14U The Exclusive – Frontcourt
Traveling back and forth from various venues I was covering the 14U division last weekend at The Exclusive. The event sponsored as part of the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit was held in Aurora, Illinois just outside Chicago. In this third…
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Continue ReadingTraveling back and forth from various venues I was covering the 14U division last weekend at The Exclusive. The event sponsored as part of the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit was held in Aurora, Illinois just outside Chicago.
In this third article about the players there I have set aside various Forwards and Centers to write about them as a group.
Francesca McGinn – 6’4″ – c/o ’26 – M14 Hoops ’26 Rising 3SSB
McGinn likes to set up in the low post on the left side where she has a strong outside turn move she can go to for a 4-foot jumper. She keeps the ball high, is a space-eater, and knows how to seal off her defender to set herself up for scoring.
With Division 1 college size before enrolling in High School, McGinn is a player to watch. She still has a ton to learn but if she has the drive to be the best she could play for any school she wants to.
Emily Naraky – 5’10″ – St Edward ’27 – Full Package ’26 White
Naraky scored a layup on dive cut to the left side during a Baseline Out of Bounds play, made a 10-foot right corner jumper, and weakside rebound putback.
She dove to the ground for a tie-up and made an impressive baseball pass from halfcourt to the hoop to set up a teammate.
Grace Bowie – 5’11″ – Wilmette ’26 – Full Package ’26 White
Bowie has good length and good straight-away speed. She made a catch and shoot five-footer in the center of the lane and a 10-foot jumper from the high post, turning face-up against tight defensive pressure, and made a kick-out pass for an assist to a shooter.
At times she was too unselfish making a pass to a teammate 2 feet from the basket when Bowie was 4 feet from the basket. As a big when you are open from 4 feet and in you are always your team’s best option to score. If you are that close and you miss you are right there for the rebound putback.
Brooklyn Schlib – 5’9″ – Wredling ’28 – M14 Hoops ’27 Rising 3SSB
I remember having identified this player very early on as someone to write about. But for some reason, I did not take notes on what she did specifically. I think I was instead focusing on finding more players to cover. Sorry about that,
Luckily, I did see Schilb later in the day when she made a curling drive from the left wing to the right side of the hoop for a layup and hit a three from the top.
Sarah Thompson – 5’9″ – John Glenn ’26 – NWI Thunder ’26
Thompson was a force on the glass, made a left-handed layup on the left side of the basket, and made a three from the right wing. She also made 4-foot jumper because she was alert when a loose ball landed in front of her as a gift.
Addison Hendrixson – 5’8″ – Lacrosse – NWI Thunder ’26
Hendrixson is a glass-eater. She made rebound putback after rebound putback and really stays after it on the glass. She is also a good shot-blocker despite not having much size when compared to other interior players at the moment.
Maeve Savage – 5’9″ – Cass ’26 – EBA Ice ’26
Savage has good handles with Forward size. She made a 2 footer from the left corner after catching the ball following a flex cut and a layup after a duck-in fed from the corner.
Lauren Hanneman – 5’9″ – All Saints Catholic Academy ’26 – M14 Hoops ’26 National 1
Hanneman made a left-handed layup on the left side from an up-the-street pass and a 12-footer from the right wing.
Lizzy Murphy – 5’10″ – NG North ’26 – M14 Hoops ’26 National 1
Murphy is an athlete that got my attention while she was backpedaling up the court on dfense. A player with her size and agility is an asset.