PGH Freshman Showcase Team Three Breakdown (Part Two)

Brady Peterson September 10, 2025 @ 08:01 AM

Last weekend, in Appleton, we had our third PGH Freshman Showcase. I enjoy seeing the new faces of high school basketball before the season, and plenty of players at the event will make their mark on the high school season this winter. Today, we're discussing all the players from Team Three of the 5v5 portion of the event and highlighting what they brought to the floor. We'll keep this up until we wrap up all ten 5v5 teams that played at the Freshman Showcase.   [player_tooltip player_id='872479' first='Evelyn' last='Bast']   The Eau Claire native shoots the ball at a high level and can knock down shots from the perimeter with regularity. I thought she controlled the tempo of the game with the ball and made good decisions. She possesses a high basketball IQ, and even though she may not be a physically imposing player, she defends well on the perimeter.   [player_tooltip player_id='1308546' first='Jordin' last='Bates']   The first thing that I liked about Bates' game was how hard she played in the paint. There have been players who have brought a desperation to the floor in their minutes, and they helped their teams win games; Bates is cut from that same mold. Regardless of the situation she walks into and plays in for the next four years, her team will win more games with her on the floor than without her. She's a kid who will help her team win on the margins.   [player_tooltip player_id='1221987' first='Amarea' last='Dantzler']   In the time I watched Dantzler, I didn't think she scored the ball much, but the way she played intrigued me. She is a physical guard who got after it on the defensive end of the floor, which is always a plus for young players. She had a moxie to her game that was evident because of the energy she brought to the floor when, in the grand scheme of things, it didn't mean anything. Players who don't need to score to impact winning will have a spot on a team for a long time.   [player_tooltip player_id='885055' first='Sadie' last='Bergeson']   Bergeson attacked the basket well when I watched her play in Appleton. She isn't necessarily a player who will use her speed to blow by defenders, although she isn't slow. Bergeson is someone who will use her physicality to attack defenders' hips and get downhill towards the basket. She also may not be the fastest player on the court at all times, but she changes pace well. I also thought she had an excellent jab step that helped her create space on the perimeter.   [player_tooltip player_id='1121866' first='Ella' last='Wright']   Wright played a role by spacing the floor for her group in the 5v5 portion. Her ability to knock down shots opened up the floor for her teammates, and it also allowed her to showcase her perimeter shooting. I thought she did a solid job at moving away from the ball and finding ways to give her teammates passing lanes to get her the ball on the perimeter, earning open shots by working away from the ball.

Last weekend, in Appleton, we had our third PGH Freshman Showcase. I enjoy seeing the new faces of high school basketball before the season, and plenty of players at the event will make their mark on the high school season this winter. Today, we're discussing all the players from Team Three of the 5v5 portion of the event and highlighting what they brought to the floor. We'll keep this up until we wrap up all ten 5v5 teams that played at the Freshman Showcase.