Underclassmen to Watch: O-Zone Basketball ’23
The O-Zone Basketball ’23 team has a ton of young talent throughout the roster. Head coach Nickie Orlando has raved about the up-and-coming players from the class of 2024 and 2025. She is very excited to coach these young players…
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Continue ReadingThe O-Zone Basketball ’23 team has a ton of young talent throughout the roster. Head coach Nickie Orlando has raved about the up-and-coming players from the class of 2024 and 2025. She is very excited to coach these young players and see them further develop during the spring and summer. These players are not just going to make noise over the next few months but will haunt opposing teams the next few years!
Hailey Bassett – Millis High – 5’10 – PF – 2024
Before transferring to Millis, Bassett made varsity as an 8th grader for Bellingham High, so the 5’10 forward is comfortable playing against older competition. The reason why Bassett can be successful playing up on O-Zone Basketball is because of her tough-nosed defense. Her 5’10 frame, mixed with her athletic ability, allows her to patrol the paint and give the opposing post players fits. A strong force on the interior, Bassett refuses to let anyone post her up without a fight and will contest every shot in her direction. The calling card of this power forward is defense, but she can elevate the team’s efficiency on offense with her court vision. A brilliant passer in the high post, Bassett is a guard’s dream to play with because she will hit cutters and spot-up shooters with top-notch accuracy. Bassett is a potent inside/out scorer and one of the more polished all-around players on the team.
Kayla Goldrick – Attleboro High – 5’8” – SG – 2024
Goldrick was a significant contributor to a talented Attleboro team that finished 4th in the tough Hockomock League. The 5’8” guard uses her length and athleticism to play tenacious defense on anyone she matches up against. Her conditioning is off the charts, and you can rely on her to be fresh and play with high energy and intensity until the final buzzer. A glue girl to the O-Zone team, Goldrick will do the little things to help her team win. A phenomenal rebounding guard, the Attleboro stand-out reads the ball off the rim well and has a jaw-dropping vertical that aids her in ripping boards from bigger forwards. A valuable transition player, Goldrick will force a turnover on defense and in the open court can showcase her tight ball-handling and crisp passing ability. She is an aggressive perimeter scorer who is never hesitant and has range beyond the three-point line. An impactful player in various ways on the court, Goldrick is a triple-double threat every time she steps on the floor.
Kara Santos – Mansfield High – 6’0” – PF – 2024
Santos is going to be fun to watch next to Bassett in the post. They can terrorize teams with high-low action all game long. So strong and physical inside, Santos is a challenging cover for any player one on one. She has excellent footwork and body control on the block, scoring easily against her opponents. She is a big who runs the floor beautifully, and that will be vital on this ’23 team that will push the pace the majority of the game. Her rim running in transition will open up opportunities for the team’s shooters, but Santos typically out hustles her opponent up the court resulting in easy fastbreak points. Another player who had to compete in the talented Hockomock League, Santos held her own against some of the premier high-level talents in the division. Her aggressiveness inside should make her a double-double threat nightly.
Ava Orlando – Notre Dame Academy – 5’3” – 2025
Orlando is the player who will make the O-Zone Basketball team flourish. Orlando has made her presence felt on Notre Dame Academy’s varsity team the past two seasons as one of the most dangerous young point guards in the region. An elite ball-handler, Orlando will “wow” the gymnasium with the way she weaves in and out of defenders on the way to the hoop. A ball of electricity in transition, the 5’3” 8th grader plays a high tempo style of basketball and is a masterful facilitator. Coming off a season where she averaged 14 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals, Orlando proved she can play at a high level on both ends and will only improve. The Catholic Conference All-Star had a 14 point 6 three-pointer game vs. Norwell, a 22-point performance vs. Mansfield, and a 19-point game against East Bridgewater, which are only a few examples of her scoring prowess. No moment is too big for this up-and-coming point guard, and if the ball is in her hands, you can always expect great results. A floor general who plays inspiring basketball, is a leader, and will be the driving force to O-Zone’s Basketball’s success this spring.