Live Period Weekend 1: Stock Risers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first live period of 2023 is officially in the books and boy was it one to remember! Coaches and scouts from around the country were in attendance scoping out future prospects and taking in elite basketball at events around the country. Teams from New Jersey showed up in full force at Boo Williams Nike EYBL in Hampton, VA, Live at the Nook in Manheim, PA and The Clash in Hamilton, OH. Teams such as Team Sharp, the Shoreshots, the Soliders, the Jersey Gemz, NJ Panthers, NJ Rise, AUF Hawks, NJ Raptors, United NJ and newcomers HUrban Legends balled out and turned heads all weekends long! The Garden State was well-represented with stellar talent, but the following eight players had some of the most impactful performances of the weekend:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["414340"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":510452,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Macie started the weekend off sizzling and ended it scorching! She was one of the Spooky Nook's main attractions and didn't disappoint. Playing for the 2025 Soldiers, she poured in 21 points vs a stacked Elevate NYBC squad on Friday, then followed that up with a 16-point performance vs XGen Elite Premier on Saturday. It was during the weekend finale against Team Miller that she saved her best, going off for 28 points and establishing herself as one to watch all circuit long. Macie used crafty handles and turbo speed to blow by defenders on her way to the hoop and set up open teammates for easy buckets. Her 3-point game was clicking on all cylinders and if anything, her release looked even quicker than usual... which is a scary thing for opponents. To top it all off, she gave girls fits all tournament long with her ever-present hands and sensational defense, deflecting shots and disrupting offenses.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["559032"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":510452,"_player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Playing in their first event as a program, the HUrban Legends of NJ surely got after it at The Clash in Ohio! A player who really stepped up and made a name for herself was 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='559032' first='Kamaria' last='Bowens']. Playing on a superstar-stacked team isn't easy, but she showed great skill and growth in her game from her freshman season at Morris Catholic to this first grassroots live period. On Saturday, Kamaria had every weapon in her arsenal on full display as she went off for 20 points, leading her team to a 78-66 victory against Sideline Cancer Dynamite. She played with fire, grit and determination on every play. Her defensive intensity was unrelenting and the pressure she put on opponents was absolutely stifling.  Her willingness to crash the boards with the best of 'em all weekend long had scouts admiring her fearless all-court game.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["559818"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":510452,"_player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Sam's showing in Manheim truly put the u0022spookyu0022 in Spooky Nook, as she came up with some impressive showings and averaged a double-double. Her shots were falling all weekend long and she quickly established herself as a go-to scorer for her NJ Raptors squad. What impressed me most was her relentless pursuit of the basketball when crashing the class. Her physicality and menacing dominance inside was undeniable as she pulled down rebound after rebound. She served as a security blanket for her teammates because they could let their shots fly freely knowing that Sam was there to clean it up! Sam is a spectacular two-way wing that seizes the moment and plays with passion.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["415881"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"You simply cannot discuss stock risers without mentioning Gianna! She kept Team Sharp rolling at the Nook, averaging 17 ppg and going 15-23 from deep, good for 65%! Defenders found it hard to close out on Gianna because of her tremendous spacing and super quick release. Everything was clicking, from her mid-range game, to her strong takes at the rim, to her scorching hot 3-point shooting. She put on a masterclass in efficiency and high percentage scoring, but she also showed off and showed out defensively. Her on-ball defense was stellar from the first game to the last, frustrating ball-handlers and disrupting the offensive flow. The turnovers she forced were crucial for transition scoring opportunities and momentum swings.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["333319"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_player_featured_image":510452,"_player_evaluations_4_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Tessa showed off her versatility and proved she is a force on the hardwood, most notably dropping 18 points in the second half vs the Lady Rivals! At 5'11u0022, she has the size and physicality to be effective banging in the post, the agility to float up and down the court like a guard and the highly efficient knock-down shooting of a wing. Her ability to read the defense and pass out of the post was on full display, creating scoring chances for open shooters spread across the floor and on the perimeter. Her high octane, electric energy and workhorse mentality elevates her game with intangibles difficult to replicate. Tessa's D1 offer are piling up quickly and after watching her full bag of tricks this weekend, it's easy to see why. Quite simply put, Tessa is a program-changer!","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["431238"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Katie kicked off the weekend by dropping 20 points against a stacked North Tartan squad out of Minnesota. At 6'2u0022, her length coupled with her quickness proved too much to handle for defenders, as she got to the rim with ease and furiously crashed the glass to pull down the boards. Defensively, she used her extended wingspan to disrupt the passing lanes and break up plays. She was hard to miss because she was effective in all of her minutes on the court, and coaches took notice quickly of her do-it-all style of play. Her upside is tremendous and she will continue to produce stellar results as the season progresses. Mark her down as someone you don't want to miss in action!","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["406933"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":510452,"_player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Averaging just under 16 ppg in 4 games played this weekend, Madelynn was focused and ready for the moment. Her consistency has improved, especially from behind the arc, where she nailed five 3's in a single game. She is also proving to be an effective rebounding-guard, averaging 4+ rebounds per game from the guard spot. As if her red-hot shooting wasn't impressive enough, her tenacious lock-down defense gave ball-handlers nightmares. Tasked with guarding the opposing team's best player, Madelynn was nimble and quick, with a laser-like focus on swiping the ball and converting scrappy, disciplined defense into unstoppable transition offense. Her stock is rising exponentially!","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["587873"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_player_featured_image":510452,"_player_evaluations_7_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Megan orchestrated the offense beautifully for the Shoreshots this weekend, most notably in a tight back-and-forth contest against Lady Runnin Rebels on opening night. At 6'2u0022, she imposed her dominance in the post and knocked down crucial shots around the perimeter to help turn a half-time deficit into a double-digit win. Her performance game after game proved that she is much more than just another big. Her ability to play multiple positions on the floor shows how versatile her game has become and how easily she can adapt to different in-game scenarios. Megan's intimidating rim protection forced teams to switch up their tactics and extend out to the perimeter instead of driving it inside. She has proven effective on both ends of the floor, which will be crucial to her team's success heading into the next live period, where the Shoreshots will take the floor at the Atlantic City Showcase.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":8,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6446c7c30c5e3"} /-->