Mt. Rushmore: Nike TOC-Chicago Day 1

I was in Chicago this past weekend watching the Nike Tournament of Champions. This was a fun event flooded with college coaches on every court, and New England’s prospects did not disappoint! A plethora of players impressed me over the last three days, but on day 1, these were the 4 who shined brightest, in my opinion. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1414068884743806979 [player_tooltip player_id="263849" first="Brianna" last="James"] - Mass Mavericks/St. Mark’s - 5’9’’ - CG - ’22 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-307434" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/07/IMG_0435-crop-1417x931-1626236861-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> ’22 Rank: #33 James was locked in right from the start of the game, displaying how efficiently she can score at all three levels. James asserted herself on offense early and took advantage of her athleticism and quickness, knifing into the heart of the defense at will. If she elected not to go all the way to the basket, James stopped and popped in mid-range. If the defense sagged off her on the perimeter, she confidently ripped the three-point shot. James walked on the floor as the most talented prospect and proved it all game long. She was a shark smelling blood and knew not a single player on the opposing team could stop her from getting to where she wanted to go. Not only was James scoring at a frequent rate, but she also distributed the ball well and created a ton of open shots for her teammates. Overall, James was one of the most consistent players I watched from the tournament, and her stock went through the roof. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1414294294282870786 [player_tooltip player_id="272990" first="Julia" last="Webster"] - Mass Mavericks/Bishop Feehan - 6’0’’ - PF - ’24 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-307436" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/07/IMG_0429-crop-1289x846-1626236986-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> ’24 Rank: #47 Webster was one of the most impressive ’24’s from the weekend and showed me parts of her game that I didn’t know existed until Saturday morning. Her shot-creation off the bounce from the outside was mind-blowing, and I have not seen a prospect from the ’24 class at the power forward position display that level of confidence handling the ball in one-on-one situations. Webster’s use of hesitation dribbles leading up to sweet mid-range pull-ups was a thing of beauty. Not to mention she can stick three-pointers comfortably, also. Webster ran the floor extremely hard and was very active around the basket, specifically on the offensive glass. She had a monstrous Saturday, impacted the game on a multitude of levels, and showed top 25 ceiling.   [player_tooltip player_id="299213" first="Geanna" last="Bryant"] - New England Panthers/Brookline - 5’6’’ - PG - ’23 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-307438" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/07/IMG_0437-crop-1394x915-1626237060-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> ’23 Rank: WL Bryant was one of the most versatile scorers from Saturday and, despite being 5’6’’, still found ways to get her shot off with ease on the opposing defense. She keeps the ball on a string and uses a combination of hesitation, in and out, and crossover dribbles to create the space needed to score. Bryant’s stop and pop mid-range shots are automatic, and in the second half of the Panthers game vs. VK Gray, she started to cook from the field, showing her full offensive arsenal. Whether it be her stroke from the outside or the smooth finishes at the rim with either hand, Bryant had it all going Saturday night. She was effective on defense, too. If Bryant is guarding you, do not be lazy with the basketball, or Bryant will pick your pocket and get an easy layup on the other end. She is so good at turning defense into offense and always capitalizes on forced turnovers.   [player_tooltip player_id="266710" first="Aoibhe" last="Gormley"] - MA Huskies/Thayer - 5’9’’ - CG - ’23 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-307440" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/07/IMG_0433-crop-1317x865-1626237129-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> ’23 Rank: #1 Every time I watch Gormley, she never cheats her team and audience with effort and competitiveness. She is fearless and, with many college coaches in attendance, did not disappoint Saturday afternoon. Gormley’s court vision was incredible per usual, and the use of ball/head fakes in pursuit of the basket was as deceiving as ever. She is a magician with the basketball, and you can always count on her to dazzle you with her play. What separated Gormley from the rest of the players I saw was her response after a mistake. Gormley will turn the ball over, but the next possession will make a big-time play for her team, shifting the momentum back in the Huskies’ favor. Her memory is short-term, and she is so mentally tough that even after a poor decision can refocus, lock in and be a top-notch game-changing floor general who controls the game on both sides of the ball. Her ability to not let adversity be a looming cloud over her head and instead crank up her game to another level is what made her special on Saturday.