Best Uncommitted Upperclassmen: Classic 8
As the season winds down it’s important to start looking at upperclassmen who could feasibly play at the next level. Let’s check out some of those players from the Classic 8 Conference: Natalie Gricius Natalie Gricius 5'10" | PF Oconomowoc…
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Continue ReadingAs the season winds down it’s important to start looking at upperclassmen who could feasibly play at the next level. Let’s check out some of those players from the Classic 8 Conference:
Natalie Gricius Natalie Gricius 5'10" | PF Oconomowoc | 2022 State WI | Oconomowoc | Class of 2022 | Wing/Forward
Despite lacking elite physical tools like speed or high-end quickness, Gricius is still an extremely effective two-way player. Her application of basic fundamentals and methodical approach in the half-court (on both ends) make her a perennial thorn in the side of the opposition. Her positional awareness on the defensive end exemplifies this principle. Working within the constructs of a zone, Gricius effectively triangulates where her help defense can be most potent, denying passes or stunting attacks on the rim off the catch. When operating as an on-ball defender, though lacking the lateral quickness to matchup with guards, Gricius uses the baseline and sideline to her advantage, ushering wing players into dead spots in the halfcourt.
Offensively, Gricius is a constant mover and swings the ball with purpose. She reads the floor and locates her attacking angles quickly, but is ready to swing the rock around the perimeter in search of the best shot opportunity for Oconomowoc. Her preparation is key to her offensive game. Her anchor/pivot foot is set up well before the catch, enabling her to operate quicker than her normal athleticism would indicate. On the block, she can spin center and flip a right-handed hook in rhythm. When open on the perimeter, she wastes no time rising up after establishing that anchor. One last point I wanted to touch on: her positioning on the break is impeccable. While not a primary ball-handler, Gricius fills the rim-running lanes extremely well and sets herself–and her team–up for success by forcing defenders in transition into tough decisions. Gricius is a malleable, effective, and fundamentally sound player that makes an impact on the game whenever she’s on the court–no wasted possessions with her out there.
Ashlyn Skinner-Barrett Ashlyn Skinner-Barrett 5'8" | PG Waukesha South | 2022 State WI | Waukesha South | Class of 2022 | Guard
In contrast to Gricius, Skinner-Barrett uses her speed and upper-body strength to torture other guards and recover aggressively on the defensive end. She breaks through the first level of defense with routine ease, uninterested by weaker guards’ attempts to stunt her drives. And once she gets to the rim, Skinner-Barrett uses her shoulder and core strength effectively, adding just enough force to create separation & stabilize herself without committing an offensive foul. But her game isn’t predicated entirely on this one-speed explosiveness. While she certainly needs to develop as a shooter and off-ball threat, ASB’s ability to change her pace and driving angle on a dime adds a quirk to her game that nullifies some of her offensive deficiencies.
And on the opposite end of the court, Skinner-Barrett’s high-end lateral quickness allows her to recover effectively and defend the point of attack with aggression. While it may seem like a lack of defensive discipline initially, her speed lets her get to shooters on the perimeter and close-out squarely while baiting the passing lanes at the wing and slot. She also mutes drives with this quickness, closing off angles and denying easy attempts to the rim. This kind of two-way prowess, while certainly needing to be polished, makes Skinner-Barrett a high-upside guard who can wreak havoc on either end.
Braelyn Torres Braelyn Torres 5'7" | CG Kettle Moraine | 2023 State WI | Kettle Moraine | Class of 2023 | Guard/Wing
Torres is a consummate floor general, constantly looking for ways to optimize the already lethal Kettle Moraine offense with every touch on the ball. Operating as the de facto point guard of the Lasers, Torres makes decisive and incisive passes in the half-court, making sure the ball zips from prime scoring location to prime scoring location efficiently. Even on the break, despite her strengths as an athlete, it’s apparent that Torres cares more about advancing the ball quickly and precisely than she does about securing a potentially easy bucket for herself. She’ll need to improve as a creator for herself, but her ability to space the floor and flex some one-dribble scoring moves is a massive help considering the other sources of firepower that Torres focuses on amplifying.
But her best work comes on the defensive end, where her length and fluidity enable her to guard three or four positions in any given lineup. Torres smoothly traces her matchup’s movement along the perimeter before assertively shutting down their air space on the catch. Her quick hands and feet let her wall up against quick guards and pester bigger players when they try to attack her in the post. She has a great feel for the game on the defensive side of the ball as well, just a knack for when to attack from the help side, jump a passing lane, or position herself one-pass away when zoning off the weak side. A great two-way guard who elevates the play of those around her.
Bella Samz Bella Samz 5'9" | PG Arrowhead | 2023 State WI | Arrowhead | Class of 2023 | Guard
I recently wrote about Samz here, and since not much has changed about her game since then, I’ll keep this summary short and sweet. Samz has shown a ton of in-season improvement as a creator for others but is still at her strongest when she plays off the ball, creating nightmares for her matchup with her movement and precision shooting. She relocates quickly and sets her shot up with little wasted movement, allowing her to elevate and knock down jumpers against late help defenders. And as an on-ball option, Samz has shown a lot of growth in controlling the tempo and finding great shots for herself and others within the flow of the offensive set. She uses ball screens effectively despite a seeming lack of familiarity doing so at the high school level, an extremely promising sign for the type of combo-guard she can be in the future. One of the best prospects in the class of 2023 already and she still has room to grow.