Weekend Round Up: '22 Top 50 Stock Risers

Here are some of the players who raised their stock from the class of ’22 over the weekend. [player_tooltip player_id="264679" first="Laura" last="Mendell"] - Tabor/Bay State Jaguars - 5’8’’ - PG/SG PGH Rank: #9 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-273416" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/JS3djNQBWUUSMhGgYrtw-scaled-crop-1452x954-1618486487-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Mendell has the talent of a top 10 player but also has top ten effort and work ethic. I always loved Mendell’s tenacity on defense. She digs in and has the elite lateral quickness to shut off angles and force turnovers. I like Mendell’s offensive game and facilitation and believe she is the best two-way guard in her class. She has an efficient outside game and can create for others also. Her persistence on the glass, high motor and willingness to do the little things to help her team win separates her from her peers. Sometimes the most talented players solely rely on their skills to get their team over the top. Not many are like Mendell, who are incredibly gifted and do the intangible things that can spark and inspire the rest of the team. Mendell leads by example and represents everything a top ten player should be. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1381026490511454213 [player_tooltip player_id="263856" first="Jennifer" last="Martin"] - Bradford Christian Academy/Lady Rivals - 5’10’’ - SG PGH Rank: #11 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-271231" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/pTQTw0SoQT6Pbu7uCPr27g.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> I spoke about Martin’s awe-inspiring Sunday performance in my "Sunday Tournament Standout" article. Martin is not just a great shooter but a transcendent one. Many girls can shoot well, but Martin can completely swing a game single-handedly with her long-range sniping ability. If you watch Martin run the floor and get to her spots around the arc, she is constantly reading the defense, observing where they are so she can time up when to get into her scoring area. Martin had a chess match with the defense. She runs the floor beautifully and changes speeds, and fills lanes based on how the defense is set. On Sunday, she realized no one was going to check her at halfcourt, in transition, and that no one was going to keep her from getting to her favorite spot and run her off the line. This led to Martin burying the opposition in a matter of minutes. [player_tooltip player_id="183929" first="Megan" last="Olbrys"] - Norwood/Bay State Jaguars - 6’1’’ - PF/SF PGH Rank: #17 [caption id="attachment_271025" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-271025" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/IMG_1062-scaled-crop-1292x849-1618117965-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="183929" first="Megan" last="Olbrys"][/caption]  Olbrys was out of her mind over the weekend. From the games I saw, she completely dominated every forward that crossed her path. She was a woman on a mission and had the whole gym in awe by her level of play. She impacted both sides of the ball, showed her three-point range and was unstoppable when catching the ball on the block. Olbrys rebounded with tenacity, was more physical than the opposition, and played with this attitude that coaches love to see from their forwards. No one’s stock rose more than Olbrys after her brilliant weekend performances. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1380886318658547712 [player_tooltip player_id="263847" first="Avah" last="Ingalls"] - Pinkerton Academy/Team Saints - 5’9’’ - SG PGH Rank: #18 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-273418" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/a0CSPIGGSN6Fgi0b81Ievg-scaled-crop-1330x873-1618487322-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> I have always been an Ingalls fan because of her diverse skill set on offense. In my opinion, she can score in more ways than anyone on the list. She can score at all three levels efficiently, has a good mid-range package off the bounce, and can finish at the rim as well as anyone. I said it to everyone all weekend long and will continue to emphasize that no one in the class of ’22 has a better off-hand than Ingalls. That is why she can continue to climb up this list because the confidence and efficiency she shows with her left-hand shot-making and shot creation are unique, and it makes her a handful to defend not just at the high school level but the college level as well. [player_tooltip player_id="263814" first="Avery" last="O’Connor"] - Dedham/Bay State Jaguars - 6’0’’ - SG/SF PGH Rank: #24 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-273420" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/GhD9CaodSxureZFQpWuYrw-scaled-crop-1204x791-1618487408-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Whenever I’ve seen O’Connor play, she is locked in and ready to go from the opening tip. No one prepares better physically and mentally before games than O’Connor, and right from jump makes an immediate impact. She made her mark on the tournament by scoring early and often setting the tone for her Bay State Jaguars team. O’Connor can get any shot she wants from anywhere on the court at her height, making her a nightmarish matchup for any defense she faces. O’Connor was aggressive, did not shy away from contact, and put her fingerprints on each game she played. [player_tooltip player_id="263849" first="Brianna" last="James"] - St. Mark’s/ Mass Mavericks - 5’9’’ - CG PGH Rank: #28 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-273422" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/VI7m7YuPRBadpK8npEa8Q-scaled-crop-1491x979-1618487487-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> James was one of the more explosive guards from over the weekend. She can get a bucket at will, and opposing teams had trouble keeping her from getting to the rim. When James was isolated at the wing, she took full advantage and scored at all three levels efficiently. She is a confident shooter while contested and never hesitates to let it fly if given the slightest bit of daylight. James in transition is a force, too, using her athleticism and speed to get by defenders and score at the rim. She is aggressive, athletic, and showed good body control when attacking the rim throughout the tournament. [player_tooltip player_id="263839" first="Maya" last="Hilvert"] - Medfield/Mass Mavericks - 5’8’’ - PG PGH Rank: #43 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-273423" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/KK1prSTsWCcbb1ghVsKA-1-scaled-crop-1703x1118-1618487531-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Hilvert is an exceptional leader on the court, and watching her galvanize her teammates and be so supportive and positive on the court and while on the bench was remarkable. What Hilvert does from a leadership and intangibles standpoint is far more valuable than any statistic in the scorebook. As a point guard, if you can get your teammates to buy in, elevate them, and set a tone that results in winning, I will take that from my point guard any day of the week over a player who stuffs the stat sheet. The Mass Mavericks went 4-0 over the weekend, and Hilvert’s play and leadership played a significant role. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1381388495776837635 [player_tooltip player_id="263944" first="Kaleigh" last="Valle"] - St. Mary’s Academy Bayview/RI Basketball Club PGH Rank: #48 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-273430" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/fr9OD5yGQJQLTnlUes1jA-scaled-crop-1318x866-1618487780-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Valle’s scoring consistency is very impressive because she does not have the physical gifts of many other players that she can use as an advantage over the opposition. She isn’t the biggest or the quickest player, so she uses craftiness and footwork to light up defenses. Valle uses her tight handle to create space to get her shot off, and she proved to be one of the best shooters off the dribble from the weekend. Her step-back threes and dribble crossover moves into pull-ups were so fluid and money all weekend long. With her shot creation being so distinctive and effective, her value vastly increases. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1380977734306893827