Hillsborough County Sharpshooters

With the way basketball is played now—spreading the floor and maintaining a fast pace—teams are always looking for players who can not only shoot but be snipers. These are players who, no matter where they catch the ball, lock in on the rim and knock down shots, regardless of how deep they are. You have to know where these players are at all times.    [player_tooltip player_id='428045' first='Savannah' last='Ferguson'] is transferring from Lakewood to Bloomingdale this season, and for those who don't know her yet, they soon will—she's a sniper. There's no such thing as a bad shot when the ball is in her hands. The 5'10" guard has a high and quick release, forcing defenses to guard well beyond the three-point line. As long as she gets her eyes on the rim and the ball up, there's a high probability it's going in.   Savannah has the frame of a collegiate shooter and the confidence to match. Her high arc, soft touch, and strong base allow her to get her shot off from anywhere on the floor. The Maine Maritime commit is looking to add a state championship to her resume and will play a crucial role in Bloomingdale's success.     [player_tooltip player_id='346884' first='Jennie' last='Gutman'] is a 6-foot wing who can score from all over the floor, playing with a tenacity and passion that's fun to watch. Gutman recently transferred to Bloomingdale, a team with a loaded roster, but she will still play valuable minutes for many reasons—one of them being her ability to be a sniper on the floor. At her height, she can draw taller defenders out and shoot over them, while also making shorter defenders pay when they contest her shots, effortlessly shooting over them as well.   Last season at Robinson, Jennie averaged 16.9 PPG, scoring in double digits in all but three games. Her ability to consistently shoot the ball the same way—using good elbow height and perfect finger placement directed at the rim—makes her a threat whether shooting off the catch or the dribble. Against most teams, she is a matchup nightmare due to her shooting ability, physicality, and athleticism.   Look for her to help Bloomingdale compete for the state championship again this season.       [player_tooltip player_id='873977' first='Natalia' last='Long'] plays with smooth confidence on the floor. While she has several great aspects to her game, today I want to focus on her shooting ability. Natalia can create her shot off the dribble, but she truly excels at shooting off the catch. Last season, as a freshman on varsity, she averaged 11.9 PPG and scored 273 points, setting her up to easily become a 1,000-point scorer by her junior year.   Natalia shoots so well off the catch that even if you took away her other scoring abilities, she could still light up your defense. When she catches the ball, her knees are already bent, her feet are already facing the hoop, and her release and follow-through are textbook. I foresee Natalia nearly doubling her PPG this season as a sophomore, putting everyone on notice that she's up next.     [player_tooltip player_id='410292' first='Addison' last='Fowkes'] is coming off a season where she shot 42% from the field, including a standout game where she went 4/4 from the three-point line and 6/6 overall, showing she's a scoring threat. It doesn't matter where Addison catches the ball—if she gets her feet set, she can knock down the three, whether it's from the corner, wing, top of the key, right on the three-point line, or even five steps behind it. She's a sniper.   What makes her stand out is her footwork when catching the ball, especially when coming off screens, lifting off the drive, or filling toward the ball handler. Her ability to use a quick heel-to-toe pivot to square up to the basket makes her an instant threat when she catches the ball. The small details in her technique allow her to get her shots off so easily. Her shooting ability and competitive play have already earned her a college offer, and I foresee her picking up a few more this senior season.

With the way basketball is played now—spreading the floor and maintaining a fast pace—teams are always looking for players who can not only shoot but be snipers. These are players who, no matter where they catch the ball, lock in on the rim and knock down shots, regardless of how deep they are. You have to know where these players are at all times.