October Stock Risers: Swidey Senses

With October coming to an end, let’s look at some of the biggest stock risers of the month.   [caption id="attachment_346338" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/6611CB6F-2CA9-4000-B045-C67352168A0E-crop-1365x897-1635532800.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-346338" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/6611CB6F-2CA9-4000-B045-C67352168A0E-crop-1365x897-1635532800-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: Charlotte Croy[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="267174" first="Courtney" last="Swider"] - Bay State Jaguars/Tabor - 6’4’’ - PF - ’23 After watching Swider at the Hoop Group Fall New England Showcase, I think she will have one of the best winter seasons out of the prospects, at her position, in the ’23 class. Her ability to run and see the floor as well as she does at 6’4’’ is unreal. Swider’s court sense and IQ are high, not to mention she can also shoot the three. Swider’s strength blends perfectly with the slashers and scorers that will be surrounding her at Tabor. Due to her unselfishness and feel for the game, it gives Tabor flexibility to use various lineups. I think Swider’s ceiling is top 10, and she can reach that plateau by the spring rankings update.   [caption id="attachment_346343" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/5976ED00-AB26-4A70-917E-1E76DEC79792-crop-1495x982-1635533131.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-346343" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/5976ED00-AB26-4A70-917E-1E76DEC79792-crop-1495x982-1635533131-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="299627" first="Juliette" last="Tarsa"][/caption][player_tooltip player_id="335233" first="Charlotte" last="Buckley"] - Mass Elite/Chelmsford - 5’7’’ -CG - ’25 I saw Buckley play a couple of weeks ago, and she was unconscious from long range. It was arguably the best shooting performance of any player I saw this month. Buckley’s three-point barrage was enough to immediately move her up the rankings for the next update in December. I have not seen that kind of onslaught from anyone in the ’25 class, and they were momentum-changing shots, too. If Mass Elite needed a bucket, Buckley hit a timely jump shot, and if the opposing team went on a run, Buckley’s outside shooting helped stop the bleeding.   [caption id="attachment_346345" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/CB8EBA24-539E-4EA7-90CF-B40550EE6799-scaled-crop-1707x1121-1635533231.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-346345 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/CB8EBA24-539E-4EA7-90CF-B40550EE6799-scaled-crop-1707x1121-1635533231-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="299627" first="Juliette" last="Tarsa"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="270725" first="Ava" last="Black"] - Bay State Jaguars/ Tabor - 5’11’’ - CG - ’25 I wrote about Black at the beginning of the month, when the ’25 rankings came out, discussing how she is one of the best floor generals and players in her class. Then I saw her a couple of weeks ago at the Hoop Group Fall New England Showcase, and right away I noticed how much of a physical force she is. Black’s gotten a lot stronger over the summer, which has enhanced her scoring ability. Black is finishing through contact better than ever and looks more assertive when the ball is in her hands.   [caption id="attachment_346347" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/1B4DBA72-F3E6-497E-AE63-452111A45744-scaled-crop-1660x1090-1635533362.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-346347" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/1B4DBA72-F3E6-497E-AE63-452111A45744-scaled-crop-1660x1090-1635533362-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="299627" first="Juliette" last="Tarsa"][/caption][player_tooltip player_id="267163" first="Alyvia" last="Peña"] - Evolution/Burlington - 5’8’’ - PG - ’23 Peña’s clutch performance against the Springfield Ballers at the Hoop Group Fall New England Showcase was one of the most fun individual efforts to watch this month. When the game is on the line, I want the ball in Peña’s hand to make a play. Whether it be creating a shot for herself or her teammates, she will make the right play. Her three-point shooting in high leverage situations is flat-out ridiculous. The degree of difficulty of the shots she was hitting and the mental toughness and poise you have to show to convert in those situations is unique. Securing the win vs. the Springfield Ballers with a bone-chilling deep three was the icing on the cake of a top 50 bid for Peña.   <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-346349" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/77EB4F34-5C01-49B7-BBF1-77A4B751082F-crop-1203x790-1635533638-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="297237" first="Carlie" last="Marrella"] - MPC/Ashland - 5’5’’ - CG - ’23 Marrella is electric when the ball is in her hands and can light up the scoreboard in a heartbeat. She is an excellent shooter and a flashy playmaker. Every time I have watched her over the past few weeks, she consistently makes game-changing plays, and it is hard to find a prospect who plays harder than Marrella does. She competes at a high level on defense and slides her feet well, always keeping their ball handler in front. I really like how impactful Marrella is to winning basketball and has the skill set and intangibles you want out of your point guard.   [caption id="attachment_346336" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/E303B110-0B8D-4FE9-852C-FAF1ADD4C19F-crop-1365x897-1635532717.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-346336" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/E303B110-0B8D-4FE9-852C-FAF1ADD4C19F-crop-1365x897-1635532717-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: LTB Visuals[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="263815" first="Ana" last="Von Rumohr"] - MA Huskies/Rivers - 5’11’’ - SG - ’23 Von Rumohr continues to impress me with her complete offensive game. Last weekend, I thought she played her best all-around offensive game and took advantage of her size and strength on the wing. She had another good outside shooting game (which at this point for Von Rumohr is just another day in the office); but inside the arc, she was very active and effective. I also liked her efforts on the glass and her willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team.   [caption id="attachment_346333" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/FE538285-B27C-487F-A54C-DA21D78FB26B-crop-1242x816-1635532640.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-346333" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/FE538285-B27C-487F-A54C-DA21D78FB26B-crop-1242x816-1635532640-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: Nariah Scott[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="275713" first="Ana" last="Robles"] - Bay State Jaguars/Burncoat - 5’7’’ - PG - ’24 Robles is developing into one of the best point guards in ’24, and it starts and ends with her ability to make the players around her better with insane playmaking. Her ability to pass is her greatest gift. Last weekend at the Zero Gravity Battle of the Belt, Robles dropped dimes left and right. Her court vision is next level, and her confidence to fit the ball into near impossible windows is one of the most impressive things I have seen from any prospect in the ’24 class. When you add her potent scoring and ability to heat up quicker than anyone, Robles has top 15 written all over her.   [caption id="attachment_346331" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/C7C31064-5519-4031-83C9-BB87E4DE8990-crop-1537x1010-1635532564.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-346331" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/C7C31064-5519-4031-83C9-BB87E4DE8990-crop-1537x1010-1635532564-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="299627" first="Juliette" last="Tarsa"][/caption][player_tooltip player_id="290833" first="Ashleigh" last="Lagor"] - MA Huskies/ Millbury - 5’10’’ - SF - ’24 Lagor has been one of the more impressive players this month. She uses her body well when attacking the basket. Lagor is not afraid to be physical and embrace contact to get to her spots when she is going downhill. She also has a beautiful shooting stroke. Her mechanics are on point, and she is never hesitant when she has an open look. Her toughness is demonstrated through fighting for position under the basket and relentless rebounding.   [caption id="attachment_346329" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/6B202A5C-99B9-4B02-BA25-84231A5CF4B9-crop-1365x897-1635532440.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-346329" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/6B202A5C-99B9-4B02-BA25-84231A5CF4B9-crop-1365x897-1635532440-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: LTB Visuals[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="266790" first="Katherine" last="Sopko"] - Mass Mavericks/ Rivers - 5’5’’ - PG - ’23 Sopko has been shooting the lights out since I saw her in Chicago at the Nike Tournament of Champions; but having the chance to watch her throughout the month at Rivers open gym, I’ve seen more of her offensive game. She showed good burst and explosion going middle and efficiently scored in the mid-range area after receiving the ball on the wing. Sopko’s skill set meshes well with the rest of the Rivers’ team because she is an excellent kick-out option for her slashing playmaking teammates. She also has the offensive awareness, unselfishness, and passing accuracy that makes her an even bigger threat in the halfcourt.   <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-346256" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/03F6B9E2-2E01-47F2-9883-038188C7D013-scaled-crop-1707x1121-1635516567-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="281183" first="Amany" last="Lopez"] - Springfield Ballers/Springfield Central - 5’9’’ - PG - ’23 At the Hoop Group Fall New England Showcase, no one had a greater impact on both sides of the ball than Lopez. She can blow by anyone who attempts to defend her, and her in-between game has improved. Lopez would confidently pull up for a mid-range jumper instead of forcing the issue and relying on her athleticism to get to the rim. Defensively, she is in the conversation for top 5 lockdown defenders in the ’23 class. Opposing players are terrified to put the ball on the deck when Lopez is around, and her quick hands and instincts make any ball handler uncomfortable. Every time I watch Lopez, she kicks it up a notch and expands her game.