Scary Hours: Summer Watch👀👀

Bash Hudson

June 3, 2021 @ 08:00 AM

With the calendar changing to June and summertime upon us, the weather isn’t the only thing heating up. For the past month, I’ve had my eye on a few prospects, and during the New England Showcase, they impressed me. The progression of these athletes should frighten the competition, because what they are showing me on the court are skills that are hard to neutralize. Here are 5 players who have taken their game to the next level and are hitting their stride right in time for the summer.   [player_tooltip player_id="266710" first="Aoibhe" last="Gormley"] - MA Huskies/Thayer - 5’8’’ - CG - ’23 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-293361" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26743552_Unknown-crop-1138x747-1622691580-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> I finally got to see Gormley play in person at the New England Showcase, and she is one of the best playmakers in the ’23 class. Watching her and [player_tooltip player_id="183924" first="Nina" last="Minicozzi"] in the backcourt together is an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses. Gormley’s shot-creation for herself and her teammates is so easy because her handle is so vicious. My favorite part of Gormley’s game is that she makes one quick move and blows by the defense. She does not over-dribble, plays with pace, controls the tempo, and is one of the most gifted passers in the class. When you add in her shooting efficiency from the outside, it makes Gormley one of the scariest guards to face. https://x.com/gormleyaoibhe/status/1399497499371618312?s=21 [player_tooltip player_id="269256" first="Colleen" last="Phiri"] - Lady Rivals/Haverhill - 5’11’’ - PF - ’24 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-293363" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/06/26743680_Unknown-crop-1307x859-1622691709-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Phiri has been unstoppable for about a month. If she is on the floor and a shot is coming off the rim, Phiri is the best candidate to aggressively rip down the rebound and put it back for easy points. There is no bigger offensive rebounding threat than Phiri, and I have seen her dominate countless games with her activity down low alone. She hits hard and is so physical to the point where opposing players don’t want to come near her. It is highly impressive watching Phiri consistently outwork everyone around the basket and fighting for position throughout an entire game. On top of her being the best rebounder in her class, she also has been stretching the floor with her three-point shot. Phiri has been a force this spring, and I do not see how anyone can slow her down this summer. https://x.com/gymratchallenge/status/1396179619737391109?s=21 [player_tooltip player_id="287236" first="Clarice" last="Borges"] - Bay State Jaguars/Dexter Southfield - 6’0’’ - SG/SF - ’24 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-293365" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/06/26743664_Unknown-crop-1520x998-1622691765-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> I have seen Borges play a lot this spring, but it wasn’t until I saw her on the Jaguars 17U team that made me more intrigued by the prospect. What is impressive about Borges is that she can keep up with the speed and pace of play at that level. At 6’0’’, Borges has the size, wingspan, and athleticism to defend multiple positions to go along with being a maximum effort player at all times. In addition, she is one of the most intelligent players I have watched from the ’24 class. Borges understands spacing on offense, help-side defense principles, and moves well without the ball. Borges shoots the ball confidently from the outside and crashes the glass hard on both ends. The fact that Borges has the mental and intangible facet of the game down to the point that she can give solid minutes to the Jaguars’ top team, imagine the kind of player she will be when her offensive package expands and develops?   [player_tooltip player_id="267180" first="Kailee" last="McDonald"] - Lady Rivals/Bradford Christian Academy - 5’9’’ - CG - ’24 <img class="alignnone wp-image-293367 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/06/26743712_Unknown-crop-1248x820-1622691816-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> McDonald has come alive the last couple of weeks, and it’s mainly due to how lethal she has been shooting the basketball. McDonald has always been a terrific defender, and I love how she always accepts the challenge of guarding the opposing teams’ first option on offense. Still, it’s been her scoring consistency that has impressed me. During the New England Showcase, McDonald was very efficient on offense for the Rivals, not only shooting the basketball but also scoring in transition. Her speed and athleticism are off the charts as she continuously got behind the defense for layups. I have liked McDonald’s confidence on the court and her impact on both sides of the ball, and she will be a player to track as the summer continues.   [player_tooltip player_id="264332" first="Natalia" last="Hall-Rosa"] - Bay State Jaguars/Bridgewater Raynham - 6’0’’ - SF - ’24 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/06/24542F56-8BE5-4A37-9A51-6F49C9B5C55F-crop-939x616-1622692461.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-293375" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/06/24542F56-8BE5-4A37-9A51-6F49C9B5C55F-crop-939x616-1622692461-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> There was one game Hall-Rosa played during the New England Showcase that was eye-popping. If what I saw from Hall-Rosa was a microcosm for things to come, then opposing teams should be petrified. First off, at the beginning of the game, she dusted the defense with her rim running, which led to two easy layups. Immediately, I knew she was focused, dialed in, and on her way to a big game. Second, I can tell Hall-Rosa is more confident in her jump-shooting because she is less hesitant to shoot and is more fluid in her shooting motion. Her stroke from three also looks good, and she is converting with more consistency. Most importantly, Hall-Rosa is becoming a playmaker in the high post. There was one play in particular where she sealed hard, faced up, and threaded the needle to her teammate that led to a foul. Hall-Rosa is one of the most physically imposing players in the ’24 class. She has power forward size with a guard skill set who is now learning how to work the in-between area in the halfcourt. If Hall-Rosa can play like this on a game-to-game basis and be this impactful especially when it comes to creating for others, she is a top 3-5 player in New England. https://x.com/mpr_talie/status/1399681620920184834?s=21 https://x.com/ligiah13/status/1400417352831877124?s=21