Underrated hoopers in NOVA

South Lakes senior forward Jessica Dornak Jessica Dornak 6’1″ | PF South Lakes | 2023 State VA has impressed me in the multiple instances I’ve watched her. Dornak uses her size to effectively bully smaller girls in the paint and force double teams. Dornak has tremendous touch around the rim, and her post hook and turnaround are automatic. What impresses me the most about Dornak is she is a fantastic free-throw shooter. It’s one thing to bully smaller players and force fouls, but it’s another thing to convert when you get there. Dornak can also step out and show off her shooting stroke as she has a sweet-looking jump shot.

Freshman guard Claire Kang is a basketball player who jumps out at you when you watch her play. She moves with a certain calmness and certainty with the ball and runs the offense well. Kang has a great handle, and it helps her get by defenders when she wants to. She is crafty around the rim and can step out and drain open jumpers. Kang almost always makes the right pass and is just a super cerebral basketball player. What makes her so spectacular is that Kang is only a freshman and is the lead ball handler for one of the better teams in NOVA. Kang has a bright future, and she’s a name you’ll be hearing a lot more of in the next three years.

I need to mention another Centreville Wildcat in junior G/F, Hannah Wakefield Hannah Wakefield 5’6″ | SG Centreville HS | 2024 VA . Wakefield is the kind of player every coach wants; She plays extremely hard and battles on the defensive side of the ball as hard as anyone. Wakefield is always in the right spot, and much like her teammate in Kang, she is just an intelligent basketball player. Where Wakefield’s bread is buttered is her ability to catch and shoot. Her knack for being in the right spots helps the offense runs smoothly and get herself open looks.

The Gainsville Cardinals are about as good as any public school in NOVA, and junior guard Madison McKenzie has much to do with that. Mckenzie is averaging 16.7 PPG, 3.5 dimes, and a staggering 3.5 steals a game. McKenzie has excellent hands and anticipation, and her defense often leads to easy buckets on the other end. She possesses a unique instinctual quality as a defender that can’t be taught. McKenzie is also an elite shooter, hitting 42 3s at a nearly 40% clip. Her shot has no wasted motion, and watching her shoot the ball is a joy.

The park view patriots have struggled this year and have been slightly underwhelming, but that is no fault of junior guard Anna Helstorm. Helstorm is one of the better offensive players in NOVA, and she flies under the radar. She is a gifted scorer and ball-handler. In the Virginia high school league, She’s top 20 in points averaging 17.8 per game, She is top 10 in assists at 4.5 a game, and she’s top 10 in 3-pointers made. She also shoots a stellar 40% from 3. The 7-10 record for park view has helped lead to a lack of notoriety for Helstorm but what she’s done is undeniable.