Northeast Kickoff-Saturday 15U Standouts

Saturday was the opening day of the Northeast Kickoff event in Massapequa, New York, and the talent was on full display early in the morning. With a busy day of hoops that extended well into the evening, there were plenty of talented prospects showing off their skills. Here is a look at some of the standouts from a deep 15U Division.    Lily Gambarony is just an 8th grader, but she plays with a skill level that is beyond her age. Gambarony is a three-level scorer who is solid in every aspect of the game. If defenders play her too closely, she uses her superb ball-handling skills to dribble past them. Gambarony is a strong finisher at the hoop. When she is given space, Gambarony can beat you with her perimeter shooting. She can pull up and knock down the midrange jumper when she needs to. Gambarony is an excellent passer and can add to her point total with put-backs generated off the offensive glass.     It was obvious that [player_tooltip player_id='934225' first='Elsa' last='Xhekaj'] was a difference maker for her [program_tooltip program_id='713118' first='Hoopers' last='NY'] team the minute she took the floor. Xhekaj is a high-IQ player who makes everyone on her team better. She has superior ball-handling and uses her ability to break down defenses to dish to her teammates for easy buckets. Xhekaj is extremely difficult to defend one-on-one. She has a full arsenal of moves off the dribble that enable her to get to the hoop with ease. Xhekaj can also step pit connect from behind the 3-point arc. She loves to draw contact and typically finishes strong after taking the contact.     [player_tooltip player_id='1775913' first='Clara' last='Mueller'] can best be described as a long-range sniper. Mueller doesn't stand tall in height, but performs much bigger. Mueller is a lethal outside shooter with the elbow extended, serving as her preferred spot. When the defense runs her off the 3-point arc, she can blow past defenders with her quick first step. Mueller has no fear when she goes to the basket against bigger players and has an impressive floater in the paint that she uses effectively.     Olivia O'Neill is a player with unlimited potential. The premise of O'Neill's high upside is her superb natural athletic ability. O'Neill is tall with a long wingspan, making her an outstanding defender, both on the ball and in the lane. She also exhibited strong leadership skills. always talking to her teammates and making sure they are in the correct spots on the floor. O'Neill is a strong rebounder who can score off putbacks. She can put the ball on the floor and defeat defenders off the dribble, finishing strong at the bucket. O'Neill can also step beyond the arc to knock down 3-point shots.     The first word that comes to mind when watching Zarah Genfi play is "toughness." Zarah plays hard at all times. She is an aggressive defender. If there is a loose ball, she will throw herself on the floor to retrieve it. Zarah is a very good 3-point shooter with unlimited range. She is especially effective straight-on at the top of the key. When Zarah is forced to drive to the basket, she is a strong finisher who is not afraid to draw contact.     Ava Bacon came on strong in the final game of the day for Hustle Academy. Bacon is a lightning-quick point guard who can score the basketball or dish the rock. Bacon can torch a defense from beyond, but can also use her speed to beat defenders of the dribble. She has very quick feet and hands that allow her to be an outstanding on-the-ball defensive player. Bacon has excellent court vision that helps her set up her teammates for easy points.

Saturday was the opening day of the Northeast Kickoff event in Massapequa, New York, and the talent was on full display early in the morning. With a busy day of hoops that extended well into the evening, there were plenty of talented prospects showing off their skills. Here is a look at some of the standouts from a deep 15U Division.