Danyle’s Picks: Freshman Showcase Third and Defensive Teams

The PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase was filled with young talent that made an impact in a variety of ways throughout the day. After breaking down the action from both 3v3 and 5v5, I'm continuing my All-Showcase selections with my Third Team and Defensive Team. These players caught my attention with their ability to contribute on both ends, whether it was scoring, creating for teammates, rebounding, bringing energy, or making things difficult for opponents defensively. Here are Danyle's Picks for the Third Team and Defensive Team from the PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase.    Kaylin's ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor earned her Third Team and Defensive Team honors at the PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase. The Team 9 guard played with confidence and did an excellent job creating opportunities for herself and her teammates, using a strong handle to get downhill and her strength to work her way into the paint. When the defense collapsed, Kaylin showed impressive court awareness, consistently recognizing the help and finding open teammates with well-timed passes. Her vision and ability to make the right read made her an effective playmaker, while her perimeter shooting added another dimension to her game as she knocked down shots from behind the arc. Defensively, Kaylin was active and disruptive, using quick hands, anticipation, and good instincts to come away with multiple steals and create transition opportunities. Her combination of playmaking, scoring ability, strength, and defensive presence earned her a spot on the PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase Third Team and Defensive Team.     Ellie's combination of length, athleticism, and versatility earned her Third Team honors at the PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase. She showed early during 3v3 that she could be a threat from the perimeter, stepping out and knocking down a three. That shooting carried over into 5v5, where the Team 10 guard connected on several more shots from behind the arc and gave the defense another scoring threat to account for. Ellie made an impact well beyond her shooting, using her length and timing on the defensive end to challenge shots and come away with numerous blocks. She was also active on the glass and showed the ability to quickly turn a defensive possession into offense. After securing defensive rebounds, Ellie was comfortable pushing the ball herself, getting out in transition with her head up and looking to make the right read. Her ability to stretch the floor, rebound, protect the rim, and help initiate the break made her a Third Team selection at the PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase.     Elliana's speed, ability to play with pace, and impact on both ends of the floor earned her Third Team and Defensive Team honors at the PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase. The Team 2 guard consistently used her quickness to put pressure on the defense, getting downhill and attacking before defenders could get set. She showed she could turn rebounds into immediate offense, securing a defensive board and taking it coast-to-coast for a bucket, while also sprinting the floor hard in transition to create scoring opportunities. Elliana showed a good feel for playing off her teammates as well, executing a well-timed give-and-go that resulted in a finish at the rim. Defensively, her quickness translated just as well, as she stayed in front of the ball, applied pressure, and made things difficult for her matchup. Her ability to push the tempo, attack the basket, contribute in transition, and bring consistent defensive pressure earned her a spot on the PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase Third Team and Defensive Team.     Zanijha's athleticism, creativity off the dribble, and ability to score at multiple levels earned her Third Team honors at the PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase. During 3v3 action, the Team 1 guard showed good body control on her drives, keeping the ball extended away from the defender and protected before finishing at the rim. Her offensive skill set was on full display during 5v5, where she used a strong handle, quick changes of direction, and a shifty style to create advantages off the bounce and get downhill. Once in the lane, Zanijha showed a soft touch with a floater, giving her another option when the defense stepped up to protect the rim. She was also dangerous from the perimeter, using her handle to create separation and knocking down multiple step-back threes. Her bounce and athleticism added another dimension to her game, while her ability to change speeds and directions made her difficult to contain one-on-one. Zanijha's combination of ball handling, shot creation, perimeter shooting, and ability to attack the basket earned her a spot on the PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase Third Team.    Danyle's Defensive Picks   [player_tooltip player_id='1849883' first='Samara' last='Johnson']   [player_tooltip player_id='1648659' first='Carmen' last='Hoppough']   [player_tooltip player_id='1574323' first='Kaylin' last='Burmeister']   [player_tooltip player_id='1572209' first='Naomi' last='Patterson']   [player_tooltip player_id='1853018' first='Bailey' last='Modderman']   [player_tooltip player_id='1805259' first='Elliana' last='Furnari']   [player_tooltip player_id='1355720' first='Andria' last='(Andie) Clippard']   [player_tooltip player_id='1238625' first='Chelsea' last='Cooper']   [player_tooltip player_id='1805238' first='Ella' last='Wright']

The PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase was filled with young talent that made an impact in a variety of ways throughout the day. After breaking down the action from both 3v3 and 5v5, I'm continuing my All-Showcase selections with my Third Team and Defensive Team. These players caught my attention with their ability to contribute on both ends, whether it was scoring, creating for teammates, rebounding, bringing energy, or making things difficult for opponents defensively. Here are Danyle's Picks for the Third Team and Defensive Team from the PGH Michigan Freshman Showcase.