First Coast 2023 Guards Looking to Come From Under the Radar

These First Coast 2023 starters are looking to have a special senior season.  A few have played in the Spring AAU season and some will hit the courts during the liver period in July.   Each player was a starter last season and each was instrumental in their team’s success or journey last year.   These guards have been under the radar since their Freshman season.  Some have received exposure, while others you know little about.   Each of these First Coast players is looking to take their performance and notoriety to another level for their senior year. [player_tooltip player_id="247233" first="Ella" last="Ortman"]  CG (Providence 2023, Hoop Dreams Elite,  PGH # 63). Ortman has done a great job over the last 3 years and her game has improved and her skill set has improved over that time span.  Ortman averaged 11.5 points per game as a Junior,  connected on 57 three-pointers, and put up nearly 500 shots for the season.  She is aggressive with a Capitol "A".     She does a good job of filling lanes and getting open looks on the fast break.   Ortman does a good job of handling the ball and is very productive in the press break.   She is also crafty and knows how to draw fouls.   Defensively, she is pesty and applies great pressure on the opposing team’s guards. Janise Respess CG  (Terry Parker, OTOD Pink , PGH Unranked). Respess averaged 10.6 points per game and quietly played under the radar last basketball season.    In the recent AAU period, Respess has continued to put her game on display.   She has unmatched speed on the court and can really get up and down the court.    At 5’5"  she also rebounds well for a guard.    She really pushes the ball up the court and draws a lot of fouls because opposing guards can’t keep up with her. [player_tooltip player_id="247153" first="Ronnie" last="Hannah"] SG  (St Augustine, PGH #133) .  She took 138 threes and connected on 58 for the season.    Shooting the three is a major part of Hannah’s game and positions herself for the shot,  she gets into the heart of the zone and just knows how to position herself for the 3 point shot.  Hannah will pull up the three in transition and can really shoot the ball.  When she is rolling she can score in flurries.  Hannah rebounds well for a guard and does play solid defense. Hannah averaged 3.6 rebounds per game and recorded 50 steals for the season. Melissa Epting PG (Creekside, PGH Unranked).  Epting had a good season last year and finished with nearly an eleven-point-per-game average.    She averaged 3.3 assists per game and averaged nearly 4.3 steals per game, including one game where she recorded a school-record 13 steals.    Epting has always been a  good on-ball defender who puts extensive pressure on the ball handler.   She is also quick and can play the passing lanes well,  too.   Offensively, Epting is a guard who loves to penetrate to the goal.      She is also crafty and does a  good job of drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line.   She shot  141 free throws last season.  Epting also rebounds well from the guard position and recorded  239 rebounds for the season.    She loves to get in transition and attack the basket and does a good job of attacking from the left or right. [player_tooltip player_id="352596" first="Paetyn" last="Miller"]  PG (Ridgeview, MHD Elite 2023, PGH #94).    Miller is another aggressive three-point shooter who will let it fly.    Miller averaged 11 points per game last season, including 35 three-pointers.   She also averaged  4.2 assists per game.   Miller is constantly on the move and can really get to the basket going right or left.  Miller is one of the hardest workers on the First Coast.  Her Senior season should be special,  but first she is looking to turn some heads in the college live period this July.