Phoenix Gold Turning Heads

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Phoenix organization has been one of my must-see teams for probably a decade because they have been around for quite some time and consistently given me an opportunity to see players I may not normally catch, I'm talking next-level players, and guess what, nothing has changed so giving me a pre #AllEyezOnShe look was a treat, here ya go</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":666551,"width":160,"height":190,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/06/DSC_0006-1-e1685703936534.jpg?w=640" alt="" class="wp-image-666551" width="160" height="190" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486429' first='Maddie' last='Peiffer']-5'7 (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Peiffer was one of the players that I already knew yet didn't recognize because of several changes, both on and off the court. She's stronger and more poised and watching her not only rebound and handle the ball but see the floor both in transition and the set was nice. She also created her shot under pressure, her crossover, and her step back were effective as she dropped the jumper but she also attacked strongly and finished after contact </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":666619,"width":160,"height":179,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/06/DSC_0019-e1685706500753.jpg?w=640" alt="" class="wp-image-666619" width="160" height="179" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alex Rague-5'10 (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rague gave me a nice first look as she not only showed quick hands to come away with steals, her timing on blocking shots was nice. She rebounded and ran the floor on both ends, with solid defense both in and outside the paint yet watching her attack the basket and finish with either hand was nice, and so was her pull-up jumper which she created under pressure. She also saw the floor and defended </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":666620,"width":160,"height":208,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/06/DSC_0026-e1685706564783.jpg?w=640" alt="" class="wp-image-666620" width="160" height="208" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='825282' first='Ella' last='Nixon']-6'0 (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nixon is "long and athletic" which will always be the base and her versatility stood out immediately. Her deceptive first step enabled her to go by defenders, she finished after contact but she also created her shot on the perimeter and she showed she could drop the jumper with a hand in her face. She also hit the boards, in fact, she battled for everything off the rim, on both ends of the court</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":666621,"width":160,"height":209,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/06/DSC_0007-e1685706620623.jpg?w=638" alt="" class="wp-image-666621" width="160" height="209" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ansley Reed-5'8 (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reed used a variety of fakes to get the defender off balance and her first step was smooth as she attacked the basket with either hand and her body control helped enable her to finish off-balance and after contact. Her crossover in transition was nice, and so was her jumper which she dropped from mid to very long-range, and her "catch and shoot" was also nice. She saw the floor and played the passing lane plus her quick hands fort her some steals </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":666622,"width":160,"height":194,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/06/DSC_0009-e1685706695800.jpg?w=640" alt="" class="wp-image-666622" width="160" height="194" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Karlee Konarik-5'11 (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Konarik also has a deceptive first step but when you factor in her ability to drop it from deep, she has multiple options to keep the defender guessing. She finished strongly after attacking the basket, she also has nice body control and she understands how to create contact. Her release is quick and fluid, and her "catch and shoot" coupled with her size will continue to create problems but she also handled the ball in the open court after rebounding. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":666623,"width":160,"height":184,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/06/DSC_0005-e1685706747314.jpg?w=640" alt="" class="wp-image-666623" width="160" height="184" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Reagan Robbins-5'9 (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Robbins falls into that "long and athletic" category and she used her athleticism nicely on both ends. She understands how to pick and choose and playing within herself and getting hers in the flow was one thing yet she also flipped the switch and went off dropping jumpers from mid to long-range. Her ability to create her shot gave her options as she also scored off the dribble yet she also hit teammates while attacking </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":666625,"width":160,"height":209,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/06/DSC_0008-e1685706802774.jpg?w=640" alt="" class="wp-image-666625" width="160" height="209" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809954' first='Aniya' last='Taylor']-5'4 (2027)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taylor has some very impressive upside as she's playing up and is very effective running the 1. She understands how to "control the tempo" which is huge, her seeing the floor and threading the needle to get teammates good looks was nice but her change of pace in transition had me smiling. She also showed nice body control on her finishes and her pull-up jumper was solid, especially when she showed the step-back to drop it </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":666626,"width":160,"height":200,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/06/DSC_0010-e1685706872653.jpg?w=640" alt="" class="wp-image-666626" width="160" height="200" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='664394' first='Caeleigh' last='Rogers']-5'9 (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rogers was another player I knew yet didn't recognize as she was also stronger and just did a variety of things on both ends. Her rebounding and handling the ball, sometimes coast to coast under pressure stood out, she scored around the basket, putbacks included, yet watching her set the defender up in the half-court and score off the dribble was very nice, especially after contact. She also created her shot under pressure and knocked it down from mid to long-range</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":666627,"width":160,"height":197,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/06/DSC_0027-e1685706952773.jpg?w=640" alt="" class="wp-image-666627" width="160" height="197" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Morgan Common-6'2 (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Common brings the college-ready frame to the table and uses it to her advantage. Not only does she rebound on both ends, but she also stays with it, and battling always does it for me. She scored on putbacks, but she also put it on the floor and attacked strongly, contact was irrelevant. Her interior defense was solid, she also showed she could defend outside the paint, nice lateral movement </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->