14U and 15U Standouts from the Legacy Region Finals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The PGH Victory Finals was a fun and tight-knit event with four courts rolling all weekend at the Champions Center. Today, we'll highlight some of the younger players who stood out to me in games I watched over the weekend in Appleton.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1236090' first='Elly' last='Gardner']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gardner will be a newcomer to the high school ranks this winter, and she has the potential to be an impact performer out of the gates for Columbus Catholic. The Central Wisconsin native is a skilled ball handler who can get downhill and knock down shots from the perimeter. She'll be a kid who becomes a top priority for the opposing team's scouting report early next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='888330' first='McKinley' last='Russell']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Shullsburg guard/wing is an intriguing prospect from Southwest Wisconsin. The 6'0 2028 graduate handles the ball and can attack the basket off the dribble, which is uncommon among kids her age and size in the state. Russell has shot the ball well this AAU season and has been someone college coaches will want to watch. She'll be a kid who should be a headache for small schools in Southwest Wisconsin to handle for the next three seasons. You won't find many kids her size with the skillset she possesses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1241703' first='Payten' last='Marciulionis']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The size of the D.C. Everest forward will jump out immediately. The 6'1 post is sizeable for her age level, and she has some skills that allow her to finish around the basket. Marciulionis will likely have a role for the Evergreens next season. Her size and ability to play around the basket will help her group on the boards, and she'll help her team earn some second-chance points depending on how well she rebounds on the offensive end of the floor next season. There is plenty to like about her game, and she'll be one to follow for the next few seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='992501' first='Kinslee' last='Nelson']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Oshkosh native has one of the highest ceilings in her class. Nelson is an excellent who can get up and down the floor and make plays on both ends. I've seen flashes from her that make it obvious she could be among the elite in her class. She has the speed to jump passing lanes and excel when she can run in her team's transition offense. Nelson also can make shots but will need to find more consistency to round out her game on the offensive end, which she can do.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->