More Freshman Showcase Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yesterday, in Appleton, we had our third PGH Freshman Showcase. I enjoy seeing the new faces of high school basketball before the season, and plenty of players at the event will make their mark on the high school season this winter. I'll highlight every player from the event over the next ten days, but I'd like to start by highlighting a few players who impressed me most with their skills, hustle, and attitude during the Freshman Showcase.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1276313' first='Allison' last='Charbonneau']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There wasn't a player who could keep Charbonneau in front of them when I watched her play. The left-handed guard got downhill whenever she wanted and did an excellent job finishing around the basket when she got there. I've seen her play for over two years, and I thought she played some of her best basketball yesterday. She was confident and continued to put pressure on opposing defenses whenever she had the ball in her hands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='874404' first='Ava' last='Cumicek']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've heard positive things about Cumicek from her program director, which has had me excited to see her play for the last month at the Freshman Showcase. I was impressed by how poised the Notre Dame guard was with the ball in her hands. She plays at her own pace and sees the floor as well as anyone in her class. She shot the ball well when I watched her play, and I'm eager to see if she can carve out a significant role in the Tritons' backcourt this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1236090' first='Elly' last='Gardner']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Columbus Catholic guard played up with Team Prime Nation's 15U EYBL team this summer, and had positive moments with that group when I watched her play. Gardner's ability to handle the ball and create her shot off the dribble stood out when I watched her in the 3v3 or 5v5 portion of the event yesterday. She's a talented kid, and I believe she could be among the elite in the ranks of D5 this winter when she starts her high school career.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='874408' first='Kaitlyn' last='Schuman']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Brillion native was a player I didn't remember seeing during the 3v3 portion. However, she made herself known when I watched her 5v5 team play. No matter the situation, Schuman managed to do the right thing with the ball on the offensive end of the floor and made effort plays on the defensive end. She isn't a flashy player, but she was as effective as any guard at the event. She surprised me as the day went on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->