2027 Rankings Update: Greatest Gainers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The recent update saw a ton of movement with prospects ascending up the rankings thanks to a big summer of grassroots basketball. Statements were made from April through July as their respective stocks soared. We take a look at the biggest risers inside the Top 100 of this rising sophomore class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='651515' first='Hannah' last='Fraser'] | Rutgers Prep | Jersey Gemz</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #100 | New Rank: #18</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hannah had a summer to remember! The 6'2" forward was ready to go at EYBL Session 1 in Virginia and never looked back! She played tough against top teams at Gym Rat Live before heading to Houston for EYBL Session 2, where she faced some of the top teams in 15U, including home state powerhouse Cy Fair, AL Southern Starz and CP3 Flames. Her size and presence in the paint made a big impact on both ends, from shot-blocking, to rebounding, to put-backs around the rim. She showed tremendous growth as the months went on and by the time Jersey Live came around in mid-June, Hannah looked like a totally different player than that of last year with Rutgers Prep. Improved mobility, elevated confidence and more consistency in her shot selection helped the Argonauts to a 3-0 record. She continued her hot streak through June, finishing off the season as one of the standouts in Sportika. In the last two Nike stops of the season, she showed poise and demonstrated just how far her two-way game can take her. She played tough in a seven-game stretch in Louisville and imposed her will at Nike Nationals in Chicago, helping the Gemz earn big wins against Exodus NYC and Indy Gym Rats, while keeping it ultra-competitive against the Fairfax Stars. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='789167' first='Madison' last='McLain'] | Blair | Jersey Gemz</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #94 | New Rank: #25</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maddy really impressed me this summer with her team-first attitude and well-established two-way guard play. She kicked off EYBL Session 1 with head-turning performances against a pair of California teams (Stars and Sparks) and the hometown ladies of Boo Williams. She blitzed through the season, staying aggressive and chasing buckets at Stops 2 and 3 in Houston and Louisville. Her defense at EYBL Session 3 was stellar! So stellar, in fact, that it was the sole focus of my scouting report on her. She smothered, pestered and suffocated opponents with her scrappy hands and defensive agility. She kept her foot on the gas at the final Nike stop in Chicago, where she displayed tenacity on both sides of the ball; sharp vision, deep range, forceful baseline rips and defensive integrity. She is a certified problem and it's only up from here for her! Incredibly high ceiling with an advanced skillset.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='677603' first='Arielle' last='Edwards'] | Hudson Catholic | Jersey Gemz</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #70 | New Rank: #28</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With great size and strength to match, Arielle has begun to tap into what was previously untapped potential. Running on the Nike circuit with the Gemz (and playing up with 16U) has elevated her confidence and over game to new heights. A rim-protector extraordinaire, she sure knows a thing or two about rejecting shots and sending the ball flying into the stands! She put forth a big effort at all EYBL stops for the live periods and helped her team achieve a 6-0 weekend at the Gym Rat Challenge to claim the Platinum crown. She reunited with her high school squad in June for a strong showing at Jersey Live with college coaches from multiple D1 programs in attendance. Her stock is soaring higher than ever before!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='651513' first='Deana' last='Finkelstein'] | Demarest | Jersey Gemz</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank #44 | New Rank: #29</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Where do I even begin with Deana? She was flat-out FANTASTIC for the last four months during stops in Hampton, Houston, Louisville, Chicago and Albany! Her efforts go above and beyond just scoring, as she does a great job moving the ball, applying pressure on defense and using her size to make an impact on the glass. She brings a lot of energy to her 15U squad, plays team-first basketball and displays a lot of mental fortitude out there. It's important to pay attention to a player's body language both on the court and on the bench, because college coaches look for that just as much as they look for someone filling up the stat sheet. Well, let me just say, Deana's body language says everything about who she is! Positive, encouraging, selfless and supportive. The ultimate team player! Big things are on the horizon as she looks to continue this momentum heading into her sophomore season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='835246' first='Ella' last='Peck'] | Demarest | Jersey Gemz</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #86 | New Rank: #47</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ella's commitment to her craft this summer has seen her ranking climb nearly forty spots in this latest update! Her go-around on the EYBL circuit was a successful one, as the 5'7" shooting guard let it fly with confidence from just about everywhere on the floor, forcing defenders to lock down on her in hopes of containing her. With a blistering first step, she beat defenders off the dribble and carved a path to the rim for an easy lay-in. In stops at Houston and Louisville, she faced top tier opponents in Cy Fair, Philly Rise, and Tree of Hope, never once looking fazed or intimidated by the competition. She was aggressive and physical on defense, proving to be a formidable two-way guard and much more than just a threat on offense!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='739542' first='Mairin' last='Fowler'] | Westfield | United NJ</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #77 | New Rank: #51</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mairin was one of my mid-season standouts back in May, with sensational performances in Pitman and Atlantic City. Small but mighty, she torched opponents far and wide on the P24 circuit with hot 3-point shooting, electric rim-running and active defense. It's no surprise she soared twenty-six spots up the rankings as her star shined brighter and brighter with each passing weekend. In the second half of the season, she continued to impress, with clutch shooting at Jersey Live (with Westfield), the Prime Event East in PA and Run 4 Roses in Louisville. She brought all the energy and maintained high level intensity from April to July, making a big statement along the way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='835942' first='Caroline' last='Brennan'] | Camden Catholic | Lady Runnin Rebels</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #71 | New Rank: #52</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing up on the PA dynasty's 16U squad, Caroline had a very successful run that included a 4-0 weekend at Spooky Nook to kick off the season and a championship in Atlantic City to end it. At 6'2", she commanded the front court for the Rebels and locked down the paint to protect the rim. She was tough scoring around the rim and securing rebounds through traffic. Her fearless style of play earned her an invite to the 11th annual Girls' All-City Classic in Philly, making her one of only a handful of Jersey girls asked to participate. She trained this summer with Iowa's Lucy Olsen and recently attended both UPenn &amp; Harvard's elite camps.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Other notable risers:</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='835898' first='Kirsten' last='Gibson'] | Cherry Hill West | Comets</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #33 | New Rank: #15</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='789189' first='Brooke' last='Stagliano'] | Paul VI | Comets</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #29 | New Rank: #16</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='677605' first='Raina' last='Gibbs'] | Pascack Valley | Jersey Gemz</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #32 | New Rank: #21</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='651504' first='Nevya' last='Loniewski'] | Hillsborough | United NJ</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #54 | New Rank: #42</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='651494' first='Avery' last='Wyatt'] | Freehold Boro | [program_tooltip program_id='802585' first='Central' last='Jersey Hawks'] </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #80 | New Rank: #69</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='835254' first='Yasmeen' last='El Hindi'] | Union City | [program_tooltip program_id='774068' first='NJ' last='Panthers']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #91 | New Rank: #77</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='865920' first='Trinitee' last='McKellar'] | Atlantic Tech | NJ Rise</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Previous Rank: #93 | New Rank: #79</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->