EMass Players to Watch: South Shore League
The South Shore League (SSL) is overflowing with talent, and they have put on a show so far this season. The hardworking girls in this league compete, give maximum effort, and put everyone on notice that they are not just top players within the league but statewide. Here are some of the many up and coming players in the SSL that need to be on everyone’s radar.
Alex Williams – Middleboro High – Jr – F
Williams plays the role of point forward for Middleboro. A brilliant passer, Williams sees the floor well at her position. An athlete who can beat you in the post or from the outside. Her strength inside is a lot to handle for smaller defenders, and she is so unselfish that if she gets trapped or double-teamed, she has the awareness to find the open teammate. The ultimate tone-setter on defense, the junior forward can completely shift a game’s momentum by her activity on defense. The defensive catalyst for Middleboro’s suffocating full-court press, Williams uses her quick hands to deflect and intercept passes and score points off turnovers. Her consistency in scoring the basket and her dedication to the defensive side of the ball makes her one of the most complete players in the SSL.
Amiyah Peters – Mashpee High – Soph – G
The sophomore point guard is a phenomenal playmaker. She has the unique ability to thread the needle with accurate passes, which is incredible considering she is not a big point guard. Seeing the floor and fitting the ball through tight windows at her size makes her one of the better point guards in the league. Aside from her court vision, Peters is a great isolation player. She can break down her opponent one on one and blow by them or stop and pull up for a mid-range jumper. Her range extends beyond the three-point line, and she is not shy to pull the trigger from deep with confidence. On the defensive side of the ball, she has great lateral quickness and does an excellent job staying in front of her assignment.
Sophie Bradbury – East Bridgewater High – Soph – G
What sticks out with Bradbury initially has nothing to do with her during the actual game. If you get to a game early enough, watch her in warm-ups. You will observe a player who is going 100% and taking shots that mimic ones she would attempt in the game. A max effort player once the game begins, the sophomore wing is responsible for being the primary ball-handler for East Bridgewater. She is a major scoring threat when East Bridgewater forces turnovers because she runs the floor well, can finish around the rim, and has an efficient transition mid-range pull-up jump shot. An athlete with terrific defensive instincts, Bradberry can pickpocket the best ball handlers, and she generates a lot of steals in East Bridgewater’s zone sets.
Abby Johnson – Carver High – Jr – G
The Carver combo guard plays defense like a free safety in football. She has a knack for reading the ball handler’s eyes well and putting herself in a position to pick off passes. She has arguably the most active hands in the SSL as she is always getting her fingertips on the ball for deflections. With her aggressiveness and anticipation on the defensive end, she has the potential to be the best defender in the SSL. Johnson is an outstanding rebounder at the guard spot and can pull down 5 or more on a nightly basis. On offense, the junior can bury three-pointers consistently. What is impressive is that she needs limited space when she shoots and can knock them down even when highly contested.
Mary Klein – Abington High – Soph – F
Klein is another SSL athlete who specializes on the defensive side of the ball. In the halfcourt, she does a tremendous job being active and cutting off passing lanes so the ball cannot enter the post easily. A magnet to the ball, Klein racks up steals at a high rate and these forced turnovers ignite the fast break. She is an excellent fit on offense with an Abington roster that has a lot of scoring talent. A deadly accurate three-point shooter, the sophomore has the confidence to hit sot up threes in Abigntons’s half-court sets. With teammates Isabella O’Connell and Gracie O’Connell receiving ample attention from the opponent, that leaves many scoring opportunities at the doorstep of Mary Klein. She does a great job taking advantage of that and making the other team pay.
Natalia Hall-Rosa – Randolph High – Fr – F
Some have deemed the freshman sensation as one of the best players in New England from the class of 2024. Very versatile at 5’11”, Hall-Rosa can play positions 1 through 5 on the court. An unstoppable force inside, the freshman standout uses her brute strength and soft touch to score repeatedly in the post. She has the responsibility of being the point-center for Randolph. The team trusts her to bring the ball up and initiate the offense. An automatic mismatch no matter who guards her, Hall-Rosa can bully anyone to the basket and has excellent body control as she makes a living finishing through contact. There was one instance where the opposing team had to delegate one person to deny Hall-Rosa the ball at all times and not help off her. She forces teams into playing gadget defenses because they cannot stop her with traditional defensive principles. On defense, she is the anchor of Randolph’s 2-3 zone. So physical inside, she does an excellent job using her strength and toughness to pull down every rebound as she locks down the paint.
Grace Oliver – Norwell High – Soph – F
At 6’2”, Oliver can dominate her opponent from the wing or inside. She runs the floor so well for a big, and her rim running activity opens up the floor in transition for the guards. A terrific post player, Oliver is excellent at pinning the defender deep in the paint and has one of the best drop steps in the SSL. What you should appreciate the most about Oliver’s offensive repertoire is that she keeps the ball high when she catches it and goes straight up for her layups. So many times when bigs receive a pass, they have a tendency to bring the ball low, which makes them vulnerable to getting stripped. With her elite offensive awareness combined with her wingspan, she makes scoring around the rim look so easy. On defense, she is an absolute force blocking shots and tipping passes. What is most encouraging is her compete level. Against league foe Rockland, she had to go toe to toe with star big Julia Elie. She took on the challenge of guarding her for the majority of the game, and it was such a fun back and forth matchup between the two players. Having the mindset to step up and accept those challenges on the defensive end is a tremendous intangible to possess and fortifies your mental toughness.
Julia Elie – Rockland High – Jr – F
Elie is the best two-way player in the SSL. At 6’3”, no one can impact the game on both sides of the ball as effectively as she does. She is an elite shot-blocker with incredible shot altering technique. Elie always jumps straight up, trusting that her height and length will be more than enough to disrupt shot attempts, and not get called for fouls. She is also an excellent defender on the perimeter. Elie has the lateral mobility to stay in front of stretch forwards, and her wingspan makes it impossible to dribble around. On offense, Elie finishes around the rim well and is an excellent passer when she receives the ball in the post. When the junior catches the ball deep inside, there is no one physically who can match up with her, and she scores easily. What makes guarding Elie unfair is that she is an efficient three-point shooter. She is too tall and long to get a high enough contest to bother her jump shot; therefore, she can comfortably shoot over the defense. A polished three-level scorer who night in and night out makes a case for best player in the South Shore League.