Simmie’s Super 7 plus MVP

Maley has taken her game to another level and the progression she showed had a lot to do with her energy as she went after everything off the rim, well she also went after loose balls and almost took me out out of bounds, but she made the save so it wouldn’t have mattered. How about diving on the floor, yeah that’s #THROWBACK but were her “hands and footwork” in the paint to score. Her timing to block shots was nice and so was her playing the passing lane

Jefferson is a “long and athletic” guard which falls into a category I love to evaluate and I call it the base because not only do I look at that profile, so do many college coaches and they offer next level opportunities. Here’s the BIGGIE, what are her INTANGIBLES so let me start with her “on the ball” defense baseline to baseline which was smothering at times. She also went after loose balls and played the passing lane yet watching her create her shot and drop it with a hand in her face was nice, so was her scoring off the dribble and finishing strongly after contact

Taylor is a heady point guard who will head into high school knowing how to run a team and when you understand not only good decision making but controlling the tempo, you’re way ahead of the game running the 1. trust me on that. She has very good court vision but on the flip she also sees the floor to play the passing lane yet her ability to create her shot  to drop the jumper in the set, pull-up 3 in transition included, were hard to handle and so was her slight HEZ to attack the basket and finish using nice body control after contact

Long-Sattarphai is “long and athletic” and as stated earlier, that is the base yet she was one of the many new faces that grabbed my attention immediately because she filled it up quickly. Not only could she drain the jumper from outside  by elevating over the defender, she also showed she could “catch and shoot” mid to long-range. Her first step was powerful and so were her finishes after contact, nice body control. She did a good job playing “on the ball” defense, she blocked shots and hit the boards on both ends yet her seeing the floor in transition was also nice

Barrett gave me a whole lot to absorb immediately and after watching her on the PGH Circuit, she too showed on the court progression the past two seasons, I linked her article from this season. She attacks powerfully and scores after contact yet she understands how to “create contact” which puts her in the “and one” waiting to happen group. Her change of pace in the open court was hard to handle as she saw the floor or dropped the jumper but she also BATTLED for rebounds against taller players and did a good job defensively, this includes playing the passing lane

Roberts is an athletic guard that uses her athleticism on both ends of the court and immediately her baseline to baseline pressure helped create turnovers because it was smothering. Yes, she plays the passing lane and her court vision in the set as well as from the other side of halfcourt was among the best. She attacks smoothly with either hand, first step is very nice, yet watching her change hands in the air to score had me smiling at what’s coming down the road because her finishes can be acrobatic. She’s under control and creates her shot under pressure, and drops the jumper

Read is another point guard who will make the transition to high school with ease and I think I called her a #D1Lock before her first middle school game and of course, I was right. She has the FLOATA down pat, that is going to be a problem for defender because she stays under control and sets everything up patiently. She handles the ball and sees the floor under pressure, mid to long-range jumper is nice yet her defense in the set is more than solid as her pressure helped to create turnovers, oh yeah, she plays the passing lane

Pringle was my MVP and I see an NIL with the potato chips company in her future. Well, I also see a possible one with Windex after watching her slap the backboard after attacking the basket to score. Her timing to block, alter and (or) deflect shots was one of, if not the best for that combo, she also went hard on both ends falling into that “never takes a play off” category. Her UPS played a part in so many aspects, like rebounding and going coast to coast to elevate over defenders but her pull-up jumper from outside was smooth as she dropped it effortlessly. One more thing, she played the passing lane