Spooky Gems Pt 2: Royal Madness

Below are more prospects I liked at Select Events’ East Coast Summer Showcase.   [player_tooltip player_id="413880" first="Madison" last="Francis"]| NY Royals|6’2’’|SF|’25 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-458131" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/B700082E-0693-4C3D-801E-444A43214652-crop-1365x897-1657486842-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> I do not think I have seen a prospect like Francis in the Northeast. She is by far the best ’25 player in the area and is a high-impact player on both sides of the floor. I saw her do it all during the East Coast Summer Showcase. Rebounding at a high level, she was a human eraser inside, rejecting shots left and right and a terror to defend on the other end. Francis sprints the floor with guard-like speed, leaving opposing forwards in the dust. As an all-around prospect, Francis checks all the boxes and is a unicorn.   [player_tooltip player_id="301050" first="Cortney" last="Howell"]| Lady Team New England|6’0’’|PF|’25 Howell kept it simple throughout the 3-day event and consistently rebounded and protected the rim. I thought Howell was dominant on the offensive glass. She got countless second chance opportunities and was disciplined enough to be physical down low and fight for every ball off the rim. Howell also showed her athleticism with some impressive blocked shots.   [player_tooltip player_id="413890" first="Peyton" last="Maneri"]| NY Royals|5’7’’|PG|’24 Maneri was by far my favorite player to watch defend. She has lightning-quick hands and registered multiple back tap steals in the first half of the game I saw. Her timing is impeccable when swiping the ball from her opponent, and Maneri has the lateral speed to stay in front of her assignment. She did a good job controlling the game’s tempo and threaded the needle on a few passes fitting the ball in tight windows.   [player_tooltip player_id="452054" first="Carlie" last="Young"]|Athenas|5’9’’|SG|’23 Young is listed at 5’9’’ but plays much bigger than that. Young’s long wingspan allows her to do things a lot of 5’9’’ wings aren’t capable of, like efficiently shooting while contested. I was highly impressed by Young’s shot-making on defenders who were closing in on her. She is also a good playmaker in the open court and, on a few occasions, will push the pace and facilitate for her teammates. Young also uses her length to be an active and impactful defender.   [player_tooltip player_id="458193" first="Sierra" last="Carter"]|Athenas| 5’7’’|PG|’24 Carter goes all out every possession, and she never cheats anyone with her effort. She always keeps her eyes up when handling the ball and has good change of speed and direction when going full speed. Carter is gritty, tough, and a good tone-setter for Athenas. You can tell her energy trickles down to the rest of the team and she can consistently leave an imprint on multiple facets of the game.   [player_tooltip player_id="458192" first="Alex" last="Dembinsky"]|Athenas|5’9’’|SG|’24 I thought Dembinsky was great on day 3 of the East Coast Summer Showcase and impressed me with her passing and playmaking. She makes good reads and smart decisions with the basketball on a consistent basis. Dembinsky showed good ball placement and velocity, whether a bounce, chest, or hammer pass. I also liked how Dembinsky keeps her turnovers at a minimum. I didn’t see a lot of erratic or careless plays on her behalf.   [player_tooltip player_id="300448" first="Sierra" last="Jean"]|Mass Elite|5’8’’|CG|’25 [caption id="attachment_458129" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/372D1275-02ED-47F8-A830-7367EBF397D9-crop-1365x897-1657486755.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-458129" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/372D1275-02ED-47F8-A830-7367EBF397D9-crop-1365x897-1657486755-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: JT Shotz[/caption] Jean showed why I consider her one of the elite defenders from New England in the ’25 class. When watching her, you can tell she loves to defend and embraces the challenge of guarding the primary playmaker on the opposing team. Jean has the build to lock down both the 1 and 2. Her athleticism and rebounding ability doesn’t put Jean at a disadvantage if switched on to a bigger player in the frontcourt. Jean is very vocal on defense and sets the tone on that side of the ball from the jump.   [player_tooltip player_id="335231" first="Eva" last="Boudreau"]| Mass Elite|5’9’’|SF/PF|’25 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-458127" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/07/39A946C4-AD65-4ECB-A33F-78576268AB6B-crop-1365x897-1657486698-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Boudreau had one of the most explosive offensive performances during the three-day event. The majority of her damage came in the second half, where she was unconscious from three. All her shots seemed to be nothing but net, and Boudreau’s shot-making was next level. She out hustled players for rebounds, got putbacks, and completely shifted the momentum in Mass Elite’s favor. What was a tight game in the first half ended up being a double-digit victory because of Boudreau’s efficiency from the field in the second half.   [player_tooltip player_id="458187" first="Kylee" last="Shah"]|Mass Elite|5’9’’|SG|’25 The East Coast Summer Showcase was my first time getting a close look at Shah, and I liked her high motor and defensive intensity. She has a nose for the ball and gets her hands on passes and loose balls. The game I watched was a physical first half between both teams, and I thought Shah played the role as a disrupter.   Ella Marchesani|Bulls Basketball Club| 5’6’’|SG|’23 I liked Marchesani as a three and d prospect. She showed her range and confidence from three-point land and was a game-changing defender for Bulls Basketball Club. Marchesani’s activity on defense forced turnovers and easy transition hoops for her team. She was laser-sharp on defense and was reading passes well, resulting in many deflections.