the highest expectations. She is a player that thrives in more structured settings, so as the players got more comfortable with teammates and the plays being taught she became a bigger impact in the scrimmages. One thing is for sure, you don't go under a ball screen, if she's the ballhandler. Sunday morning was easily her best session where she added rebounding and passing to the expected shooting exploits.

Boo Williams-April 09: This weekend, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis showed why she may be one of the purest shooters in the high school game today. The quick, smooth release on the California native's jump shot is picture perfect from the time it leaves her hand. Most impressive is the confidence that she possess in herself as a shooter, which is a rare commodity in a young player. With the game on the line in the championship game against Boo Williams, she knocked down a 3-pointer to tie the game like it was just another day in the gym. Her ability to shoot off the dribble -- sometimes with two defenders in her face -- is a college level skill. Watching the way she gelled with her brand new Tennessee Flight teammates and the leadership she displayed on the court, showed maturity way beyond her 15 years.

TOC Dec. 08 II: Her talent is scary enough, her age makes it even more intimidating. Her consistent and deep 3-point shooting forces entire defenses to adjust and that's just one aspect of her offensive arsenal. She is showing a more and more effective shot fake to create penetration which she is equally adept at making the most of. While she can put up the big numbers herself she%u2019s quick to distribute the ball and get the best look for her teammates as well. More impressive still is her defensive effort. A large majority of her scoring opportunities come in transition from turnovers forced by the Mater Dei pressure. The best is yet to come.

TOC Dec. 08 I: Mosqueda-Lewis followed in the footsteps of great high school players like Jacki Gemelos, Maya Moore, Tina Charles and Elena Delle Donne, by making the Tournament of Champions her coming out party. Through the first seven quarters of the tournament she scored 73 points. She sat the eighth quarter because her team was rolling. What was awesome about her play is that she scored every way imaginable and was quick to recognize a mismatch and even quicker to exploit it. She took smaller players to the block and punished them in the paint, she took taller players out on the perimeter. She also showed very good improvement in her ballhandling ability which has been one of the critique's of her becoming a big time wing player. No need to wait for her to become a big time wing, she's already there and still getting better.

Fall 08: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis already is such an established star and leader on the mainstream club circuit, it's almost shocking to remember she's but a sophomore at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. She not only looks the part, but acts it, too, becoming more vocal and cutthroat competitive. The 6-footer also has grand designs, traveling all the way from the shadow of Disneyland to work on her game with the energizer-bunny clinician, Ganon Baker. Mosqueda-Lewis made the long flight worthwhile, leading her team to victory in the academy all-star game with 14 points. She and Kaneisha Horn looked up in some interesting duals over the weekend, each being able to score inside and out, but in such different ways. Many know Mosqueda-Lewis as one of the nation's great long-distance shooters, but she has background as a post and the body type to maintain her effectiveness around the glass, offering yet another bountiful source of offense.

Summer 08: Mosqueda-Lewis has become more than just a catch-and-shoot threat. Her super quick release is just as lethal off the dribble, something she has learned to punish defenders that overplay her with. Despite the stereotype, she is also an effective interior player who rebounds from a wing position as well as anyone and if isolated on the boxes she can score in countless ways. Defensively she is improving by leaps and bounds, using her head to adequately defend quicker players that used to cause so much anguish.

Nike Skills June 08: The youngest player participating in the skill academy, Kaleena Lewis, showed the continued advancement of her game is not slowing down. She took the floor with the maturity and confidence of the older athletes and proceeded to establish herself as the perimeter player to watch in the 2011 class. While not a clone of Katie Smith, she is from that mold and has the rare and special identity of a power guard. She has the stroke and range to force defenders to come out on her. At the same time she can put the ball on the floor and attack the rim. She's very active and the power aspect is already there. It's going to have an even greater impact when she becomes more explosive with her first step.

Nike Skills May 08: Mosqueda-Lewis is a beast -- in a good way. She may be the most lethal shooter in the country, and to top it off, she was one of the best post scorers in the camp. She has a strong upper body, and when she pivots, she uses her shoulders to protect the ball and she attacks the defender and the basket to make the shot. She scored inside against Talia Caldwell and Monique Oliver on more than one occasion, giving up a good four inches. She's not afraid of contact and is a handful offensively. Her shooting ability needs to be complemented with the ability to attack off the dribble. She isn't the quickest kid in the gym, so she'll need to transfer that skill of using her body to create space. April Sykes wasn't the quickest kid either, but by utilizing good body control, change of pace and direction along with her strength, she scored or set up a passing angle against just about anyone. She is as confident and talented as I've seen in a freshman and the confidence is definitely not misplaced -- she can flat out play.

Spring 08: She has to be an early favorite for one of the top spots in the Class of 2011. Playing up with West Coast Premier Black against the top U16 teams in the country, Lewis not only held her own, she was one of the best players on the court. She shot 3s, rebounded, scored inside and helped WCP into the final four.

Notes

Club Team: Tenn. Flight

Selected to the USA Basketball U16 National Team, 2009. ... Nike National Skills Academy, 2008.

Recruiting Update (5/31/09): Remains open according to her father.