Spooky Grab Bag: Captain Jack

Live! At the Nook was filled with talent from all over the country. There were dozens of standouts each day from all classes, resulting in an ultra-competitive event. Here are some of my Standouts that represented the Northeast.   [player_tooltip player_id="414931" first="Amaia" last="Jackson"] | XGen Elite| PG| 5’7’’| PG | ’25 [caption id="attachment_421349" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/8A4729D2-C36A-4569-A673-B382E3A3BD9A-crop-1440x946-1651275616.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-421349" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/8A4729D2-C36A-4569-A673-B382E3A3BD9A-crop-1440x946-1651275616-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="355399" first="Anna" last="Kitch"][/caption] Jackson kicked off the day with a big performance against the Lady Raiders, and I liked how she commanded the floor throughout the game. She controlled the tempo throughout the game and showed how easy it is to create separation on her jump shot. Jackson’s shooting off the bounce was consistent, she was under control and exploited mismatches whenever possible. She can rebound and defend consistently while digging in every possession, making the ball handler uncomfortable. Jackson’s athleticism is off the charts, and when you add that to her deep and diverse skill set, it is no surprise why she is regarded as one of the best freshmen in the state.   [player_tooltip player_id="414926" first="Priyanka" last="Ponnam"] | XGen Elite| 6’2’’| SF| ’25 [caption id="attachment_421351" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/8D6D573F-849C-4831-A680-09852F7783B1-crop-1440x946-1651275750.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-421351" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/8D6D573F-849C-4831-A680-09852F7783B1-crop-1440x946-1651275750-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="355399" first="Anna" last="Kitch"][/caption] Ponnam is another highly touted freshman on XGen Elite whose physical presence instantly draws your attention. At 6’2’’, Ponnam can play inside and out and is a good three-point shooter. She has multiple go-to moves on the block and is a handful to defend due to her size and strength. What impressed me the most was her defense. Her closeouts were fundamentally sound and under control, and Ponnam was always alert on the weak side, ready to help at a moment’s notice.   [player_tooltip player_id="421376" first="Samantha" last="Wade"]| United NJ| 5’10’’| SG| ’24 Wade’s size and shooting ability should catch the eye of any spectator. At 5’10’’, Wade can snipe threes from anywhere beyond the arc, and her range is limitless. Wade needs little daylight to get her shot off, and the rainbow arc on the jumper is a thing of beauty. I also like Wade’s activity on defense. She has quick hands and jumps passing lanes. Wade’s high motor and max effort every play was consistent throughout the weekend and displayed how complete a player she is.   [player_tooltip player_id="421363" first="Abigail" last="Magendantz"] | CT Starters| 5’10’’| PF| ’23 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-421368" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/99F912CB-320C-40A0-8B9A-9F7CA59B5F6B-crop-1242x816-1651276641-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> I thought Magendantz did a good job impacting the game without the ball in her hands. She was active on defense and constantly mixing it up inside and read passing lanes. I liked her toughness, discipline, and motor which showed in transition and on the glass. Magendantz had a handful of hard rim runs and sucked in the defense, which opened up the the perimeter on the break.   [player_tooltip player_id="328960" first="Lauren" last="Sabia"]| CT Starters| 5’8’’| PG| ’23 [caption id="attachment_421370" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/EAB8EABA-A2D5-4735-9C8A-520A16A2DB9B-crop-1162x763-1651276841.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-421370" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/EAB8EABA-A2D5-4735-9C8A-520A16A2DB9B-crop-1162x763-1651276841-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="355399" first="Anna" last="Kitch"][/caption] Sabia was knocking down shots left and right, showing how impactful she can be as the off-guard. I am used to seeing Sabia operating with the ball in her hands most of the time, but at Spooky Nook, she took on the secondary facilitation role. Outside of Sabia being unconscious from three, I thought she made good decisions in the open court. Her eyes were always up, scanning the floor, and she hit her teammates with on-time passes.   [player_tooltip player_id="414930" first="Sophie" last="Auer"]| XGen Elite| 5’8’’| SG| ’23 [caption id="attachment_421361" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/6807FCFD-CFCF-405F-86B5-6216A2A36DE2-crop-1381x907-1651276440.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-421361" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/6807FCFD-CFCF-405F-86B5-6216A2A36DE2-crop-1381x907-1651276440-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="355399" first="Anna" last="Kitch"][/caption] Auer plays bigger than 5’8’’ and was one of the best rebounding guards that I saw last weekend. She battled hard underneath, aggressively pulled down rebounds, and started the break herself. Her passing was top tier. Whether an outlet pass or one from the high post, Auer put the bread right in the basket and fit the ball through tight windows. Auer has an excellent feel for the game. She knows how to space the floor, is a reliable knockdown shooter, and makes timely cuts. There weren’t many moments in the game where Auer was stagnant on offense.   [player_tooltip player_id="184021" first="Samantha" last="Reale"]| NEX Elite| 5’9’’| SG| ’23 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-421359" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/0C4D7AA4-F2AF-486C-966F-D7316FF65958-crop-1242x816-1651276359-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Reale was very solid on both sides of the ball at Spooky Nook. She used her long wingspan to wreak havoc in passing lanes and asserted herself on offense. She made some tough finishes at the rim and effectively played through contact. I liked Reale’s mindset throughout the game. She relentlessly attacked whenever she got the ball and recognized a mismatch.   [player_tooltip player_id="421353" first="Addison" last="Hunter"]| Lone Wolf| 5’11’’| PF| ’23 [caption id="attachment_421356" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/8B9DF1E5-ADB8-440E-8D5A-072801CFDEEB-crop-1426x936-1651276115.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-421356" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/8B9DF1E5-ADB8-440E-8D5A-072801CFDEEB-crop-1426x936-1651276115-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: JT Shotz[/caption] Hunter was a brick wall protecting the interior and locked down the paint for Lone Wolf. Hunter patrolled the lane, ready to alter any shot attempt. She isn’t the biggest power forward/center, but her strength, toughness, and motor help minimize the lack of inches. Hunter displayed soft hands and is a good finisher in traffic.