’22 Rankings Update: Notable Jumps

<span style="font-weight: 400;">A few players outside of the top ten have made significant leaps up the rankings based on their play from the spring. Many of these players I only got to see highlight films of, so I was glad to get the opportunity to see them play in person to get a more accurate depiction of their style of play and impact on the game. Here are a few players who made a noteworthy jump this spring.</span> &nbsp; <b>[player_tooltip player_id="263814" first="Avery" last="O’Connor"] - Bay State Jaguars/Dedham - 6’0’’ - SG </b> <b>Previous Rank: #24</b> <b>New Rank: #14</b> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-295644" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/GhD9CaodSxureZFQpWuYrw-scaled-crop-1204x791-1623159398-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> <span style="font-weight: 400;">O’Connor can score on anyone. She comes out the gates of every game ready to fire from anywhere on the court, and that aggressive mindset sets the tone for the Jaguars on offense. She is so impressive scoring off the bounce and is an excellent shooter when contested. O’Connor is a long, strong guard who can get her shot off against bigger forwards and adds another lethal element to the Jaguars. I also think O’Connor is the most versatile two-way player on the team. She is a great on-ball defender who successfully defends three positions. When she is out of the lineup, you instantly notice her absence because she has played like one of the best two-way wings in her class. </span> <b>[player_tooltip player_id="263798" first="Sophia" last="Fontaine"] - Boston Showstoppers/Proctor Academy - 6’2’’ - PF </b> <b>Previous Rank: #37</b> <b>New Rank: #13</b> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-295645" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/IMG_0183-crop-1193x784-1623159533-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> <span style="font-weight: 400;">I thought Fontaine was one of the most impactful players I saw at the Philly Showcase. That was Fontaine’s first action of the spring, and she did not look rusty at all. She is a terrific post player who draws an immediate double team off the catch. I liked Fontaine because she recognized when the double was coming and got the ball out quickly to the open teammate. She would follow that kick out with a repost and get deeper position under the basket. Fontaine compliments ’23 standout Chienye Odenigbo well, because she will stretch the floor with her shooting. On defense, Fontaine patrols the paint well and has good instincts around the rim, altering shots constantly. The following week at the GymRats showcase, Fontaine was on her way to another big weekend before injuring her finger that will have her out for a couple of weeks. I think she can be a top ten player when she returns from injury because she was that impressive in the little time I saw her on the floor. </span> https://x.com/elliot_fontaine/status/1395049396878905346 <b>[player_tooltip player_id="183953" first="Julia" last="Elie"] - MT Elite/Rockland - 6’3’’ - PF</b> <b>Previous Rank: #46</b> <b>New Rank: #27</b> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-295646" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/uL5Jkij5T06sCRuwMsftWg-scaled-crop-1204x791-1623159602-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It took me about a month to grasp Elie’s impact on the MT Elite Ducks. Their style of play is so unique and different from many teams I watch that it takes a while to understand the roles and importance of each player. Elie is without question the engine of the Ducks car. There were games I saw where she completely dominated on the block alone. She scores at will or at worst gets hacked and making teams pay from the free-throw line. Elie has good shot selection and is reliable from the mid-range but only shoots them when necessary. I think Elie is most valuable on the defensive end. Her willingness to step out and defend the perimeter and do it effectively makes it hard to score against the Ducks. Her length cuts off passing lanes, and she has excellent lateral quickness for a big, so she does not struggle staying in front of wings. </span> <b>[player_tooltip player_id="263838" first="Emelia" last="O’Gilvie"]- Boston Showstoppers/Boston Latin - 5’7’’ - PG</b> <b>Previous Rank: #40</b> <b>New Rank: #34</b> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-295629" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/06/IMG_0316-crop-1071x703-1623155087-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> <span style="font-weight: 400;">O’Gilvie started moving up the rankings when I saw her at the Philly Showcase. I thought that during the tournament she was an excellent playmaker who took care of the ball and elevated her teammates around her. I have always liked the way O’Gilvie dug in and competed on defense, and over the last few weeks, she has been consistently hitting three-point shots showing her value as a two-way player. I liked that at the GymRats showcase and the Zero Gravity Nationals, she built off her impressive weekend in Philly. She has been more aggressive in scoring and gaining more confidence in her jump shot. O’Gilvie has been very efficient for the Showstoppers, and a big July could increase her value even more.</span> https://x.com/GymRatCHALLENGE/status/1396135116053831680