Pentagon Hardwood Challenge – Standouts & Stock-Risers

I was able to purchase to be able to view the Sanford Pentagon Hardwood Challenge that took place June 4th-5th at the Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I will be updating some standouts and stock-risers as I view games. The only issue I’ve came across is finding numbers for all of the prospects. But we’ll make due. This article and analysis is based off of prospect performances in the <span style="font-size: 1rem; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Sacred Hoops-Boomsma vs. Ambush North Stars Wagge matchup.</span> [player_tooltip player_id="166689" first="Coral" last="Mason"] <strong>- 5’10 G 2023 - Viborg-Hurley - Ambush North Stars - </strong>We all know Coral can score and handle a scoring load, but at the Hardwood Challenge my initial thought was how much energy she brought on defense. She was applying heavy pressure, jumping the ball, playing passing lanes, blocking shots, etc. And of course, Coral was a go-to scorer and hit threes and got to the hoop like she normally does. A very creative scorer that can score in many ways. Coral is one of the more well-rounded two-way prospects in South Dakota. [player_tooltip player_id="403106" first="Macey" last="Wathen"] <strong>- 5’9 G 2023 - Rapid City Stevens - Ambush North Stars - </strong>Macey played point guard for the Ambush North Stars, and showed a good handle and a solid command for the position. I think her handling the point will carry over to the high school season and give her more confidence as a playmaker with the ball. I think she was a clear stock-riser from this fact, because not all guards can be point guards. Macey showed great overall speed and athleticism on the court at a solid guard size. She moves well on the defensive side, allowing her to pressure and make off-ball defensive plays. Gets from end-to-end quickly. [player_tooltip player_id="375369" first="Kate" last="Miller"] <strong>- 5’11 PF 2023 - Freeman - Sacred Hoops - </strong>Kate is an ascending prospect in the state. She really runs the floor hard and brings a ton of effort and energy on the court. She was all over the court making plays. Hit a corner jumper then immediately had an interception steal that she took the other way. She earns a lot of her points and rebounds through shear determination. A strong and consistent finisher in the paint. A college program is going to fall in love with her competitiveness on the court. [player_tooltip player_id="445077" first="Lizzie" last="Pavlis"] <strong>- 5’11 SF 2024 - Flandreau - Sacred Hoops - </strong>Lizzie was somehow missed in the 2024 rankings, so she’ll be a major addition in the next update. What stood-out with Lizzie was her aggressive, quick first-step driving at the hoop. She got going at a high speed in a hurry with the ball in her possession, blowing by the defense for a clear look at the hoop. Very active on the boards and came down with a lot because of her energy and size. On a steal in the lane, she showed impressive speed from end-to-end speed with the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="182472" first="Lily" last="Klein"] <strong>- 5’9 G/F 2024 - Flandreau - Sacred Hoops - </strong>Lily was a do-it-all player, but her rebounding and overall aggressiveness stood out most. She showed a versatile game, by being able to handle the ball in the backcourt and relieve pressure that was applied to her. She did a good job driving past her on-ball defender with strength and a quick first-step. Scored inside well and I saw her hit a three from the top. [player_tooltip player_id="100485" first="Ella" last="Griffin"] <strong>- 5’8 SG 2023 - Dell Rapids St. Mary - Sacred Hoops - </strong>In the action I saw, Ella light it up from three. She made the defense pay for leaving her open by making multiple threes. [player_tooltip player_id="166662" first="Molli" last="Thornton"] <strong>- 5’4 G 2023 - West Central - Sacred Hoops - </strong>Man did Molli play with speed and another gear on the court. She was by far the quickest player in the North Stars matchup. Used her speed to play with a quick tempo with the ball, earning some layups on her own. She was a pest on the defensive end, playing ferocious on-ball defense. She was a clear stock-riser and should have a larger role for West Central.