PGH Freshman Showcase: The best of Team 10, part 1

Nearly 100 prospects competed on Sunday in the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman Showcase at Maple Grove Middle School. We'll be releasing the first ranking of the 2029 class in a few weeks – our annual Freshman 50 – and numerous players made a strong case that they should be included. We're publishing evaluations on all 10 teams in the event. This is the best of Team 10, part 1.    Backer continues to impress with her poise and versatility. A threat from deep, she spaces the floor and converts tough shots with ease. Her length allows her to defend multiple positions, block shots, and pressure the perimeter. Selected as an honorable mention for our AAU Newcomer of the Year award this summer, Sawyer also rebounds well and uses her IQ to turn broken plays into points. Still growing physically, Backer's upside is significant, and she already shows the instincts and impact of a complete player on both ends.     Jorgenson is a confident guard with a solid all-around skill set. She plays with quickness and tenacity, defending aggressively with fast feet and anticipation. On offense she moves well, facilitates, and showed off a smooth spin move to finish inside. With a take-charge mentality, she directs traffic and keeps her team organized. Strong and assertive, Jorgenson projects as a dependable backcourt piece with the toughness to impact games consistently.     Speer is a feisty, physical lefty guard who plays with grit and energy. She uses change of pace to attack, cuts smartly without the ball, and hits catch-and-shoot threes. Defensively, she frustrates taller players, using leverage and timing to force tougher shots. Vocal and engaged, she provides leadership while creating opportunities from the help side. A versatile competitor, Speer's toughness makes her effective on both ends.     Robinson brought energy and confidence to the Showcase, standing out early in 3-on-3 play. Explosive to the rim, she elevates smoothly and finishes with creativity, including a polished step-through and reverse layup. She isn't shy about pulling from deep, either, showing strong mechanics and a confident release. Physical, competitive, and aggressive, Robinson showed she can make an impact in multiple ways and isn't afraid of the spotlight. We'll be watching to see how she does this winter with the Pirates.     Waterworth impressed with her smooth stroke, drilling a long three with ease. She's a sneaky, steady contributor who handles the basketball well, effectively employs her length on defense, and turns crafty steals into transition opportunities. While not flashy, Waterworth makes winning plays by hitting open shots – even using a slick crossover move – and defending with intelligence. Reliable and coachable, she added value every time she was on the floor.

Nearly 100 prospects competed on Sunday in the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman Showcase at Maple Grove Middle School. We'll be releasing the first ranking of the 2029 class in a few weeks – our annual Freshman 50 – and numerous players made a strong case that they should be included. We're publishing evaluations on all 10 teams in the event. This is the best of Team 10, part 1.