5 Need To Know Hidden Gems Heading into the Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With a strong summer behind them, these five talented hoopers are ready to shine once high school basketball kicks off. They might still be flying under the radar on most accounts, but something tells me that'll change in a few months. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Georgia D'Angelo | Point Pleasant Boro</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After catching my eye this summer with NJ Rise, she went on to put her best foot forward at The Fort, earning MVP honors in a thriller over Shore Regional. She's gotten better and better against the press and using her dribble to get out of trouble. Her drives to the basket have looked fearless and aggressive. She saw some playing time last year as a freshman, showing promise against teams like Jackson Liberty and Point Pleasant Beach. After a solid past few months, I expect much bigger things from the 5'6" guard. The departure of eight seniors coupled with big growth in her game should see an uptick in playing time and production.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='671406' first='Julianna' last='Old'] | Jackson Memorial</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Julianna's work ethic sets her apart from a lot of players I've evaluated around the country this year. Newly committed to Montclair State, she sure knows how to use every bit of her 5'10" frame to dominate inside. The double-double machine plays tough around the rim and gets her hands on a lot of rebounds with great instinct and sheer strength. Year 4 will likely see her tally more double-doubles than in previous years as she looks to close out her high school career on a high note.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='959148' first='Maeve' last='Morton'] | Chatham</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maeve's strengths lie in her 3-point shooting and rim running. When it rains, it pours, as she gets hot in a hurry from distance. Her game has developed nicely the past few months as she continues to expand her skills at the 1. She seems more confident bringing the ball up and making decisions on the fly. With a new year comes the opportunity to play ample varsity minutes. Openings left behind by last year's seniors Arden Alvarez, Ryan Bolger, McKenna Hogan, Annie Jupin, Ella von Doussa, Mia Semioli and superstar Ella Kreuzer will allow a new-look Chatham team to build momentum as the season rolls on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1202425' first='Ava' last='Krzywdzinski'] | East Brunswick</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smooth and solid at the PG role, Ava continues to grow her two-way game and mix up the scoring and facilitating to keep defenders on their toes. Something that stands out right away is her ability to remain unfazed while battling through the press. She's effective in a very calm and collected way, playing at her own pace; excellent job dictating. It was this style of composed basketball that earned her MVP honors in a come-from-behind win over Shore Regional at The Fort. She was solid in Year 1 with Bears and looks to build on that success now in her sophomore season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='959818' first='Stella' last='Broderick'] | Immaculate Heart</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tough as nails and the braids mean business! Stella is the ultimate competitor who puts her game face on and gives it 100%. With two years of high school basketball behind her and a strong showing with United NJ this summer, an uptick in playing time is certainly on the table. She is fearless on the attack and loves to get busy off the bounce. She's setting herself up for success heading into her junior season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->