AC Showcase: Saturday Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saturday at the AC Convention Center was filled with high level basketball. These players stood out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='868732' first='Brooke' last='Shust'] - United NJ</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brooke played well with her back to the basket against the Comets - UA Rise bigs. She showed good footwork in the post and was comfortable finishing around the rim. She was physical inside on both ends and rebounded well. When she stepped out to the 3-poinnt line she did a good job hitting cutters. Brooke led Sparta HS in scoring, rebounding and blocks as a junior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='959834' first='Sophia' last='Rollan'] - United NJ</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sophia proved to be a confident 3-point shooter. She knocked down open shots and, when closeouts came, she head faked and got into her mid-range game. Sophia guarded hard both full court and on the perimeter in the half court game. She was a willing rebounder and pushed tempo when she got the ball against Comets - UA Rise. Sophia is part of a deep junior class at Hillsborough that went 21-7 last season and lost in the Central Group 4 sectional championship game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sawyer Rodrigo - Empire State</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sawyer is a high energy player. She worked on defense and on the boards against Legends S40. She continually sprinted from end to end and, when she got her opportunities on the offensive end, she attacked the rim. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='862003' first='Sarah' last='Weinick'] - Empire State</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sarah is a strong guard. She takes good angles off of screens and cuts hard to the paint. She has a confident mid-range shooting game. She passed ahead well in transition against Legends S40 and willingly makes the extra pass in the half court offense. As an off the ball defender, she looks to get in passing lanes and get steals and deflections.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='825463' first='Rhyan' last='Watt'] - [program_tooltip program_id='714664' first='Team' last='Sharp']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rhyan drives it hard to the rim. She has good footwork and did a great job creating space and finding a path to the rim against BCRI. She finished in traffic and in transition. She worked hard to chase down long offensive rebounds and in transition she was a willing passer to open teammates for easy layups. Rhyan has 1,386 points in 3 seasons at West Orange HS and led last year's team in scoring, 3-pointers, rebounds and steals on their way to a North 1 Group 4 sectional title. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='865288' first='Leah' last='Kearney'] - [program_tooltip program_id='714664' first='Team' last='Sharp']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Leah powered thru people in the post against BCRI. She got deep in the post and finished high over the defenders. She uses her great lenght to her advantage on both ends of the court. She attacks rebounds and keeps them high. On defense, her length is a disruption to anyone driving the lane. Leah should easily eclipse 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds in her senior season. She has 26 double doubles so far in her high school career at St. Thomas Aquinas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='914275' first='Allison' last='McAndrew'] - [program_tooltip program_id='714654' first='NJ' last='Shoreshots']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On a weekend where her team went 1-3, Allison was the bright spot for [program_tooltip program_id='714654' first='NJ' last='Shoreshots'] 2028. She plays a phyiscal style, works hard inside and is a very good finisher. She can finish over, around and through people in the paint. In a 1-point loss to Northeast Elite S40, all of these skills were on display including her aggressive rebounding. She led Colts Neck in scoring and rebounding as a sophomore on a team that went 23-7 and is only graduating one player from last year's team that won the Central Group 3 sectional championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Grace Finefrock - Mac Basketball</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grace showed great form and shooting rhythm on spot up 3-pointers against Team PA. She was always moving to open spots along the arc and caught the ball shot ready allowing to her to get shots off before the close out could get there. As an on the ball defender, she worked hard to stay in front of the ball. She bodied up ball handlers on dribble drive without fouling and fought through screens. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='862038' first='El'Dior' last='Dobere'] - Team PA</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eldior is shifty and quick in transition. She attacks the rim with intensity and finished agianst Mac Basketball P24. She doesn't need a lot of space to get to the rim. In transition she showed a nice step through, got to two feet and finished with a high arc off the glass. Off the ball she set tough screens to free up her teammates</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Kayanah Taylor - Team PA</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kayanah is a smart disciplined defender. Against Mac Basketball P24, she showed great court awareness as a help defender. Offensively she was a downhill slasher who got to the rim and finished through contact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1278302' first='Leah' last='Dukes'] - Team PA</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Leah has great length and is bouncy. She worked the glass well at both ends against Mac Basketball P24. She got offensive rebound put backs but attacking the ball and keeping it high. She did a very good job as a rim runner in transition and on the defensive end she was very disruptive contesting and blocking shots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ava London - Team PA</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ava is a hard driving guard that repeatedly got in the paing against Mac Basketball P24. She does an excellent job getting to two feet and finishing in traffic.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1240145' first='Grace' last='Anderson'] - United NJ</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grace is a physical guard. She pushes her way into the paint and makes good decisions. As a shooter, she has range and a lightning quick release. She is a tough defender and all of these skills were on display against Western PA Bruins UAA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1264249' first='Juliette' last='Rebori'] - United NJ</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Juliette is a confident shooter. She worked well off the ball finding open spots to get her shot off against PA Royals HGSL. With the ball, she was able to get into her shots coming off ball screens along the arc. Communicated well on defense and switched seamlessly inside. As a freshman at Newark Academy HS, she led the team in blocks, was 2nd in 3-pointers, rebounds and assists and was 3rd in scoring. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1247947' first='Ava' last='Parra'] - United NJ</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ava showed quick feet and excellent hands on the defensive end of the court against PA Royals HGSL. Offensively, she confidently stepped into the pass at the arc and knocked down the 3-pointer. As a freshman, Ava led Watchung Hills HS in scoring and 3-pointers and was 2nd in assists and steals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Audrey Vince - United NJ</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Audrey is a long defender who disrupted the game inside and out on the defensive end against PA Royals HGSL. She guarded on the ball on dribble drive and got deflections. As an interior defender, she was excellent in help sliding over to take away drives or block shots at the rim. Her athleticism made her an asset inside and out on the offensive end as well. She played 9 games as a freshman at Mendham HS and, with 3 of their top 5 scorers graduating from last season, she will have a big opportunity to impact the game as a sophomore.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ayva Radande - United NJ</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ayva was a physical presence on both ends against PA Royals HGSL. Offensively, she took the ball right to the rim. She ate up rebounds on both ends and, offensively, she powered right back up. Defensively, she continually looked to contest and block shots and did a great job of staying vertical and blocking shots at a high point. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1245588' first='Olivia' last='Lunsmann'] - United NJ</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Against PA Royals HGSL, Olivia showed that she likes to play fast. She grabbed defensive rebounds and instantly got her United team into transition opportunities. She got into the paint off the bounce and with sharp cutting off the ball. She finished with both hands around the rim. She has a long wing span for a guard and guarded fearlessly, pressuring the ball, contesting shots and getting deflections. She was a key contributor off the bench for a Ramapo HS team that went to the Bergen County finals and, with their top three scorers graduating, there will be plenty of opportunities to make a big impact as a sophomore.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->