PGH Freshman Showcase: Team 8 players on the rise

As we established in part 1 of our Team 8 evaluations from Sunday's Prep Girls Hoops Freshman Showcase, the squad was positively loaded with top-tier talent. Getting assigned to a group like that at a showcase can be daunting for lower-profile players who haven't had as much opportunity to show what they can do when scouts are watching. What was great about the stars of Team 8 the way it worked out was how the elite talent shared the basketball and how everyone on the team was able to get involved and demonstrate their abilities. Here's a rundown on the Team 8 players on the rise.    Rice was one of the biggest revelations of the Freshman Showcase. We were aware of the Eastview guard because our array of observers let us know she was a player to watch. Until Sunday, however, we had not sat down and done a proper evaluation of Riley's skills and abilities. It didn't take long for Rice to make us pay attention. By day's end, she had left a lasting impression. Strongly built and more explosive than anticipated, Rice showed she could blow by defenders and elevate at the rim, but her passing may have impressed us most. On consecutive possessions, she fired long, one-handed bombs perfectly into the path of teammates streaking toward the basket. That takes vision, strength and exceptional timing. Rice communicates, distributes willingly and brings positive energy to the floor. Even surrounded by established Division I prospects on a loaded Team 8, she never disappeared into the background. Instead, Rice looked completely comfortable and made it obvious she belongs.     Price could be one of those under-the-radar prospects who gradually develops into considerably more. The 5'9 Fergus Falls guard/forward has largely filled a role on a talent-rich [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] team that won the AAU 2030 state championship. Sunday offered glimpses of a broader game. Strong and physical, Price plays much bigger than her listed size and attacks the glass with tremendous effort. She passes well, understands what her team needs and is willing to fill whatever role is required. We also liked her ability to quickly move past mistakes and make the next play. That's invaluable! Halle has the stroke to become a perimeter threat, but we'd like to see her become more assertive taking those shots. Her toughness, basketball IQ, attitude and relentless effort provide an excellent foundation for continued growth.     Livingston put us on notice early with a smooth left-handed finish that showcased impressive elevation and athleticism for the forward who is pushing 6 feet. From there, the Northfield prospect continued to reveal an intriguing combination of size, mobility and versatility. Livingston rebounds aggressively, owns her space inside and showed unusual defensive discipline, walling up to take away scoring opportunities without swatting and fouling. We also liked the simplicity of her approach She clearly understood her strengths and rarely tried to manufacture something that wasn't there. On one memorable sequence, Livingston grabbed a contested defensive rebound and took the ball coast-to-coast herself, demonstrating comfortable handles for a bigger player. Continued development of her perimeter shot will make her particularly difficult to match up with long-term.     Johnson made an impression with toughness, versatility and a willingness to battle throughout the day. At 5-foot-9 with good length and a strong frame, the Rosemount prospect can operate on the perimeter or slide up and handle more physical assignments. One possession summarized her mentality perfectly: Johnson became locked in a fierce tug-of-war for the basketball with not one but two equally feisty opponents and somehow emerged with it herself. Beyond the physicality, there's plenty of substance to her game. Halle spaces the floor, rebounds with energy, understands defensive angles and uses her length to generate deflections. She can also finish well from either side of the basket. Add a high-revving motor and solid fundamental skills, and Johnson has an intriguing base from which to develop. Rosemount just keeps producing players who do it the right way.

As we established in part 1 of our Team 8 evaluations from Sunday's Prep Girls Hoops Freshman Showcase, the squad was positively loaded with top-tier talent. Getting assigned to a group like that at a showcase can be daunting for lower-profile players who haven't had as much opportunity to show what they can do when scouts are watching. What was great about the stars of Team 8 the way it worked out was how the elite talent shared the basketball and how everyone on the team was able to get involved and demonstrate their abilities. Here's a rundown on the Team 8 players on the rise.

Riley Rice

HEIGHT 5'4"

POS PG

CLASS 2030

View Player

Riley Rice

State: Minnesota

School: Eastview

Rice was one of the biggest revelations of the Freshman Showcase. We were aware of the Eastview guard because our array of observers let us know she was a player to watch. Until Sunday, however, we had not sat down and done a proper evaluation of Riley's skills and abilities. It didn't take long for Rice to make us pay attention. By day's end, she had left a lasting impression. Strongly built and more explosive than anticipated, Rice showed she could blow by defenders and elevate at the rim, but her passing may have impressed us most. On consecutive possessions, she fired long, one-handed bombs perfectly into the path of teammates streaking toward the basket. That takes vision, strength and exceptional timing. Rice communicates, distributes willingly and brings positive energy to the floor. Even surrounded by established Division I prospects on a loaded Team 8, she never disappeared into the background. Instead, Rice looked completely comfortable and made it obvious she belongs.