‘25 Rankings Newcomers: Filthy Rich

Photo: Macie Story

Bash Hudson

April 14, 2022 @ 09:07 AM

Let’s look at some prospects cracking the ’25 rankings for the first time.   #15 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-414030" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/D0B6F18F-760F-4B28-9324-11CDB8D62BE4-scaled-crop-1232x809-1649944451-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="368851" first="Kaila" last="Richards"]| Hotchkiss| 5’7’’| PG Richards had an incredible freshman year at Hotchkiss and proved she belonged in the conversation with some of the best point guards in the ’25 class. She is a good downhill playmaker who can be dynamic with either hand, is a blur in transition, and I like her compete level and mental makeup. Richards has many qualities that coaches value in their point guard, and I like the direction that her game is trending as we enter the spring live period.   #27 [player_tooltip player_id="381488" first="Male" last="Montero"]| Groton| 6’1’’| PF Montero is one of the best interior defenders in the ’25 class who also cleans up the glass. Her presence forced teams to settle for jumpers and take difficult shots at the rim. Montero also took the pressure off the perimeter defenders because her length and shot-blocking helped force missed shots when there was a defensive breakdown. Groton’s team defense was very stout and Montero anchoring the backline was a big reason why.   #38 [player_tooltip player_id="412220" first="Ella" last="Pelletier"]| Oxford Hills| 6’0’’| PF A few weeks ago, Pelletier impressed me during the Maine vs. New Hampshire All-Star game. Her athleticism is off the charts, and she turned heads with emphatic rejections throughout the night. Pelletier also was solid on the offensive end and used her body and athleticism to get easy layups inside and draw fouls. Pelletier also stepped out and hit outside shots. It was a good showing for Pelletier against some of the best players from New Hampshire.   #44 [player_tooltip player_id="384082" first="Tahlia" last="Peña"]| New Hampton| 5’6’’| CG Peña was an excellent glue player for New Hampton because she didn’t need the ball in her hands to be effective. She is a gritty and tough defender and is a knock-down shooter. I like how Peña can fill a role, be a max effort player and do whatever it takes to help her team win.   #65 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-414023" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/39D73B27-8700-4628-A03D-0F36EFDD0D8C-crop-1302x855-1649943467-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="389884" first="Charlotte" last="Adams-López"]| Bishop Feehan| 5’7’’| CG This winter, Adams-Lopez was a key piece off the bench for Bishop Feehan and gave the team consistent production. I like that she is an efficient outside shooter and has the confidence to attempt and hit shots in pressure situations. Adams-Lopez has good size and athleticism at the guard position and a translatable skill set, making her a valuable player for any team.   #70 [player_tooltip player_id="392752" first="Alyssa" last="Hopps"]| Quincy| 6’0’’| PF I saw Hopps briefly at GymRat Live in New York last weekend, and she was hard not to watch. Her size, the way she runs the floor, and finishing ability around the basket jump out at you. I like Hopps’ upside and potential, especially playing on a MA Huskies team this spring that plays uptempo. She is a big to keep an eye on moving forward.   #82 [player_tooltip player_id="376646" first="Madelyn" last="Topa"]| Northwestern Regional | 5’7’’| SF After an impressive freshman season where Topa averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds per game, I had the opportunity to watch her in person at the CT Starters practice. It was a short stint watching her play, but I loved how hard she crashed the glass. What Topa lacks in height, she makes up for in strength and isn’t afraid to be physical amongst bigger players. Her rebounding consistency translated against the older competition when the teams scrimmaged each other. Topa can keep up with the speed and pace of play on that level, and she can find a way to impact winning basketball.