Notes from Manalapan

I spent my Saturday at the NJ Spring Classic x Select Events checking out some stellar talent from the Tri-State area. The girls from the Garden State represented heavily and certainly kept my head on a swivel as I spread out between Courts 1-7. Let's dive into these evals:    Small yet scrappy, she made a big difference on defense, tying up the opponent, deflecting passes and forcing turnovers. Her hands were all over the ball and her motor never died down. High octane player who is a relentless hawk at the perimeter and made life miserable for Empire State.     Nice footwork in the paint to maneuver around defenders on a step-through. Her hustle was undeniable as she fought for possession to secure the ball. At 5'10", she was able to get eyes over the defense and plan her next attack to the basket.     Long 5'11" wing/forward who did a great job nailing the short jumper against NY Extreme Red; long arms lifted the shot over the defender to avoid rejection at 10-12 feet. She held her own on the glass and although has a slim frame, didn't allow bigger post players to easily bully her when fighting for rebounds.     Bella's confidence grew as JSE's game vs NY Extreme Red went on. She handled the ball well and, at times, slashed through the defense for impressive buckets at the rim. Aggressive drives earned her multiple trips to the stripe where she nailed every free throw. It didn't matter the score or how much her team was down by, she kept a level playing style and very positive attitude. Total team player!     Such a strong guard, arguably the strongest player on the floor in NY Extreme Red's game vs Jersey Shore Elite Karpell. She punished the smaller defenders off the dribble and showed off some range as well; strength and body control aided in absorbing contact at the rim for the and-1. She kept a lot of integrity on both sides of the ball and played her role well.     Skylar showed glimpses of greatness shooting the 3 ball. A small guard who knows her release must be super quick to avoid getting her shot swatted. She moved well without the ball and was open and ready to receive it around the perimeter. Her willingness to let it fly spoke volumes to the confidence in her shot selection.     She hasn't played a minute of high school hoops, yet she ran the point vs NY Extreme with so much poise. She zipped and zagged around the court looking to show off her play-making abilities. A pass-first PG, she was plotting to execute before crossing half-court; forward-thinking. When she slid over to the 2, she made herself available for shots behind the 3-point line. Liv is certainly a player to watch for this summer and beyond.     Playing up on 16U, Alyssa was stellar playing in the post vs Team Go Get It UA Rise; a solid size & strength combination down low. High-level finisher through contact. She did a great job getting her feet set and establishing position, ready to receive the entry feed.     Deana displayed excellent court vision vs Empire State. She saw the floor really well from distance to push the ball ahead and deliver full-court dimes. Her timing and placement were both on point!     Grace delivered a strong shooting performance vs Empire State on Saturday afternoon. She was at her best when pulling up from both the mid-range and behind the 3-point line. A total bucket-getter who changed the momentum of the game when things started to get close. She was at her best when the ball was in her hands.     Formidable rebounding present; brought some size to BBA's frontcourt and tallied plenty of points at the rim. She was very vocal in calling for the ball underneath the basket, ready to make some magic. Strong & steady positioning, not easily moved in the low block or swayed off her base.     Commendable effort defensively today. Long, lanky arms made a difference pulling down rebounds. Solid verticality to prevent easy buckets around the paint; she played much bigger than her frame suggests. Lexie made herself available at the corners for looks at long-range baskets and didn't hesitate in pulling the trigger.     Very crisp ball movement, always looking to make the extra pass and not settle for mediocre shots. She had some really nice looks to feed the post player and find the slashing teammate off a backdoor cut.     Megan showed off some very confident-looking spot-up shooting! That straight-away 18-footer was money! Emerging stop-and-pop middy. Once that shot starts falling more consistently, it's going to add another level of reliable offense to her game.     This girl can GO! Once she turned the jets on, it was layups in rapid succession! Small but fearless, got to the basket at will, it didn't matter how big the defender; aggressive dribble drive action. When she found even the smallest of gaps or lags in coverage, she went into attack mode.     She got active on the glass and was strong on box-outs. She got herself in prime position to secure rebounds. She held a size advantage over most players on the floor in the matchup with Team Miller and her hustle was undeniable. She wasn't afraid to get down and dirty and scrap to save possession.     Sharp court vision on full display. Stellar look-ahead passing; kick-started transition offense with strong outlet passes. Lola was constantly moving and working, with or without the ball. She processed quickly and made sound decisions based on that judgment, which paid dividends.

I spent my Saturday at the NJ Spring Classic x Select Events checking out some stellar talent from the Tri-State area. The girls from the Garden State represented heavily and certainly kept my head on a swivel as I spread out between Courts 1-7. Let's dive into these evals: