Working Overtime: Above The Rim Training – Ladies Night
I had the opportunity to watch some extremely talented players at the Above The Rim Training (ATR) facility in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Above The Rim Training was founded by Albert Ortiz and Scott Richard in 2017, and it has been…
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I had the opportunity to watch some extremely talented players at the Above The Rim Training (ATR) facility in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Above The Rim Training was founded by Albert Ortiz and Scott Richard in 2017, and it has been the home to some of the most talented girl and boy basketball players who want to take their game to the next level. They pride themselves on developing physical and mental toughness and confidence, and they have created an atmosphere in the building that I have never witnessed before.
Upon arrival, I went into the weight room, and the ladies were crushing a lifting session. Between medicine ball and band workouts, these athletes were getting after it improving their strength. They were unified and pushing each other, which was fantastic to see. What caught me off guard was after they finished shredding the weight room, they went to the basketball court and started killing physical one-on-one drills. Other drills performed were various shooting drills, full-court “3 man weave back to 3 on 2,” and a scrimmage at the end. I was highly impressed by the level of conditioning and the competitiveness the girls showed all night long, and it made for a fun showcase.
Here were the participants:
Simone Fiore – Worcester State University – 5’7” – SF/PF – 2024
Fiore is a freshman at Worcester State University, and it was great to see a college athlete set the tone for this group all night. The former Algonquin Regional High stand-out is a tough matchup for anyone using her strength to bully her way to the basket and consistently knock down threes. A tough defender, Fiore makes it hard to score on because she can out muscle anyone who tries to drive on her. She has a superior work ethic, and Fiore’s intensity was rubbing off on the other players.
Katelyn Burns – Nashoba Regional High/Cornell College (IA) Commit – 6’3” – PF – 2021
Burns is a force in the middle and can impact the game on both sides of the ball. She makes the game look so easy when she catches the ball on the block. Her elite finishing ability around the rim mixed with her great set of hands makes her as automatic as anyone in the paint. It was nice to see her in shooting drills step out behind the three-point line, too. Bigs willing to stretch the defense with their long-range shooting is always valuable at the next level. Burns’ strength is on the defense. She moves well on the interior and is an excellent athlete who shows ideal timing on shot alterations.
Davita Honig – Nashoba Regional/CMF – 5’8” – SG/PG – 2023
Honig is one of the many lethal shooters on the Nashoba team. She has a confident shooting motion and can be a dangerous spot-up shooter. I also like the way she handles the ball. She is comfortable with the ball in her hand and does not get rattled or tense up when she gets pressured. ATR stresses “in your face” aggressive pressure defense at all times, and I thought Honig was fantastic playing with pace and not allowing defenders to speed her up.
Emily Quinn – Nashoba Regional/CMF – 5’4” – PG – 2023
Quinn has unlimited range, and no matter how deep she shoots the ball from, there’s a high probability that the shot drops. The 5’4” slashing guard is a sharpshooter who, even at her size, can get off her shot whenever she wants due to her quick release. Quinn always catches the ball in her shooting pocket and is ready to fire immediately after the catch. Even when contested, Quinn has no issue shooting with confidence and makes the defense pay all night long.
Morgan Schultz – Lawrence Academy/CMF – 5’10 – SF – 2023
A common theme in the ATR building is toughness and elite sniping ability. Schultz has one of the most fluid jump shots you will see. She has a scorer’s mindset and can efficiently put the ball in the basket at all three levels. Her 5’10” frame and ability to rise over the defense with her jump shot make her difficult to guard, and no one had an answer for her on the perimeter the other night. Schultz is an excellent athlete who runs the floor well and, with her shooting ability, can be a force in transition spotting up.
Katie Adiletta – Worcester Academy/BSS – 5’5” – SG – 2023
Adiletta is an elite soccer player at Worcester Academy, and it shows when she is on the basketball court. Her lateral quickness is unparalleled, and she is an athlete I would trust to guard any guard, whether it be the 1 or 2. Her conditioning is also jaw-dropping. She is a player who goes full speed at all times and fights through fatigue. She is a slasher who can use her physical tools to get open and convert around the basket.
Beautiful Sanchez – Fitchburg High – 5’4” – PG/SG – 2024
Sanchez is a quick athlete who handles the ball well. Though not big in stature, she makes up for in strength and speed. She has a nice jump shot with three-point range and can get to the basket effectively as well. She is tough as nails and has the build and mentality to be a pest on defense. Not intimidated by bigger players, Sanchez will pick up full court and make the ball-handler work up the court. Sanchez is a max effort player who can be a valuable “3 and d” athlete.
Payton Richard – The Rivers School/Rivals – 5’10 – PG/SG -2024
Richard formerly was a potent scorer on Nashoba Regional High, but next season will take her talents to Rivers to shine in the NEPSAC. I’ve seen game film of Richard the last couple of months so this was my first time seeing Richard play in person, and her size stands out. She is an athlete who has the size and length to guard 3 different positions and the offensive skill set to be the starting point guard for Rivers potentially. A 5’10” point guard who is unselfish creates a nightmare scenario for any opposing defense. She is a player that forces the opposition to adjust their whole game plan because her impact is profound. If a small guard defends her, she can pass or shoot over them; and if guarded by a bigger defender, she has the offensive package to separate from them and score. The ultimate mismatch, Richard is going to be one of the many “must-see” combo guards in the NEPSAC.