’24 Rankings Analysis: Watch List Names to Know

Photo: Sydney Goldstein

Bash Hudson

April 9, 2021 @ 09:22 AM

There are many names on the watch list who can crack the rankings come June. The watch list is more about what players I have not seen enough to evaluate appropriately and have little to do with their basketball talent level. With the spring season underway, here are a few watch list names that will be on my radar. Bella Vaz Bella Vaz 5'9" | SG Pingree | 2024 State New E - Pingree/MCW Starz - 5’9’’ - SG

Vaz can crack the rankings easily in June due to her elite sharpshooting from the outside alone. She is as lethal as anyone in her class, and Vaz is not a one-dimensional catch and shoot player either. Vaz has the confidence to shoot off the dribble and is excellent at creating enough space to fire off a clean look. Her shooting versatility makes her a unique player in ’24, but her rebounding increases her value. Vaz is not afraid to mix it up inside and battle on the glass, and even though she is not the tallest player on the court can hover around the 10 rebound mark on a nightly basis. Vaz’s stock should increase vastly in the next few weeks. Alex White Alex White 5'11" | SF Pinkerton Academy | 2024 State New E - Pinkerton Academy/Team Saints - 5’11’’ - SF White is an athletic wing who has a very high ceiling. She possesses the physical tools to be an excellent two-way player, and White uses her athleticism to leak out in transition to get easy buckets. After sitting in on a Team Saints practice and witnessing the emphasis put on ball handling, shot-creation, and shot-making, it would not surprise me in the least if White developed into a scoring threat on the wing this spring. Combine that with her high motor, rebounding prowess, and the potential of her being a top-end defender who can guard multiple positions, White is a player worthy of giving a lot of attention to in the upcoming months. Kaydance Derba Kaydance Derba 5'10" | SG Oliver Ames | 2024 State New E - Oliver Ames/MCW Starz - 5’10’’ - SG

Derba is one of the best pure scorers on the watch list. She is known for her deadly three-point shooting, but I like her craftiness off the bounce. Her handle is tight enough to get to scoring spots on the floor, and she is not afraid to showcase her mid-range game. Derba has the length and shooting touch to score in various ways. Her length and height combination at the 2 guard spot can create many mismatches, and Derba can take advantage of that by shooting over or posting up smaller defenders, or blowing by slower wings and getting to the hoop. With the physical tools to be a versatile defender, Derba is one of the more valuable all-around players on the list. Veronica Dawson Veronica Dawson 5'11" | PF St. Andrew's | 2024 State New E - St. Andrew’s/ RI Basketball Club - 5’11’’ - PF (pictured above) I have only seen Dawson once, and from that practice, her physicality and toughness pop right out at you. She is a sound post player who isn’t afraid to throw her muscle around down low. What I am excited to see going forward with Dawson is her ability to score and create offense further away from the basket. If she can be a stretch 4 and force opposing bigs to chase her behind the arc, Dawson becomes extremely dangerous on offense. She has excellent footwork, and I trust her to dominate a defender with her back to the basket. Dawson is also a reliable defender using her strength, athleticism, and size to body up players on the interior and alter shots. I am looking forward to seeing more of Dawson because she possesses the skill set to make some noise up the rankings ladder. Mia Theberge Mia Theberge 5'7" | CG Masconomet | 2024 State New E - Masconomet/ UBT Meerkats - 5’7’’ - SG I saw Theberge at a UBT Meerkats practice, and she caught my attention with how hard she played. She is a tough-nosed defender who has the lateral quickness to stay in front of anyone and makes it challenging for ball handlers to facilitate the offense. Theberge is a tremendous athlete who plays with a ton of energy and is the ultimate disrupter on defense. She is an aggressive slasher on offense who uses her athleticism and quick first step to burst to the rim. Theberge has a confident jump shot from mid-range and, with her continued development, could turn into an excellent two-way player. I will have an eye on Theberge this spring season because I believe she is the biggest sleeper on the watch list.