NJ Spring Classic: Day 1 Standouts and Stars

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Teams from the Tri-State area converged at Sportika to give it one last go before the May live period. I had my head on a swivel as I bounced around all seven courts searching for superstar talent and hidden gems. The following players were the best I saw on this Saturday of exciting hoops:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='559080' first='Jordan' last='Barnes'] | United NJ</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Her versatility was on full display today. She played tough on both sides of the ball, scoring big time buckets, making hustle plays and playing hard-nosed defense. She floated around the court against K-Low Elite this morning and attacked the rim, finishing through contact in the process. Her ability to finish on either side of the glass kept defenders on their toes. At just around 6'0", her size made a major impact in protecting the paint area and deflecting shots when opponents were foolish enough to enter her space.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='601329' first='Briana' last='Holt'] | NJ Raptors</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The notes I took on Briana took up half a sheet as I watched her give 110% against NY Extreme. At 6'3", she showed off superb mobility as she got up and down the court without ever looking gassed or struggling to find energy. Multiple times, she took it the length of the court and made it count at the basket! With a big, strong frame, she brought the physicality and refused to be outworked on the interior. As expected, she pulled down rebounds on both ends of the floor... but what the box score won't show is the force and tenacity in which she pulled down those boards with! She made sure her presence was felt and something tells me she won't be flying under the radar for long!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='884334' first='Kaitlyn' last='Raguso'] | [program_tooltip program_id='714720' first='NY' last='Extreme Hoops']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first thing I noticed about Kaitlyn was her sheer athleticism. About 3 minutes after tip, plenty of other words had been scattered on my pad: "great instincts, uptempo player, strong and scrappy, etc etc etc." She brought the energy and never let her foot off the gas, playing assertive basketball on both sides of the ball. She did a terrific job initiating and absorbing contact on the drive as she poured in buckets for her squad. She played blue-collar defense totally unafraid to get on the floor and fight for 50/50 balls; sharp anticipation for steals and fast break conversions. Her intensity and grit was awe-inspiring and severe, but never once crossed the line into unsportsmanlike conduct. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='926436' first='Mikaiya' last='Beasley'] | Gauchos</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of, if not the tallest player at this event, Mikaiya was a big-time rim protector and interior menace for the [program_tooltip program_id='714700' first='Lady' last='Choz']. With a big, strong frame and a sturdy base, she made opponents pay underneath the basket as she banged in shots with her back to the basket. She was an impenetrable brick wall on defense, blocking shots and forcing defenders to think twice about entering her space. She kept up with the pack in transition and did a good job setting up for quick buckets underneath.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='559030' first='Ava' last='Frith'] | [program_tooltip program_id='714664' first='Team' last='Sharp']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ava's versatility saw her play and defend multiple positions today, from 3-5. At 6'1", she ran the floor hard and maintained high energy throughout. She was confident with her shot selection, from one dribble jumpers just inside the FT line to big buckets in the low post and even the occasional 3 ball. She was impressive in high-low action and smart facilitation out of the high post. Ava set hard, effective screens that created space for her teammates to get off a good shot from the perimeter or slash to the hoop for an easy lay-in.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913962' first='Claire' last='Gillespie'] | [program_tooltip program_id='714654' first='NJ' last='Shoreshots']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Claire did damage inside the paint and played with controlled aggression. Against the Philly Belles, she showed off her mobility and sharp execution of set plays. She dipped and spun her way to the hoop through defenders and did a great job being efficient and tallying points. With an emerging mid-range game, Claire showed that she can also knock down 12-15 foot jumpers. At 5'10", she gives this 2028 Shoreshots squad ample length and a steady rebounding presence. As her two-way game continues to develop, this is surely a name you want to keep tabs on!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='559069' first='Jordyn' last='Hollawell'] | NJ Rise</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jordyn kept the offense flowing against the Gauchos this afternoon. She pushed the pace while handling the ball with care. She kept her head on a swivel as she brought the ball up the floor, with a game plan in mind looking to execute plays. From baseline rips, to jumpers in the corner, to straight-away 18 footers, Jordyn swished in shots in a variety of ways. When the full-court press came, she smartly evaded pressure by getting the ball up ahead to open teammates. Her assertiveness and ability to stay one step ahead of everyone else proved fruitful and kept the Rise competitive in both games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->