Previewing the 2026 Saskatchewan U17 Women's Provincial Team
- david-harmon
- 7 hours ago
- 5 min read
This past weekend, I made the trip to Edmonton at the invitation of head coach Zenon Orobko to take an early look at the Saskatchewan U17 Women's squad as they begin their journey to Sherbrooke, QC, for nationals in early August.
Most of these young ladies I have watched for several years as I make my way through tournaments, summer league, and just being in a lot of gyms. They are a talented crew, and the opportunity to shine a spotlight on them is a welcome change.
The team is a bit undersized, as you will see, and the coaching staff will have some work to do in terms of how they will rebound and guard the paint, but when coach Orobko has 2 national champions assisting him on the bench, Logan Reider and Jaden Cook, these are issues I am sure they will answer. My impression of the group is that they are highly skilled, high-IQ players who love to play together. They communicate at a high level on offense and defense, and when they find open shots, there is no shortage of shooters.
All that said, it is also a young squad made up of 5 - 2009's, 6 - 2010's, and 1 - 2011, who will not only be preparing for a good showing in Quebec but also looking ahead to 2027, when they will play nationals at home in Regina. With that all said, let's take a look at the players.
NOTE: At The Maple Minute, we list all graduation years, including a prep year, because NCAA eligibility begins at 19, so most Canadian players can play an extra year. CCAA and USport coaches should be aware that all athletes are recruitable after the grade 12 season and will recruit accordingly.
2030 | 5'6 | Syage Roberts | Saskatoon | Walter Murray
Syage is one of the most naturally skilled girls I have ever seen. Her maturity and game are beyond her years, and she can already dictate the pace. She gets by defenders with a combination of quickness and shiftiness that keeps them constantly guessing, and when she gets to the paint, she can both pass through small windows and finish through contact. The one aspect of her game that really drew my attention is her toughness in doing the hard things, like fighting for rebounds in the paint.
2029 | 6'3 | Ayla Levy | Regina | Winston Knoll
Ayla is a mobile big with unlimited potential. I witnessed her attacking the boards at both ends and securing the ball high up where only she could reach it. She rolls hard off screens, has a soft touch, and cuts to open spots on the floor. Most impressively, she shows good mobility getting up and down the floor.
2028 | 5'11 | Danica Jackson | Swift Current
Dani has been a player I have seen over the last several years, and every college coach in Canada should be watching her at nationals. At 5'11, she is a wing that plays inside and out, hitting 6 3's in one of the games I watched. She is not afraid to mix it up inside, getting rebounds and defending bigs.
2029 | 5'8 | Emma Burrows | Regina | Campbell
Emma impressed me all weekend with her ability not only to shoot the ball but also to shoot it from DEEP. She pulled up several times from well beyond the 3-point line and made huge buckets. Not only can she shoot, but she also shows excellent IQ, making incredible passes to cutting teammates.
2028 | 5'7 | Dyllin Aaro | Saskatoon | St Joseph
Dyllin is a microwave off the bench for this Sask squad and can score in bunches. She attacks when she has the ball, welcomes contact, and creates advantages. She also uses that physicality on the defense end to put pressure on opposing guards. Coaches will want to take note, as she will be a hot recruit next season.
2029 | 5'8 | Ellie Hickey | Saskatoon | St Joseph
Ellie is a player that they will depend on to defend and make open shots. She showed not only the ability to stretch the floor with her shooting but also to attack closeouts and attack the basket. She was a steadying presence for the team all weekend.
2028 | 5'8 | Camryn Humenny | North Battleford
Camryn will definitely be the bulldog for this squad, as she will be a lockdown defender who makes the other team have to work to get into their offense. She knocks down open shots and will be a valuable player as she gets more comfortable in the team's system.
2029 | 5'8 | Marin Larsen | Saskatoon | Walter Murray
Marin is an extremely cerebral player who sees the game well beyond her years on both ends. Her ability to make plays defensively will be important for this team. She is an excellent shooter who will keep defenses honest and move the ball when needed.
2029 | 5'9 | Kierden Woloshyn | Regina | Sheldon Williams
Kierden made hustle plays consistently all weekend and will be a valuable player for this team. She was also able to attack and get past defenders to get to the rim and set up teammates. She also showed she is another deep shooter who will spread the floor and create room.
2029 | 6'2 | Oluwatomisin (Tomi) Oresanya | Saskatoon | Bethlehem
Tomi's game just keeps improving, and that was on display throughout the weekend. She is an excellent athlete who uses her size to make a real impact on the defensive end. She is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker who keeps improving her touch.
2029 | 5'8 | Addie Pearson | Saskatoon | Walter Murray
When I say this team has shooters, that is an understatement. I have seen Addie play several times, and she is never afraid to let it fly. She is also a good passer who knows when to move the ball and when to use her scoring touch to get to her spots and score.
2029 | 5'5 | Grier Holt Mellor | Saskatoon | Holy Cross
Grier was not with the team in Edmonton, but I have seen her many times at Holy Cross. She is extremely quick and plays the full 94 feet, both offensively and defensively. She was a first-team all-star at 15U Nationals last season, and her addition will only make the team better.
This team is young and will be put through their paces in Sherbrooke, but I still predict they will finish strong. Coming in ranked 6th, I think they will win Pool C, defeating both PEI and Manitoba. This will lead to a quarterfinals match against the 3rd-place team in the power pool. I will predict this will be British Columbia, and they will send the girls to the consolation.
They should be able to get the consolation final, and I predict a 5th-place finish beating Nova Scotia. Going 4-1 at these nationals and having the possibility of 8 girls returning for the 2027 nationals in Regina would be huge for the program.
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