NCAA Academy Sunday Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reporting live from Rock Hill, South Carolina! This event has been top tier when it comes to the level of elite talent spread out around 9 courts. The Northeast showed up and showed out today in a big way! The following ladies stood out to me as some of the best of the day: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='677601' first='Lola' last='McGonigle'] | Comets</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing against a tough Texas team in CyFair, Lola showed poise and maturity the way she handled pressure and delivered big time! She found angles at the hoop and converted rim running into quick-hitting buckets. Something she has seemed to add to her arsenal is the ability to create her own shot from the mid-range at a much higher level than before. Her 3-point shooting was lit, per usual, executing beautifully off the catch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='835898' first='Kirsten' last='Gibson'] | Comets</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>CyFair had trouble staying with her off the ball because of how swiftly she rotated and got to her spots around the perimeter. She was devastating from deep, knocking down multiple 3's off the catch and with a super quick release. High arching, smooth stroke.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='559085' first='Addison' last='Nyemchek'] | Philly Rise</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Addy imposed her will against both Boo Williams and the Miami Sun. She was clutch on the turnaround short jumper and tough around the rim. She put her versatility on full display making sure the opponents were forced to guard her at multiple positions. Impressive ball control going the full length of the floor. Long, lean, hot shooting machine!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Atlee Vanesko | Philly Rise</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As expected, her 3-point shooting was devastating. When Atlee catches the ball anywhere behind the arc, you can tally three points next to her name before the ball even fully leaves her fingertips! Absolutely automatic! However, what really stood out to me was her efforts on defense. It's obvious that she's really worked on improving her defensive instincts because she made some high levels plays today, swiping steals and igniting the fast break. Her size at nearly 6'0” tall was beneficial when making efforts to protect the paint area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1004315' first='Jordyn' last='Palmer'] | Philly Rise</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fresh off a gold medal in Mexico, Jordyn brought all of that fire to South Carolina! She drew audible gasps from the crowd, myself included, with her ability to dazzle and dance with the ball. Next-level handles staggered defenders as she maneuvered to the hoop finishing with flash and pizzazz. With pro level moves in her arsenal, she was the star on every court she played on. She managed to score it at a high level and also dish out some incredible dimes. Her elite vision is not talked about nearly enough!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='559028' first='GiGi' last='Battle'] | Exodus NYC</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fearless hooping against Essence and the mighty Wisconsin Lakers! Gigi was spectacular on both sides of the ball! She made undeniable hustle plays, scrapping for possession time and time again. Going up against 6'7” Jayla Forbes (Essence), she was fearless taking it right at her and coming up clutch at the rim. Not intimidated or fazed by anyone or anything! The higher the stakes, the better she performs!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='866397' first='Olivia' last='Vukosa'] | Philly Rise</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a dominant, record-setting run with the Croatian National Team, Big O arrived at Rock Hill ready to go! A menacing post presence, she made it look easy grabbing rebounds over multiple defenders and going back up strong for two. With impressive endurance, she got up and down the floor quickly and even showed off some ball-handling. With her feet positioned down low ready to back down opponents, she bullied her way to the basket and put the Rise in a great position to win games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='559037' first='Taylor' last='Sofilkanich'] | Kent State</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She isn't a woman of many words, but she lets her game do all the talking. She really stood out among the field today in games against Portland (FIBA) &amp; a first round matchup against Drake in the overtime single elimination tourney. Fast hands under the rim to turn and score on the catch. Long strides covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time. The girls on the Portland squad had no answer for her and to try and contain her, they resorted to holding her and sending her to the line. She made her presence felt in a major way!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->