New Hampshire Overview: Playing Up? No Problem

Some of the most fun players to watch and evaluate are the young players who play up on their older AAU teams. I am always interested in seeing how an athlete’s game will translate as they compete against tougher and stronger opponents. The Zero Gravity New Hampshire State Championship tournament was an excellent platform for a few of these ’25’s and ’24’s to show that they could hang with the varsity teams. Here were some who stood out.   [player_tooltip player_id="273941" first="Sydney" last="Gerossie"]- SNH Saints/Pinkerton Academy - 5’8’’ -PG - ’25 ’25 PGH Rank: TBD <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26740896_Unknown-crop-1467x964-1620081361.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-280705" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26740896_Unknown-crop-1467x964-1620081361-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> After watching Gerossie play over the weekend, I concluded that she makes the 2025 rankings very interesting. In a point guard-heavy ’25 class, Gerossie pops out at you because of her size. At 5’8’’ and with good length and athleticism, Gerossie can defend both guard spots, and most importantly, she wants to play defense. Gerossie committed to defending full-court and did a good job keeping her assignment in front of her. On offense, Gerossie brings an element to the Saints team that they do not have: a pass-first point guard. I like how she sets the table for the offense and keeps it flowing when she is in the game. Gerossie generated many positive offensive possessions when taking on the responsibility as the primary ball-handler and made the Saints’ wings and bigs’ lives easier with smart decision making. Coupled with the ability to score off the dribble, Gerossie has the tools to be in the conversation with the rest of the elite point guards in ’25. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1388904944519032840   [player_tooltip player_id="269442" first="Elizabeth" last="Lavoie"] - SNH Saints/Pinkerton Academy - 5’11’’ - SG/SF - ’24 ’24 PGH Rank: #23 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26740608_Unknown-crop-1383x908-1620081483.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-280708" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26740608_Unknown-crop-1383x908-1620081483-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> I have been driving the "Lavoie bandwagon" since the Zero Gravity Level Up tournament, where I was left speechless by how polished her offensive game was for her age. Her unique skill set and crafty playmaking are smooth and effective as she shows the ability to change direction while under control and finish strong. I was excited to see her play with the varsity team over the weekend because I was intrigued to see how her game translated against older competition. What amazed me about Lavoie was that the same confidence she showed scoring against her peers in the ’24 class she displayed vs. the older athletes, too. The same focus and level of aggression were apparent, and you can tell she puts in hours in the gym fine-tuning her craft. I also liked the chemistry she showed with point guard [player_tooltip player_id="273941" first="Sydney" last="Gerossie"]. They have complementary skill sets, and it was cool to see the cohesiveness between the two players. https://x.com/jgdad33/status/1389044721138479110   [player_tooltip player_id="269918" first="Madison" last="Pepra-Omani"] - BDS/Manchester Memorial - 5’6’’ - PG - ’24 ’24 PGH Rank: WL <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-280710" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26740720_Unknown-crop-1227x806-1620081535-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Pepra-Omani’s performance on Sunday showed me why the BDS coaching staff has her playing up 2 levels on their oldest team. Pepra-Omani’s game-to-game improvement was noticeable, and when she plays with confidence, it creates a nightmarish matchup for the opposition. Pepra-Omani is a score-first point guard who wasn’t blowing anyone away with speed and athleticism but rather with change of pace, footwork, and upper body strength. The explosion after her hesitation dribble kept the defense off balance and gave her countless opportunities at the rim. She also is an efficient and confident shooter, especially when highly contested. I liked how comfortable and composed Pepra-Omani looked, shooting mid and long-range shots off the bounce. On Sunday specifically, I saw a player who was digging in on defense and more engaged on that side of the ball. If Pepra-Omani can consistently bring that kind of defensive effort to every game, it will increase her stock even more. https://x.com/Maddie23s/status/1389201365910626311   [player_tooltip player_id="269241" first="Jasmine" last="Becotte"] - BDS/Pelham - 5’9’’ - SF/PF - ’24 ’24 PGH Rank: #32 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-280711" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/26478272_Unknown-crop-1389x912-1620081561-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Becotte plays beyond her years to the point where I kept having to remind myself that she is a freshman. I appreciate how vocal Becotte was, whether it was encouraging her teammates from the sidelines or on the court directing traffic. She is a versatile forward who will defend anyone on the court. She has the athleticism and lateral quickness to pick up full court, can switch out on screens and defend guards, and can bang down low with forwards and finish plays with strong rebounding. Becotte’s ability to impact a game without the ball in her hands made her so valuable to her BDS teams’ success over the weekend. She has a skill set that meshes with any play style, and even though she might be deemed undersized for her position, she will outwork any player on the court to make winning basketball plays.   [player_tooltip player_id="269545" first="Carly" last="Dimento"] - BDS/Tyngsboro - 5’5’’ - PG - ’24 ’24 PGH Rank: WL <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-280647" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26740640_Unknown-crop-1313x862-1620063882-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> DiMento showed me something over the weekend that I have not seen from any freshman this spring. That was the ability to fight through adversity and proceed to play their best basketball. When I watch players, I pay close attention to not what you can do when everything is going well and by the script, but how you carry yourself when the situation is not ideal. On Saturday, DiMento picked up an undeserving technical foul during a significant part of a close game where momentum could have shifted. Most players at all levels pick up that technical and show bad body language, sulk and take themselves completely out of the game. DiMento did the exact opposite. She played tougher, harder and elevated her game to a level that I did not witness early on. Her passes had more velocity; she attacked and shot the basketball with more aggression and got more physical on defense. This all helped BDS grind out a tough win. DiMento has the talent and skill, but I observed the heart and mental toughness she showed, and I said to myself, " This girl is going to be a star." The intangibles DiMento showed are not qualities a coach can teach; and if you are a point guard who wants to win, you have to be able to have a short-term memory, be able to dig in and find a way to lead the team even when things aren’t in your favor. DiMento has that "it" factor. Saturday was all I needed to see to know that BDS Basketball will be in great shape with her at the 1.