Players playing at an elite level

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the season goes along and players continue to show growth on the court, I wanted to showcase a few athletes who have been standing out in my eyes and playing at an elite level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='515021' first='Brooke' last='Blachly'] - 2026 - Archbishop Murphy HS </strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brooke has stepped her game up now that league play has started, but she has always been an elite player. Her deep shot is LETHAL. She can let it fly from anywhere beyond the three point line and sink the shot. She doesn't need much time to get her shot off, forcing defenders to stay on their toes and keep a close eye on her. Blachly can finish through contact very well too, having great ability to adjust her body to get the bucket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='286854' first='Ava' last='Smith'] - 2024 - Union HS</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ava is a big spark for her team, making big plays on both sides of the ball. Her and [player_tooltip player_id='317132' first='Brooklynn' last='Haywood'] are a top duo in the entire state and play extremely well off each other. Smith runs the court in transition quickly, leading to many open layups or contested layups she is able to finish. Her deep shot is elite when she shoots off the dribble or off the catch, being a top shooter in the class. She's crafty with the ball in her hands too, often leaving opponents behind her with her classic spin move</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='482561' first='Portia' last='Polo'] - 2025 - Newport HS</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Portia is a great leader for this fairly young Newport team. She does it all on the court, having a complete offensive game but also plays elite defense. She is quick on her feet and has a high motor, going 110% the entire game. Polo can handle the ball close to her body well, rarely turning it over. Her offensive game is becoming even more well rounded during this season and should have more colligate looks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='676258' first='Finley' last='Parcher'] - 2027 - Lynden HS</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finley plays beyond her years as she is only a freshman. Lynden is a powerhouse every year and as just a freshman she is already a big time player for this team. She has solid handles and has a very steady jump shot. She can play a variety of positions on the offensive side of the ball, making her a dangerous scoring threat. She is going to be a special player to watch as the years go on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->