Splash Sisters Part II: The Laser Show Continues
In honor of the original “Splash Brother” Steph Curry’s ridiculous performance in the NBA Three-Point Competition, I think it is appropriate to shout-out some more prolific long-range shooters from New England. Rachel Guinn – Clinton High/Mass Elite/Eastern Nazarene commit…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIn honor of the original “Splash Brother” Steph Curry’s ridiculous performance in the NBA Three-Point Competition, I think it is appropriate to shout-out some more prolific long-range shooters from New England.
Rachel Guinn – Clinton High/Mass Elite/Eastern Nazarene commit – 5’9” – SG – 2021 (pictured above)
Guinn is a lefty sniper who has unlimited range. Never hesitant to pull up 5 feet beyond the arc, Guinn is an immediate threat once she crosses mid-court. The senior shooting guard is excellent at creating her shot off the dribble; defenses tend to sag off her to take away the penetration, which plays right into Guinn’s hands. Only needing a little bit of daylight to get her shot off, Guinn makes defenses pay for giving her breathing room on the outside. Her perimeter shooting will translate when she continues her playing career at Eastern Nazarene because she does not get rattled and remains focused when a defender is closing in on her. Open looks are always hard to come by at the college level, so Guinn’s quick release and efficiency shooting while contested will be paramount for her team the next four years.
junior szn👀 pic.twitter.com/xLvK2TqT98
— Rachel Guinn (@RachelGuinn_) April 12, 2020
*A smooth lefty stroke to compliment her smooth offensive repertoire!
Olivia Gourdine – Barnstable High/Cape Cod Warriors – 5’9” – SF/SG – 2022
Gourdine had a sensational junior season and had some big-time performances down the stretch. A 31 point, 5 three-pointer effort and a 24 point, 4 three-pointer performance. both against Martha’s Vineyard, are two examples of Gourdine filling up the scoring column while electrifying from downtown. What separates Gourdine from other players is her work ethic. No matter how well the junior sniper plays, you can guarantee that she’ll be in the gym the next day getting shots up. Her endless repetitions on off-days show when she knocks down threes effortlessly from multiple spots on the court against any defense Gourdine faces. She is a wing who will obliterate a zone defense with her precision from deep or against man defense. The 5’9” wing does a great job shaking loose of her defender and getting into a comfortable catch and shoot spot where she displays her picture-perfect form.
⏰ 6:30 wake-up call today for @OliviaGourdine (Class of 2022; @Stable_Sports) as she prepares for the final week of the regular season. She has made 15 3’s this season (2.2 3’s per game) and is shooting them at 38% clip! 💣@PGHNewEngland @BashHoopsNE @CoachJatkola @gourdine_j pic.twitter.com/CdKtxUO9sK
— Swish (@SwishCapeCod) February 13, 2021
*The day after scoring 31, Gourdine was ripping threes while everyone else was sleeping.
Blake O’Grady – Dexter Southfield/Bay State Jaguars – 6’0” – SF/PF/SG – 2023
O’Grady’s size and strength make her impossible to defend one on one on the block, but what makes her so dangerous is how automatic she is from three-point territory. It is so much fun watching O’Grady play because she has a versatile offensive package. Her perimeter game is similar to a combo guard, but she has a power forward’s vigor. She is one of the better players at utilizing her physical gifts to create shot opportunities for herself. A rare combination of size and three-point efficiency, O’Grady is excellent at walking her defender down to the high post, sealing, then with a burst of speed flashes to the ball behind the line and gets the shot up faster than you can blink. Always ready to shoot, O’Grady can terrorize defenses from behind the arc off the dribble, running off of screens, or spotting up.
Strong Move Alert 🔽🔽🔽‼️Blake using low post moves on the high post to seal her defender, followed by a step back 3️⃣🏀. @OgradyBlake @BayStateJags @LaurieBollin @andypottsBRG @ASGR1995 pic.twitter.com/9ceqan3m6b
— Michael O’Grady (OG) Dad to Blake (Keke) O’Grady (@jmogrady) February 26, 2021
*Literally unguardable. The defender never stood a chance.
Molly Donovan – Duxbury High/MT Elite – 5’10” – SF/SG – 2024
Donovan is a freshman who has the shooting confidence of a senior. She is an excellent catch-and-shoot combo guard whose 5’10” frame helps her shoot over the top of the defense. As lethal as Donovan is off the ball, she is most dangerous when facilitating the Duxbury offense. The 5’10 guard dazzles with her tight ball-handling while showcasing a variety of crossovers and hesitation moves. While she can get into the paint at will and score or create for her teammates, it’s her shot-creation off the dribble that is impressive. Her handle, combined with the body control and ability to stop on a dime and rise for a three-point jumper, is jaw-dropping to watch. With one of the most devastating three-point step-back moves you will see, it is just the beginning for Donovan, who is developing into one of the most elite young gunslingers in the area.
Molly Donovan for 3. Nylon. Then Sydney Ropes an and-one. 46-31 Duxbury, 2 minutes remaining. All Dragons at the moment. pic.twitter.com/bz7sIKBoxB
— Trevor Hass (@TrevorHass) January 16, 2021
*Shot creation off the dribble is effortless for Donovan.
Claire Candela – Milton Academy/MA Huskies – 5’8” – PG/SG – 2023
Candela’s shooting range is so insane; if she pulled up from half-court, it would be considered a good shot. She is a shooter who needs to be tightly defended at all times because she has the green light whenever she touches the ball from behind the three-point line. Her high arching shot over the defense is a thing of beauty, and she’s so accurate her shots barely nick the rim on the way down. Before arriving at Milton Academy, Candela was lighting up gyms at Maynard High, where she had 13 games of 2 or more threes during the 2019-2020 season. In 5 of those games, she had 4 or more three-pointers, including a 23 point 6 three-point performance vs. Leominster. Candela catches fire quicker than most and can dominate her opponent on a nightly basis from the three-point line alone. Due to Covid-19, Candela could not demoralize teams this winter in a Milton Academy uniform, but this spring, she will be locked and loaded to prove why she is one of the “Splash Sisters” of New England.
Down Town 3(of 6 for the game) 23 pats for Claire. @EVOHoops @MaynardAthletic pic.twitter.com/bCCDmoJid2
— Kate Candela (@maymac3) December 21, 2019
*Look at where she shoots this from. Makes it look easy.