Florida Expo Top Ball Handlers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In showcases, the best of the best show up not only offensively but also defensively. If you can't handle the basketball, it will be a long day. However, these players were ready for the pressure and prepared to show defenders that "if you reach, I teach." Here are my top 5.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["748413"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66f9732f9333a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='748413' first='Ediliana' last='Garcia'] (Cover Photo) plays and dribbles with a low and strong base, allowing her to attack defenders and stop on a dime with a snatch-back dribble or behind-the-back move. Garcia uses her dribble to get into her shot off the dribble, which was effective throughout the showcase. She can create her own shot, taking her time to set up her defender. If you get too close, she'll blow by you; if you recover, she uses her handles to create space with a counter move—of which she has several. Garcia is a very creative ball handler who can get a bucket when her team needs one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["514572"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66f9732f93398"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='514572' first='Laila' last='Allen'] is a fast and quick point guard. She keeps the ball tight and on a string, with the ability to change direction in split-second decision-making. Her skill in setting up defenders with a low front crossover gets them off balance, allowing her to blow by them and get to the rim. Laila's quickness and creativity are especially noticeable in transition, where she keeps the defense on their heels, putting them exactly where she wants them—either to make the shot herself or get her teammates open.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1038102,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1041872' first='Leiyah' last='Bain']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Killian oaks academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Paradise Hoops","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66f9732f93430"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1041872' first='Leiyah' last='Bain'] got my vote for the best handles in the gym. Her ability to use her change of pace off the dribble was hard to guard, causing even the best defenders in the gym to second-guess how they would approach her. One possession, I watched Leiyah make three separate moves before the defender could even react to the first one, and by that time, she was already at the rim, finishing with her off-hand.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The most impressive part of Bain's ball-handling is her footwork. The ability to match her handles with her footwork is what sets her apart from others, allowing her to make the defense think she's going one way while going the other. She does this with split-second decision-making.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["763181"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66f9732f93478"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='763181' first='Maia' last='Berdebes'] gets better every time I see her. Her patience with the dribble was impressive—she didn't allow the defense to speed her up. At the showcase, she was the most decisive with her dribble that I've ever seen, showing her maturity as a ball handler. Her ability to only need 3-4 dribbles to get to her spot is elite. On the wing, she forced defenders to turn, getting downhill quickly. Although she might not have the quickest first step, she demonstrated her time in the weight room by using her strength to push defenders out of position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Maia also plays low and strong, allowing her to stop on two feet if she's cut off, which enables her to either use a fadeaway or find a cutting teammate. Her low turnover rate makes her a trustworthy guard to run your offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["249395"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66f9732f934b5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='249395' first='Jazlyn' last='Bowman'] was shooting lights out at the showcase. Because of this, defenders were finding her quickly and trying to run her off the 3-point line. Bowman didn't need fancy moves, but she used her size and strength along with her off-hand to protect the ball and create angles, allowing her to get her shot off. Smaller guards were trying to steal the ball from her, but Bowman's ability to use her off-hand to keep defenders at bay while tracking their movements was impressive. This allowed her to control their aggressiveness and create just enough space to get her shot off.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bowman doesn't have a lot of moves, but she has the right ones, enabling her to protect the ball and play at her own pace. This even allowed Jazlyn to get rebounds, push the ball in transition with confidence, and make big plays. Her ability to stay low with the ball and use decisive dribbling—whether it's between the legs, behind the back, crossovers, or counters—while using her off-hand to protect the ball shows a deep understanding of ball handling, which is what it's really all about.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->