Lone Wolf Fall League Preview: 2027 Talent + 2028s On the Radar

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Okay now, rosters are released and I'm keyed in on a handful of 2027 and 2028 hoopers that are sure to breakout. Let's get right to it!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>2027s:</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alright, this 2027 class is shaping up to be one with a great deal of talent. One at the top of my list is Hazen High School's <strong>5'10 W Kelsie Rivard</strong>, an exceptional talent and workhorse. <strong>Rivard </strong>does everything: catch and shoot jumpers, finishing at a high clip and in control at the rim, rebounds the rock, playmaking in transition, and hounding opponents while being a general bother defensively. Her motor never wavers, and she defends 2-5 essentially; maybe the most versatile player in the gym any given Sunday at LWFL. Someone of a similar ilk but different positionally is Colchester High School's <strong>5'7 G [player_tooltip player_id='1046824' first='Anya' last='Davis']</strong>. She's got that bulldog mentality as a slasher, creating contact and getting to the line. Moreover, <strong>Anya's </strong>a rugged defender and exceptional orchestrator who'll open gaps for teammates to find cuts or space for jumpers. A gritty competitor with the two-way talent to swing games. One player I've kept tabs on out of Peru, NY is <strong>5'10 W/F [player_tooltip player_id='1276531' first='Reese' last='Duprey']</strong>. I first saw the upstate gamer playing u16 I believe the summer before her 8th grade year, and she was the engine behind her team. Hustle plays, versatility as a defender going from 2-4, rebounding the rock, and showing a general comfort and understanding of the game from a young age. I'm excited to <strong>Reese </strong>back in action. Another W/F I know will show out is<strong> 5'11 Colleen Sonnick </strong>of Essex High School. The herky-jerky lefty is the modern 4 with her ability to step out and hit jumpers out to 20-feet, she has a consistent 1-dribble pull-up, and can get to the rack and finish with her power and size. A solid defender who covers 4s and 5s, <strong>Sonnick </strong>is one who'll grab the rebound and leave fellow forwards in her wake as she pushes the break. Keep tabs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've got a trio out of Burlington High School that's going to make a lot of noise going forward. This big 3 features <strong>5'8 G Emma Maley, 5'8 G [player_tooltip player_id='1263374' first='Mae' last='Yenkavitch']</strong>, and <strong>5'9 W/F Harper Guthiem</strong>. All have shown sound basketball IQ and a knack for seeing plays before they unfold. <strong>Maley </strong>is a talented shooter who can get hot from range and run the offense, finding seams in the defense to exploit often. <strong>Yenkavitch </strong>too is a natural organizer, yet it's her slashing which I find so dangerous. Moreover, her jumper has sharpened and her length + physicality defensively combines to make her a nuisance both on the ball and off. And <strong>Guthiem </strong>is that wing swiss-army knife who covers multiple positions, rebounds the rock, connects the offense, and hits her open looks from 15-feet and in with toughness around the rim. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>2028s:</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While I've yet to really see much of the 2028 class at all, I do have some insights. The first that comes to mind is <strong>5'5 G Orly Nathan</strong> out of Champlain Valley Union High. While she's not on the roster, I'm hopeful she'll make a few appearances with the CVU strong LV Aces team. She's that competent floor general with a tight handle who just makes an offense go. <strong>Nathan</strong> has the IQ and feel at a young age to impact the game in both obvious and subtle ways; I'm excited to see more. Next on my shortlist of 2028s that I know for sure will be in attendance are <strong>5'6 G Amelia Rockwood</strong> out of Windsor, <strong>5'4 G Greta Nolan</strong> out of North Country Union High, and <strong>5'4 Lexi Paquette </strong>out of South Burlington. <strong>Rockwood</strong> comes from a basketball family; both parents played college hoops and older sis plays for the UMaine Black Bears in Orono. I expect feistiness, a thoroughly skillful offensive repertoire, and sound instincts. And <strong>Nolan</strong> brings that gritty guard flavor to the fore, bringing energy, hustle and competitiveness in combination with a fundamental skillset. Last but not least, <strong>Paquette</strong>. She's a stringy PG with a jumper and sly finishing on both sides of the hoop. Her scoring is there, and so are the instincts to feed teammates in spots they'll be successful. Plus, her defensive IQ is sound in both the half and fullcourt settings. I'm excited to see her going up against a slate of tough competition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's a wrap! The Lone Wolf Fall League is set to run Sundays from 4pm - 7pm starting 9/15 -9/29 with 9/22 off. Don't miss your chance to see a talented group of VT hoopers as they prep for the winter season ahead. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->