New England Showcase: 4 Names to Know
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Several great players are well known in specific parts of New England but do not get enough recognition in the whole region. I had the opportunity to see a few of these talented players over the weekend, and they all…
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Continue ReadingSeveral great players are well known in specific parts of New England but do not get enough recognition in the whole region. I had the opportunity to see a few of these talented players over the weekend, and they all possess skills that translate at the next level and overall are fun players to watch.
Gianna Nichols Gianna Nichols 5'7" | PG Worcester Academy | 2025 State New E – MA Huskies/ Marianapolis – 5’5’’ – PG – ’25
Nichols is a “must watch” player from the ’25 class. From the opening tip, Nichols is locked in and ready to play. The Huskies’ floor general was setting the table early in the game I saw, hitting her teammates with accurate passes for easy shots. Nichols can score at all three levels and has one of the most confident jump shots in her class. She can create off the dribble and, even at her size, can consistently get her shot off against bigger defenders. What impressed me most about Nichols was her constant movement on offense. She is not stagnant when the ball isn’t in her hands and is a legitimate scoring threat when she comes off screens. A reliable ball-handler, Nichols was calm and did not panic when the opposing team pressured her. Nichols is a pesky defender who plays aggressive denial defense and is always active in passing lanes.
🚨’25 Player to Watch 🚨
Gianna Nichols (‘25)@MAHuskies / Marianapolis Prep
5’6’’
PG@giannamnichols has been killing this morning 🔥🔥 She makes these shots look too easy 😤😤 pic.twitter.com/S8JObnMQh2— Bash Hudson (@BashHoopsNE) May 29, 2021
Nique Mayo Nique Mayo 5'9" | CG Notre Dame Fairfield | 2022 State New E – Bria Holmes Elite/ Notre Dame Fairfield – 5’9’’ – CG – ’22
The New England Showcase was my first time watching Mayo in person, and she is one of the best one-on-one scorers in her class. She is a difficult cover because of her upper body strength and build; Mayo constantly bullied defenders on her way to the basket. Mayo also has a lethal jump shot that she was getting off with ease. She has the most polished perimeter scoring repertoire. Step backs, dribble pull up, stop and pop jumpers, Mayo has it all. Mayo is also very effective playing off the ball. She runs off of screens well and always catches with purpose looking to explode to the rim or shoot. Scoring comes easy to Mayo, and no one is more effective filling it up than she is.
Brodie Gannon Brodie Gannon 5'8" | SG Dracut | 2023 State New E – Evolution Basketball/Dracut – 5’8’’ – CG – ’23
What stands out when you watch Gannon is her on-ball defense and shooting ability. She has good size and length at the guard position, and there were moments where the ball handler was noticeably uncomfortable by Gannon’s pressure. She also is very unselfish and always looks to make the extra pass. Gannon is a player who can mesh with any lineup because she takes what the defense gives her and keeps the offense flowing with her ball movement. She is tough, plays with an edge, and brings a lot of value to a team because she does not need the ball in her hands to be impactful. Gannon can become a stock-rising three and D prospect as she continues to develop into a consistent long-range shooting threat.
Cassidy Yeomans Cassidy Yeomans 5'5" | PG Tabor Academy | 2022 State New E – Bay State Jaguars/Tabor – 5’6’’ – PG – ’22
I talked to a few college coaches at the showcase, and I would ask them, “what kind of player are you looking for?” The response was always “a player who competes hard and plays excellent defense.” That is Yeomans in a nutshell. Whenever I saw Yeomans enter the game, her intensity and energy on defense are what you first notice. Yeomans is so tough, will fight through screens, and has the lateral quickness to stay in front of opposing guards. I also like the pace she plays with on offense. Yeomans doesn’t play out of control, and when she is aggressive on offense she was efficient scoring off her dribble penetration. Yeomans consistently provides impactful minutes for the Jaguars, and it starts with her commitment to the defensive side of the ball.