Decided to make the trip to Rhode Island after getting the local stuff out of the way Saturday. Talk about going 3 hours to watch what you once saw 3 minutes away - one of the most impressive teams was the home area Albany Capitals. They went 4-0 in convincing fashion. This tournament wasn't necessarily split too much into age groups, so I'll just get to listing some of the top players (within the range of the summer league - wasn't exactly paying attention to kids from RI, ME, and NJ!).
Players to Watch
Jenna Giacone (Bethlehem; 2016) - Pretty much a high major lock. The 6'0" point guard has had them involved for a while, and she really showed why at this tournament. Has the handle to break down good defenders and get to the rack, where she can finish at the rim or dime a teammate. Likes to put it on the deck more than spot up, but give her some room and she'll make you pay. Overall skill at both ends, mixed with size and athleticism for her position, make her a 'can't miss' player. Programs such as BC, Wake Forest, UVA, VT, and NC State have offered.
Carly Boland (Shenendehowa; 2016) - Coaches love Carly. Most people that possess the type of skill she does force things sometimes; they take tough shots they don't need to, because they can make them sometimes. Carly doesn't take 'bad shots' and is willing to set up others, and in part because of that, she has a sky-high field goal percentage. The 6'0" wing doesn't really have a weakness in her game, and she showed she can create from the perimeter and hit the J beyond the 3 point line. Certainly another Division I prospect for the Capitals, and she's at least been offered by the locals.
Sam Laranjo (Averill Park; 2016) - Rick Pitino would love her. High motor, aggressive all the time at both ends, not afraid to get her hands dirty and probably doesn't care too much what the other team thinks of her. She seems like she plays her best against the toughest competition, which certainly isn't a bad thing. She had a particularly good game in her Capitals' last one Sunday. The officials let them go a little, which fit her style. The point guard can finish at the rim, hit the mid-range J, pull up from 3, and keep everyone happy by hitting them on time, on target. She got the Showtime Dime of the Day, lacing a teammate with a behind the back feed on the move & on the money.
Sydney Brown (Shenendehowa; 2017) - Let's keep talking about the Capitals 'A' squad. Sydney is a 6'0" tweener with the skill set to play (and guard) 4 positions. Borderline ungodly athletic, and she's a gym rat. Kinda got a kick out of watching her go from basket to basket during timeouts during their down time shooting away. She actually didn't see the ball a lot in the game I watched them, but she made her presence felt in other ways. She won't have to pay for room and board when she goes to college.
Lucy Tougas (Glens Falls; 2017) - On the Capitals 'B' team, but certainly could be on the 'A' squad. Probably good for her to be with this group though, as there are so many guards on the other team. The 5'9" point guard really shines among this group. She's pass-first by nature, but is taking more of an effort to look for her own shot some more, which is good because she's certainly a capable scorer. Hard worker at both ends and really is a competitor. Another thing that coaches will like - GPA hovers around a 98. Yeah, she'll get accepted.
Brianna Legacy (Mount Anthony Union (VT); 2017) - These MAU girls must love AAU ball. If you haven't watched their varsity team play, they play 1-2 minutes at a time before being mass subbed out, hockey line change style. Now, they actually get to play a little. Bri took advantage of that and really came into her own on Sunday. She's aggressive on the offensive end and despite a slighter build, she's not afraid to initiate contact. She can step back and hit the J, too, and is also a tenacious defender. She'll definitely be a good D3 pickup in a couple years, and who knows? Maybe more.
Paige Niemeyer (Ichabod Crane; 2016) - Another one who could play on the Capitals 'A' squad, but is a better fit with this group. She's a 6 footer that is comfortable essentially playing a point forward. She can grab the board and run the break or initiate the offense herself, and she's a very unselfish player - almost too unselfish sometimes. Did well picking her spots and shot a high percentage. She's quiet, but has an unmistakable drive about her as well. Kind of player that coaches love. May go D3, may slide up to D2, but I'm a big fan of her game.
Alexandra Tudor (Shenendehowa; 2018) - Runs like a deer in the open court. In an uptempo game, she'll be a force against anyone because of her speed, willingness to run, and ability to catch and finish on the fly. Just a rising sophomore, so she's got time to work on the game which has even shown improvements since the winter, but she's certainly one to keep on the radar.
Katherine Cain (Pine Bush; 2017) - Out of everyone I saw Sunday, Kate may have been the most impressive. It's really tough to go wrong with a 6'5" sophomore that runs the floor, gets boards in and out of her area, impacts the game at the defensive end, and has the shooting touch of a guard. She makes the baby hook at a high clip, turnaround jumpers, mid-range Js off the catch, and has soft hands. If she gets a couple fingers on the ball, she's catching it. Her work in the blocks was the driving force behind Hudson Valley Elite going from down 16 at half to a double digit win over Mass Frenzy. Her mother is right around her height, her father was an All-American at Manhattan, and her sister played at Fairfield, so genetics are in this 15 year old's favor.
Sophie Gatzounas (South Hadley (MA); 2017) - In my eyes, she was the best player on the always-tough Mass Frenzy squad this Sunday, without question. The hard-nosed wing with a knack for getting to the free throw line played to her strengths, and she made an impression on a lot of coaches there. Felt like she had about 20 in the first half against HV Elite and scored in a variety of ways. Anticipates well on defense and not afraid of the physicality. Sophie impresses me more every time I watch her play.
Christie Mirski (Agawam (MA); 2016) - Christie must love playing around other people that can play, too. It's something she's not used to at her high school, so she really shines on the circuit. She can score, but her true strength is court vision and passing ability, and she loves to find the open girl... and she knows when & where they'll be before everyone else on the court does. She has a stronger frame than the vast majority of guards, too. Direct quote from a college coach: 'Give her a year in a college weight room and she's going to be a problem!'. Might be talking scholarship-level ball for her. Definitely should be on the Division II radar.
Kate Sullivan (Granby (MA); 2017) - A long & lanky guard whose main strength is on the defensive end, anticipating and getting hands on passes. Has the ability to start the fast break with her defensive ability and get the job done on the break with her playmaking & finishing ability. Definitely favors an uptempo style. Definitely a good NESCAC type player, but could see her going higher with work on her weaknesses.
Lauraine Joensen (Northampton (MA); 2017) - Skill & physical tools make her one of the more intriguing players I've seen. She's about 6'2" with very long arms and as a face-up post player, she has guard skills, including the ability to shoot out to the 3 point line. Tends to shy away for long stretches, or else I'd be comfortable saying she could be a Division I prospect. That being said, still should be on NE-10 or CACC radars with the ability to go a little higher.
Brooke Bjelko (Beekmantown; 2017) Caught her Lone Wolf squad bright and early for an 8:00 start on Sunday. She was the most impressive prospect there for her Burlington, VT based team, which was particularly undermanned with a couple of their players not there. The 6'2" true post isn't as strong as you'd like, but has flashes of dominance. She showed her ability to score off post moves in the blocks with either hand, along with finishing through contact. She's from an area in northern NY where basketball talent is generally lacking - imagine if fellow Beekmantown native (now at Tabor Academy as a BC commit) Shannon Ryan was still around? That would be a terror for NYSPHSAA Class B teams everywhere.
Chill, fam: The WTF Moment of the Day
This one was easy. I don't even fully remember what program it was... one of the eastern Mass teams. They were losing, albeit relatively close, to Connecticut Cobras. The coach, who had already been hit with a T in the first half, said something. Then something else, and some more on top of that. Who knows what (cough cough), but it warranted a 2nd T, aka an ejection. Of course, this team had no assistant coach, so they forfeited the game with their coach getting the hook. Since it's a good idea to be a solid example for the 9th & 10th grade girls you're coaching, it's probably a good idea to give it up, right? Guess not. The coach went off on a rant from across the court after. I didn't hear the whole thing, but it was easy enough to hear that the coach wanted the tech-giving ref to 'meet him outside'. Keepin' it classy, bruh bruh.
No comments:
Post a Comment