Winter Rankings: 2023 Stock-Risers

Here are the biggest stock-risers in the updated 2023 rankings: <strong>Gabby Reep, Bridgeport, CG, 5-7</strong> - Bridgeport’s motor rose to the No. 2 spot in the state based on a work ethic that never stops. Catch her on the floor and the Indian is always improving, whether it be her shot, her defense, or her ball-handling, there’s always something getting better with her. Teamwise, Bridgeport plays a tough schedule that could be overwhelming to many players. Competitively, Reep never backs down from any group and is always out there leading her team in victory or defeat. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153427" first="Rebekah" last="Rupert"], Ritchie County, PF/C, 6-1 -</strong> Ritchie County’s big has been a walking double-double machine during the 2021-22 season. <img class=" wp-image-378008 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/01/12-10-20-RC-Rupert-1100x738-1-228x300.jpg" alt="" width="152" height="200" />During the Rebels’ opening 12 games, she’s scoring nearly 19 points and pulling down almost 11 rebounds per outing. In fact, Rupert leads the group in all major statistical categories. There may have been times she could have been slowed down last season, but that’s proving not the case anymore. She’s led her team in scoring in 11 of 12 games. That includes scoring 30 points or more twice. She’s also shooting 41 percent from the field on the year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153419" first="Kyra" last="Brown"], Capital, PG, 5-4</strong> - A very gifted player who happens to play with two other great players on the Cougars team in [player_tooltip player_id="153406" first="Talayah" last="Boxley"] and Natalyia Sayers, Brown stands as the best ball handler in the Kanawha Valley. She may not score a ton, yet, but she’ll get the ball across half court against nearly any press. The interesting thing with her is how she responds to an expanded role next season? The athleticism is there for her to be a hard-charging to-the-basket-kind-of-player, who also knocks down some elbow and extended foul shot jumpers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153433" first="Abby" last="Russell"], Wyoming East, G, 5-7</strong> - The biggest upside about Russell is her fight. <img class=" wp-image-284740 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/vs-Parkersburg-Catholic-2.jpg" alt="" width="249" height="166" />She fights and fights and fights and fights. Take her ACL tear back in May for instance, she was supposed to miss her entire junior season. The normal healing time is eight to nine months. Instead, she made her season debut against Mingo Central on Jan. 25. She may have played limited minutes, but it sure didn't look like she missed much of a beat as a team leader. She was whipping passes around, directing traffic at the head of the Warriors press, and talking to her young teammates and giving them the 4-1-1 on strategy and the game. You can definitely tell she learned a thing or two from Wyoming East legends Gabby Lupardus and Skylar Davidson. Her shot may not be back to where it was, but she puts a good touch on her shot with a nice rotation, is moving even better than before her injury, and isn't afraid to get dirty in the land of the giants. As she gets healthier, it wouldn't be surprising if she continued to ascend this list. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153432" first="Kadie" last="Colebank"], Tucker County, C, 6-1</strong> - Tucker County's big rose further up in the list because she continues to adjust her game around the contact between her and other players on the block. Where it once bothered her, it doesn't anymore. <img class="wp-image-381894 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/01/Kadie-Colebank-261x300.jpg" alt="" width="220" height="252" />She's made huge strides in her strength and ability to keep the ball above everyone else and go right back up for a basket. That's not even the best part about her. Colebank uses her long strides to cover huge ground in the paint and around the rim. She knows her role on the floor and plays it well. If there are two things about her game still in need of polish, they are shot blocking and ball handling. She'll need better handles to play down low at the Division II level, and she still has a tendency to swat at the ball instead of trusting her height when she goes up to block a shot.