Adirondack League-Young Players on the Rise

The Adirondack League tournament is in the books, with Whitehall edging Corinth 33-32 in the title game. If anyone thinks either of these teams is going to fade away anytime soon, they are mistaken. Whitehall has five seniors but three young players who play key roles off the bench. Corinth is just a team loaded with players in the underclasses. There are also some players on the rise on other teams across the league as well. Here is a look at Adirondack League players to keep an eye on in the future.    [player_tooltip player_id='1702434' first='Alexis' last='Craig'] is just an eighth grader, but she shows flashes of skills beyond her years. She has been a very consistent performer on a team loaded with young talent and is currently listed as Corinth's third-leading scorer. Craig is a strong on-the-ball defender, averaging 2.2 steals per game. She is an excellent shooter, connecting on over 50% of her shots from the field. Craig is an effective shooter from the elbow and the baseline, mainly inside the arc, but should expand her range as she gets older, as the fundamentals are already in place. She can also score in the post and on putbacks inside. Craig runs the floor well and finishes on the fastbreak. It will be fun watching Craig develop over the next several seasons.     Lylah Dishon is a freshman with very high upside. She began on the varsity as an 8th grader a year ago. Dishon is a strong ballhandler who can play the point or the two guard. She is an outstanding 3-point shooter. In a recent win over a Lake George team that came in unbeaten in league play, Dishon connected on a trio of treys at a key juncture of the game. On a team loaded with perimeter shooters, Dishon ranks second in 3-pointers made and attempted. She is her team's fourth leading scorer. Dishon is a solid on-the-ball defender with quick hands and feet. She sees the floor well and is an excellent passer.     Ariya Eggleston is a freshman guard who began to really assert herself late in the season. Eggleston is a natural athlete who is super quick. She uses her quickness to be a lockdown defender. Eggleston is also a strong ball handler. She is an intelligent player who understands how to play. She excels as a passer, often distributing the ball to her teammates for easy baskets. Eggleston is a very efficient scorer around the basket and posts up well for her size. She can shoot the midrange jumper, and on occasion, step out and knock down a 3-pointer.     [player_tooltip player_id='1186432' first='Sage' last='Shanahan'] is a sophomore power forward for Corinth. Shanahan is a talented post-up player. Not only does she have impressive post moves, but when she is defended well, she understands how to find the open player and distribute the ball for open shots. Shanahan is a strong finisher around the basket. Perhaps her greatest strength is her relentless rebounding at both ends of the floor, averaging 10.4 a contest. Shanahan is also a seasoned defender, both in the post and away from the basket, who has the strength to hold her own with bigger players. She also does a lot of intangible things that help a team win, such as making hustle plays and diving for loose balls.     Silver Stewart is a sophomore who improved tremendously this season, going from a role player off the bench to a starter and her team's third leading scorer. Stewart is very athletic and is a strong defender and rebounder. This season, she began to find her offense. Stewart is an excellent shooter in the midrange, especially from the baseline. She also has shown the ability to put the ball on the floor to beat defenders off the dribble to score easy baskets. When Hartford star McKenzie Johnson graduates this year, expect Stewart to become an even bigger focus of Hartford's offense.

The Adirondack League tournament is in the books, with Whitehall edging Corinth 33-32 in the title game. If anyone thinks either of these teams is going to fade away anytime soon, they are mistaken. Whitehall has five seniors but three young players who play key roles off the bench. Corinth is just a team loaded with players in the underclasses. There are also some players on the rise on other teams across the league as well. Here is a look at Adirondack League players to keep an eye on in the future.