WA Freshman Showcase Team 3 Evaluations

Team 3 at the WA Freshman Showcase played the best overall team basketball of the day. As a team, they hustled, played tough defense, moved the ball well, and finished open shots. Here is a recap of each of the players for Team 3.    [player_tooltip player_id='1885465' first='Ava' last='Pebworth'] was one of my favorite players to watch all day. She plays with confidence, energy and a relentless effort that brings something positive to her team on every possession. Ava competes hard on both ends, locking up opponents defensively, rebounding well and never shying away from contact in the paint. She had a great and-one attacking the rim and showed she can finish through physical play.   Ava is also an extremely efficient player. She moves well without the ball, consistently makes the extra pass and rarely wastes a possession. She shoots the ball well and plays with strong fundamentals, finding ways to impact the game without needing the ball in her hands. Ava is the type of player any team would be fortunate to have—team-first, fundamentally sound, energetic and capable of making winning plays on both ends.     Jenkins was a top performer on the day and brought a lot of composure as a PG to her team. Londyn plays with tempo and pace as a PG and gets her team organized offensively. She plays team basketball and moves the ball well, finding open players ahead of her. She also gets downhill well and can punish you from outside the arc. Even more impressively, Jenkins plays with a ton of hustle and heart on defense, and never quits.     Rhyan is a versatile player who finds ways to contribute in multiple areas of the game. She rebounds the ball well, quickly finds the outlet and runs the floor with purpose, consistently getting herself into scoring positions in transition. She also showed a strong understanding of the game, using her basketball IQ to make smart plays that helped her team maintain possession and win important moments.   Rhyan's versatility, instincts and team-first approach make her the type of player who can impact the game without needing to be the focal point.     [player_tooltip player_id='1876634' first='Sidney' last='Carlson'] is a tough, physical player who embraces contact and brings a relentless edge to the game. She is particularly effective defensively and on the glass, using her strength to battle through contact and secure rebounds. Sidney also does a great job disrupting players cutting through the paint and making her presence felt away from the ball.   She runs the floor well in transition and isn't afraid to grab the ball and push it herself, showing that her physical style doesn't limit her ability to contribute in the open court. Sidney is a great combo guard who can also bring poise and smartness as a PG. Sidney's toughness, physicality and willingness to battle every possession make her a player who can bring a different level of intensity to the floor.     [player_tooltip player_id='1901758' first='Sofia' last='Tobin'] is a long, athletic guard who can create significant problems for opponents on the defensive end. Her combination of quickness and length allows her to stay with faster players while also giving her the ability to recover for blocks or come away with quick defensive rebounds. She has the tools to be a disruptive defender who can guard multiple positions.   Offensively, Sofia plays with poise and rarely turns the ball over. She does a good job keeping her head up, finding open teammates and making smart decisions with the ball. She also runs the floor well and uses her athleticism to find open space in transition. She sets good screens and rolls hard to the basket for the finish. Her length, defensive versatility, athleticism and composure make her an intriguing two-way guard to watch.     [player_tooltip player_id='1715112' first='Malia' last='Lucas'] had a great day at the showcase, showing why she is such an intriguing and versatile combo guard. She plays tough on both ends of the floor and has the size and strength to battle inside while also creating problems on the perimeter. Malia is a strong shooter from beyond the arc, forcing defenders to close out and respect her range, which opens the door for her to use her quickness and attack the rim.   Defensively, Malia's versatility really stands out. She can match up with taller, stronger combo guards on the perimeter and is capable of battling bigger players inside. On both the defensive and offensive end, Malia creates mismatches due to her athleticism and height. Every time I watch Malia, I see continued growth in her game. Her combination of size, athleticism, shooting and defensive versatility makes her a player to watch in the 2030 class.     [player_tooltip player_id='1823611' first='Dulce' last='Menkens'] is a tough inside player with good size who plays with a strong physical presence around the basket. She runs the floor well in transition and does a great job finding her spots to put herself in position to score in the open court. Even with her good height, she can stretch the defense and isn't afraid to shoot the 3 and crash the board.   Dulce is also effective with her back to the basket and has a nice turn hook shot that allows her to create scoring opportunities in the paint. She finishes well around the rim and brings a strong interior presence on both ends of the floor.     [player_tooltip player_id='1895132' first='Brooklyn' last='Bronder'] is a tough inside player who runs the floor well and brings a physical presence on both ends of the court. After playing with the NW Greyhounds this summer, Brooklyn has really developed her defensive presence and uses her size well to guard and rebound against taller teams. Her willingness to battle and compete every possession is a big part of her game.   At the showcase, it was clear Brooklyn has been putting in the work and expanding her offensive game. She finished well while playing alongside high-level guards, but also showed the ability to face up and knock down an outside shot or put the ball on the floor and attack the rim. Brooklyn battles hard on both ends and continues to develop into a versatile, physical two-way player.     [player_tooltip player_id='1871403' first='Mya' last='Jackson'] was another standout at this weekend's WA Freshman Showcase, immediately catching my attention with her high basketball IQ and strong fundamentals. She does an excellent job as a floor general, consistently making plays and putting her teammates in position to succeed. In the 5v5 games, Mya did a great job moving the ball, finding open teammates and making smart decisions without turning the ball over. Mya is effective getting to the basket, drawing help defenders and then making controlled, accurate passes when the defense collapses. She also has a nice shooting stroke and finishes well in the paint. Her combination of poise, instincts and fundamentals makes Mya a player who consistently makes winning plays.     [player_tooltip player_id='1902168' first='Maja' last='Van Egdom'] was a standout throughout the showcase, particularly with her ability to stretch the floor and knock down shots from beyond the arc. She shot extremely well at the event while playing an unselfish brand of basketball, consistently finding teammates and taking her open opportunities when they came.   Maja also showed a strong step-back jumper and the quickness to create space from defenders. Her combination of sharp shooting, quickness and unselfish play makes her a difficult matchup and a player to watch in the 2030 class.     [player_tooltip player_id='1311084' first='Aubrey' last='Pye'] is a fast, smart and unselfish point guard who consistently makes good decisions with the ball. She pushes the pace well in transition, keeping her head up and finding teammates ahead of her. In the half court, Aubrey plays with poise and control, taking quality shots and rarely forcing the game.   Aubrey handles the ball extremely well under pressure and uses her high basketball IQ to read the floor. She recognizes when a teammate is heating up and makes the extra play to get them involved, while also knowing when to attack the rim herself when help defense doesn't come. Her willingness to consistently challenge herself against tough competition has fueled her continued development.

Team 3 at the WA Freshman Showcase played the best overall team basketball of the day. As a team, they hustled, played tough defense, moved the ball well, and finished open shots. Here is a recap of each of the players for Team 3.