PA Standouts at Spooky

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first eval period of the season was sensational, with hundreds of teams flocking to Manheim, PA to dazzle the crowds at the Nook. With college coaches from almost every major program in attendance, these ladies represented big time in their home state:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='413735' first='Aidan' last='Langley'] | 6'1" F | BBA GUAA 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aidan's skillset is one I marveled at this past weekend. She was highly efficient on the catch-and-shoot and needed little time getting a good shot off. A long Forward with great reach, she made her presence felt on both sides of the ball. She worked defenders in the paint and got to the basket with total command. On D, she swatted shots and quickly deterred the ball-handler from driving inside out of fear of immediate rejection. Extremely mobile and athletic, Aidan ran the floor hard, even sprinting past guards on her way to the rim in transition. Her aggression on the o-boards was menacing and provided second (and third) chance scoring opportunities for her teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Nadia Yemola | 5'8" G | Lady Runnin' Rebels White HGSL 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nadia sped past players and found herself scoring easy layups all weekend long. Her one-handed scoop lay-ups are a thing of beauty and add a touch of flair to her exceptional rim-running and transition offense. She absorbed contact well and finished at the rim at a high level. The decisions she made in real-time showed off her high basketball IQ, whether it was using a floater in the lane to avoid getting her shot blocked, making the extra pass or reading the defense and having her way with opponents, she seemed to do everything right. Her mid-range was devastating, as the defense couldn't quite seem to figure out how to effectively shut her down.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Grace McDonough | 6'2" F | Lady Runnin' Rebels White HGSL 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dominance was the name of her game at Spooky Nook! Grace was relentless on the glass, pulling down monster rebounds while establishing good position and being aware not to go over-the-back and commit silly fouls. She remained vertical on defense, swatting away shots while never really having her feet leave the ground or her arms come down for the block. Her length and quickness caused a world of problems for her opponents as she got ahead of the pack in transition to deliver crushing layups and bullied players in the low block. She used the spin move and step-through to muscle and maneuver her way to the basket for 2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brigidanne Donohue | 5'10" G | Comets GUAA 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An uptempo player who thrives in an electric, fast-paced game environment, Brigidanne pushed the ball and knifed her way to the rim possession after possession. She showed off some flashy finishes, includes crafty reverse layups and a blazing Euro through traffic. She exuded a ton of confidence anytime she handled the ball and had some great looks off the catch-and-shoot. She also got her teammates involved and dished out some wonderful dimes, especially off the drive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bailey Balkir | 5'8" G | Lady Runnin Rebels McDonough Jr 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A fiery and passionate guard, Bailey was a high-octane ball of energy! She pushed the pace in transition and attack the basket with a purpose! She also did a nice job keeping her head up while handling the ball and finding open teammates in position for a good shot. Her jump shot was smooth as she rattled in a few stop-and-pop middys. On defense, she had great anticipation and a strong instinct to pick apart plays and force rapid turnovers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gabrielle Johnson | 5'10" G | Lady Runnin Rebels White HGSL 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If Gabby is on the floor, expect the pace to be turned up a notch! She was a firecracker with the rock in her hands and showed of a motor that just wouldn't quit! Her speed in combination with her size made it an arduous task for defenders to successfully contain her. She carved out paths to the rim and was almost automatic once she established position anywhere within 12 feet of the basket. Defensively, her reach proved problematic for opponents as her ever-present active hands applied stifling ball pressure. She was 100% committed on both ends of the floor from the first whistle to the last!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->