’23 Rankings Update: Noteworthy Leaps

Bash Hudson

June 15, 2021 @ 09:21 AM

There were a few players who made noticeable jumps up the rankings this spring. The players below leveled up the past few months and really impressed me with their game.   [player_tooltip player_id="183924" first="Nina" last="Minicozzi"] - MA Huskies/Rivers - 5’9’’ - CG <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-297878" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26743376_Unknown-crop-1085x712-1623764657-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Previous Rank: #16 New Rank: #6 Minicozzi was a scoring machine all spring long. Defenders had trouble staying in front of her, and Minicozzi’s lighting quick first step was the cause of many blow-by’s and easy layups. She was scoring from everywhere, and when point guard [player_tooltip player_id="266710" first="Aoibhe" last="Gormley"] was on the court, the number of open looks for Minicozzi increased. She is a sniper from long range, has a smooth mid-range game, and can finish at the rim with either hand. Minicozzi snakes her way into the paint, weaving in and out of the defense to get to her scoring areas. Besides her scoring, Minicozzi is an aggressive defender who digs in and gives opposing guards fits. In big moments Minicozzi elevates her game and will hit big shots, make game-changing plays for the Huskies, and put them in a position to win. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1398764974680547334 [player_tooltip player_id="266787" first="Yirsy" last="Queliz"] - MCW Starz/St. Mary’s - 5’5’’ - PG <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-297879" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/4sQnyIXxRmC2PE6N2CJMqA-scaled-crop-1204x791-1623764690-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Previous Rank: #19 New Rank: #8 Queliz is a fun player to watch because she plays with a ton of energy, and it trickles down to the rest of her team. She leaves it all out on the floor and is so competitive that it fuels the team and plays a role in elevating MCW all season. Her rapport with [player_tooltip player_id="184007" first="Abigail" last="Wright"] is seamless, and that 1-2 punch is unstoppable when they are clicking. Queliz is a talented scorer, and it is impressive how she can get her shot off at her size; but her playmaking is my favorite part of Queliz’s game. I thought at Spookynook she was the most impactful player from the ’23 class because of how well she quarterbacked and galvanized the offense. https://x.com/ihoopcrazy/status/1398330106028953607 [player_tooltip player_id="184020" first="Grace" last="Oliver"] - Lady Rivals/Norwell - 6’1’’ - PF/SF <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-297880" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/jzwaWclpTtiE6DVqW2YH8A-scaled-crop-1206x792-1623764718-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Previous Rank: #20 New Rank: #12 Oliver is one of the best defenders in the ’23 class, and her efforts played a massive role in her jump to #12. I first noticed how well she defended in a tournament in Rhode Island earlier in the spring, and then the weekend after at Spookynook, she was an absolute beast. Oliver not only protects the rim well, but when there is a breakdown on defense, you can trust that Oliver will be there to make up for the lapse. Her attention to detail and focus are off the charts. Although she may not reject every shot attempt, Oliver’s discipline and getting in the proper help position results in many rushed shot attempts by her opponent. She was a monster all spring, and her stock is trending up with July on the horizon. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1393575904790695937 [player_tooltip player_id="266795" first="Kendall" last="Eddy"] - Lady Rivals/Brooks - 5’8’’ - CG <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-297881" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/BijKA29UTk2SExyS5lXnlQ-scaled-crop-1204x791-1623764749-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Previous Rank:#33 New Rank: #18 Eddy is one of the best shot creators and shot-makers that I saw this spring. She is not the biggest guard, so Eddy uses crafty dribbling and quick decision-making to get her shot off. She always had the defense off balance because she is a threat to pull up anywhere and has the speed and quickness to blow by her defender and get a bucket at the rim. Eddy is one of the best shooters off the bounce and can nail jumpers effortlessly when contested. What was cool to see from Eddy was that her offensive repertoire got more extensive as the spring progressed. The first time I saw her at the Zero Gravity Level Up tournament, she showed flashes of her potency on offense. As the season progressed, she added a little more to her bag and was one of the most lethal scorers in her class by the Zero Gravity Nationals. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1381266907039404036 [player_tooltip player_id="184004" first="Anna" last="Foley"] - Evolution/Andover - 6’3’’ - PF <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-297882" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/Klbhv43TRKGQGcvFx7TTYQ-scaled-crop-1332x875-1623764782-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Previous Rank: #34 New Rank: #20 Before the spring season started, I knew Foley was an excellent post player and rebounder, but I was unfamiliar with her polished perimeter game. She has a fluid lefty stroke from the outside, and when the defense closes in on Foley, she sells an up fake, puts the ball on the deck, and showcases her mid-range package. In addition, Foley has an excellent feel for the game, and I was impressed with how smooth and under control she was handling the ball on the wing. Her combination of size and offensive versatility elevated Foley to top 20 status.