PGH Freshman Showcase: Team 1 evaluations, part 2

Fall is finally here and that means one thing for the month of September; the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman Showcase. This year's event, which was held at Maple Grove Middle School on Sunday, featured more than 90 players from around Minnesota. With this being one of the deepest classes we've scouted in recent years, the level of play was outstanding and many players made their case for a spot in the upcoming Freshman 50, our initial ranking of the 2030 class that will be coming out in a few weeks. As for this week, we'll be releasing our evaluations on most of the players who were in the gym on Sunday, one team at a time. Here are the highlights from Team 1, part 2.    Hurley (pictured above) gave one of the most dominant performances of any player at the Freshman Showcase, hands down. From the first defensive possession, she began putting on a clinic. The 5'11 guard used her immense length and athleticism to disrupt her opponents, blocking countless shots and forcing turnovers left and right. And when tasked with producing on offense, Makayla was eager to show what she's capable of. Crafty with the ball in her hands, a skilled finisher at the rim, and a strong passer too, Hurley got the job done in pretty much every area you could think of. The Wayzata freshman is yet another player in the Trojans' program who has D1 potential written all over.     In a class filled with the long, lanky forwards often found in modern basketball, Hughes is one of the few traditional back-to-the-basket post players. But unlike the old, stereotypical centers, she's not slow by any means. Abigail's mobility and quickness were more than enough to compete on Sunday, and more often than not, the 6'2 freshman's powerful frame and immense strength gave her a significant advantage in the paint. Add in her steady hands and ability to finish through contact around the rim, and Hughes becomes one of the more intriguing frontcourt players in the class. Clearly, the [program_tooltip program_id='767539' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'] center has plenty of upside to her game.     Also from the [program_tooltip program_id='767539' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'], Week was one of the hidden gems of the Freshman Showcase. The 5'7 guard stood out early due to her bouncy quickness and smooth, self-assured style of play. Throughout the day Taylor spaced the floor, handled the ball with confidence, and was always ready to let the ball fly from the perimeter. With a quick trigger release, the Minnewaska 9th grader is a capable shooter who needs very little time or space to get a shot off, but can also create openings for herself off the dribble. After catching our eye on Sunday, we'll definitely be paying attention to Week from here on out.     Despite being physically overmatched against many of the other competitors at the Showcase, Howard found plenty of ways to impact the game for her team. Even though she was one of the smallest players in the gym, the 5'2 guard wasn't afraid to take on the challenge of guarding much bigger and stronger players. With plenty of lateral quickness, Salma contested the perimeter with energy and intensity all day. On offense, the Robbinsdale Cooper freshman didn't hesitate to look for her shot from the perimeter, attacked the rim when an opening presented itself, and always looked for opportunities to set a screen or create movement away from the ball.

Fall is finally here and that means one thing for the month of September; the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman Showcase. This year's event, which was held at Maple Grove Middle School on Sunday, featured more than 90 players from around Minnesota. With this being one of the deepest classes we've scouted in recent years, the level of play was outstanding and many players made their case for a spot in the upcoming Freshman 50, our initial ranking of the 2030 class that will be coming out in a few weeks. As for this week, we'll be releasing our evaluations on most of the players who were in the gym on Sunday, one team at a time. Here are the highlights from Team 1, part 2.