NY Faves: Wreaking Havoc

I spent last Friday night at the EST Summer Kickoff in Albany, New York, and saw a few familiar faces and new prospects who popped up on my radar. Three full courts of drills, 5v5 and 3v3 action, resulted in a competitive and fun atmosphere. My attention was on the 5v5 court, and these players stood out.   [player_tooltip player_id="414106" first="Taylor" last="Holohan"]| NY Havoc|6'0''|SF/PF|'24 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-446346" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/43BE7C27-2626-4021-BC65-4EF2A419875A-crop-1537x1010-1655341396-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> I thought Holohan was the most impressive player at the EST Summer Kick-Off, and it was her high-level impact on both sides of the ball that separated her from other prospects. The combo forward showed the most versatility and was efficient around the basket and shooting from the midrange. I was most impressed with Holohan's defense. She is a tremendous shot blocker whose length is bothersome, and she times her jumps perfectly. Holohan also does a good job swatting shots without fouling. Overall, Holohan is a very fundamentally sound defender.   [player_tooltip player_id="446339" first="Ellie" last="Cerf"]|Albany Capitals|5'6''|PG|'24 As soon as Cerf gets on the court, she commands your attention. You cannot ignore her swagger and intensity; she made a statement early and often offensively. Cerf asserted herself early, recognized an offensive advantage, and attacked relentlessly. At all three levels, she showed the ability to score off the dribble and hit a couple of deep long-range bombs. The high motor point guard also made strong and accurate hammer passes when driving baseline. I liked Cerf's unselfishness and willingness to pass up shot attempts to hit open shooters and cutters. Cerf brought the same intensity and effort on the defensive end, also. She loved picking up the ball-handler full court, she took charges, and made her opponent uncomfortable.   [player_tooltip player_id="446338" first="Emilie" last="Kent"]|NY Havoc|6'0''|PF|'25 I like Kent's upside and potential moving forward. I her size, length and mobility down low. Kent impressed me with a couple of aggressive drives to the hoop showing the ability to create for herself off the bounce. She is also a strong finisher who capped off a few drives with a smooth floater. Kent is a player to keep an eye on this summer because she is comfortable and effective in the high/low post.   [player_tooltip player_id="416202" first="Hannah" last="Polumbo"]|Hoopers NY|6'0''|PF|'24 I thought Polumbo was consistent and solid throughout the whole event. She took what the defense gave her on offense and executed efficiently. I like Polumbo's size, strength, and shooting touch combination, making her a valuable stretch big who opens up the floor for slashing perimeter players. Defenders were not closing out on Polumbo, so she made them pay with short- range jump shots and rebounded well. Polumbo is good at getting position underneath and reading the ball off the rim to secure boards.   [player_tooltip player_id="452109" first="Karissa" last="Antoine"]|NY Havoc|5'11''| CG|'24 Antoine is a dynamic all-around player who made her presence felt throughout the evening. She is a big guard whose versatility allows her to play inside and out. Antoine is an excellent athlete who gets up and down the floor quickly, has a high IQ, and can step outside and knock down the three. What I liked most about Antoine was her playmaking in the high post. Every time she flashed and caught the ball in that area, she passed opposite or read the defense and made the correct decision with the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id="413923" first="Natalie" last="Fox"]|Hoopers NY|6'2''|PF|'24 It is hard to ignore Fox's intimidating physical presence when she walks on the floor. Not only is she 6'2'' with a long wingspan, but she is also very skilled around the basket. Fox is smooth in the points and is a great passer out of the post. Fox has a good feel for the game and is a high IQ player when her team operates in the halfcourt.   [player_tooltip player_id="414102" first="Gabrielle" last="Martin"]|NY Havoc|5'10''|SG/SF|'24 [caption id="attachment_446343" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/3D8F3E2F-3C78-452D-B292-DFD104E69C1D-crop-1537x1010-1655341179.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-446343" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/3D8F3E2F-3C78-452D-B292-DFD104E69C1D-crop-1537x1010-1655341179-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: Anna Kitch[/caption] Martin wowed me with impressive violent drives that resulted in two points regularly. I don't know how anyone couldn't love how tough Martin is and her ability to play through contact. She absorbs contact well and is an excellent finisher in traffic. Martin's footwork on her spin move and body control was unique amongst the other participants at the event, and she consistently got to her spots.   [player_tooltip player_id="422343" first="Olivia" last="O'Meally"]|I-90 Elite|6'0''|SF|'24 I liked how easy it was for O'Meally to create separation off the dribble and get her shot off effortlessly. She has the size and athleticism to win most of her isolation matchups on the wing and took full advantage of that at the EST Summer Kick-Off. She could touch the paint on many of her drives and fluidly elevated over the defense and shot over the top. O'Meally was another long wing who intrigued me and one I plan to watch more over the summer.   [player_tooltip player_id="413569" first="Natasha" last="Chudy"]|Elevate NY|6'2''|PF|'23 I liked Chudy at the EST Summer Kick-Off because she was one of the few bigs who consistently did all the dirty work. Her hard box-outs every time a shot went up, and toughness on the glass to try and secure each possession did not go unnoticed. I also like how Chudy can ignite the fast break herself after a rebound and push the tempo. Chudy scanned the floor and made on-time and accurate passes.