Prospect Profile: Ronja Kelly

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last year, the route taken by junior guard Ronja Kelly had veered off-kilter. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">He missed his entire sophomore season due to eligibility issues, while he transfered to Milwaukee Vincent this offseason seeking more basketball opportunity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But Kelly’s outing at Brookfield Central High School on Sunday was as good a sign as any that he's beyond transfer growing-pains and a missed season, as he spit out college-caliber skills like ticker tape. </span></p> <p>With a muscular lower body and thick frame, everything he did from a physical standpoint exceeded his peers. On defense, Kelly administered 94-feet of smothering, almost obnoxious on-ball pressure, picking up full court against one of Wisconsin’s top guards in Armani Jones. More importantly, his defensive efforts stifled the other squad's attempt at finding flow, a crucial contribution that favored Milwaukee Vincent's transition-happy athletes,</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On offense he plays no different; activity and aggressiveness course through his veins for 40 minutes. Throughout this summer and fall Kelly, though a guard, found solace on the low block. Like a forward </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">—</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> or a snow plow</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">—</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> he cleans house in the paint with physicality, finding second chance plays and easy layups. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His jump shot isn't consistently effective, the only such area in his skillset. The success of it varied from game to game, as it's a pinpoint bombardment some days and an assault of the back rim on others. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The next step for him isn’t a skill — he has a tight grasp on that domain, clearly. Instead it's becoming a leader. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kelly hopes to implement leadership into the culture at Milwaukee Vincent next season, as he stated, "I think me showing that I can be a leader just making my team better so we can be successful as a whole.” Steps were taken in that direction this weekend, where the guard made shrewd decisions in transition, making his teammates </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">—</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and himself </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">—</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> look better in the process.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the floor, for as much as he exceeds his peers as a prospect, he typically shares a spotlight with his brother, Rashad. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are always on the same page,” Ronja said of his brother. Especially this summer, the pair moved in tandem, trapping on defense like two rampant buzzsaws. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The two slipped inexcusably far under the radar. Next season, after a sneakily impactful transfer, logic says they will bounce back, taking Milwaukee Vincent and themselves to the fore of the prep basketball landscape. </span></p>