Freshman Showcase GameChangers: Top Hustlers
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Kaitlyn Arnold
Kaitlyn Arnold
KK Arnold’s speed and court vision are fun to watch. The lefty pushes the ball very well and uses a crossover to get to her left hand on drives. Whistles and foul calls were few and far between at camp, but I feel like Arnold’s ability to get to the rim and throw her body into defenders will draw her a plethora of foul calls over the course of her career. KK tallied 11 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals vs. Team 4. Arnold’s motor allows her to influence games even when she’s not scoring – a very positive sign at a young age.
I liked
Emily Jacobs
Emily
Jacobs
5’7″ | SG
Woodstock | 2026
State
GA
‘ perimeter shot making and her versatility on defense. She nailed a pair of threes, one coming off the bounce on a pull-up. Emily also had a strong coast-to-coast take in transition. She plays very hard and is quick and feisty enough to defend 1-3. Emily recorded 8 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals. I like where her game is mentally.
Louie is always around the ball it seems. She feels like a positionless player that you can stick anywhere on the floor and she will find a way to make a difference. Louie has the strength to defend bigger players and rebound. She has the skill to space the floor and hit the mid-range and Lenai has the sneaky quickness to dig away steals. She tallied 6 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 6 steals in a 50-46 win.
Highlights
Bella Italiano is hustle personified. Though she’s often the smallest player on the floor, Isabella is relentless in all facets of the game. She’s a scrapy on-ball defender and a pitbull of a rebounder that will mix it up with anyone. Bella showed off a floater in the lane as an offensive weapon. Italiano’s infectious energy will be invaluable for a young rebuilding Alexander team.
I loved Laylah’s toughness. Simpson has a strong build on the wing, providing physicality when attacking the basket and when fighting on the backboards. She uses a spin move in traffic to free herself and has the ball skills to go coast-to-coast after clearing rebounds. She put up 10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 1 block in a 53-51 win. Simpson is a GameChanger on both ends of the floor thanks to her effort.
