Jaw-Dropping Prospects: Springfield Lady Ballers

Wednesday night, I went to Springfield, Massachusetts, to watch the Springfield Lady Ballers and was left speechless by the time I left. The talent on this team, specifically from the ’23 class, was a sight to see. The team has size, length, athleticism, shooting and love to compete. Not knowing much about the talent in Western Massachusetts, I was intrigued by the prospects that would be in the gym, and the Springfield Lady Ballers did not disappoint. Below are 4 prospects who had my jaw hitting the floor by their play. These girls must be on everyone’s radar because they are some of the most talented players I have seen thus far. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1397697701643526149 [player_tooltip player_id="183933" first="Yamaya" last="Perez"] - Holyoke - 5’0’’ - PG - ’22 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-290478" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26743088_Unknown-crop-1639x1076-1622123592-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Perez right from the jump caught my eye because she is an undersized point guard; so, I was interested in seeing how effective she could be on offense in the halfcourt. It was fascinating how easy Perez scored the basketball at practice. She is so low to the ground making it difficult for anyone to stay in front of her when she attacks the basket. Once getting past the first line of defense, Perez goes to a signature floater that she can make over any contest. She was being greeted by big guards and forwards, and she confidently nailed floater after floater in the lane. Perez is a score-first floor general but moves the ball well on offense and can set teammates up for scoring opportunities making her a tough guard to slow down. [player_tooltip player_id="184023" first="Bianca" last="Ortiz"] - Holyoke - 5’7’’ - CG - ’23 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26743104_Unknown-crop-1320x867-1622123656.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-290482" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26743104_Unknown-crop-1320x867-1622123656-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> The lefty combo guard is the definition of a lights-out shooter. Ortiz is so comfortable behind the three-point line and has unlimited range. Ortiz is an excellent ball-handler and keeps it on a string, with the ability to create her shot off the bounce on numerous occasions. Ortiz is a tremendous athlete who has the speed and quickness to blow past any defender especially in transition. When you combine her one-on-one scoring ability, athleticism, and accuracy from behind the arc it creates a potent three-level scorer. Ortiz also is extremely dangerous because she heats up quickly. When she gets in rhythm shooting, it is nightmarish for the defense. [player_tooltip player_id="281183" first="Amany" last="Lopez"] - Springfield Central - 5’9’’ - CG - ’23 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26743120_Unknown-crop-1328x872-1622123705.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-290484" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26743120_Unknown-crop-1328x872-1622123705-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Lopez is arguably the most athletic guard in the region from the class of ’23. It was mind blowing how fast she was with the ball going coast to coast. Lopez has a plethora of scoring moves in her arsenal that she can go to at any time. Whether it is a dribble pull-up or a hesitation before exploding to the basket, there is nothing off-limits to Lopez when the ball is in her hands. When she is isolated at the top of the key, it’s game over. Lopez is too quick and has good size at the point guard spot, making it hard to find an adequate defensive matchup against her. Add in her lethal outside jumpshot and it enhances the scoring potency of Lopez. Her length and athleticism allow her to defend both guard spots easily and her vertical leap and wingspan make it tough to shoot comfortably over Lopez. Look for Lopez to make a lot of noise this summer and continue to amaze with her dazzling style of play. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1397712055113764868 [player_tooltip player_id="184018" first="Julie" last="Bahati"] - Springfield Central - 6’2’’ - SF/PF - ’23 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26743152_Unknown-crop-1405x922-1622123755.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-290486" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/26743152_Unknown-crop-1405x922-1622123755-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> When I watched Bahati go up for a layup at the beginning of practice, she got up so high I honestly thought she was going to dunk it. She has all the physical gifts. Height, length, athleticism, good hands, crafty footwork, you name it, Bahati’s has it. She runs the floor very well and is one of the biggest weapons in transition. Bahati gets into passing lanes on defense, and I watched her intercept a pass and go coast to coast in two dribbles. What makes Bahati so unique is that you can play her anywhere. On defense, she can protect the rim and defend out on the perimeter. On offense, you can play her in the post or out on the wing. She has the handle and quickness to break her defender down from the outside. Additionally her size lets her shoot over the top of the defense effortlessly. Bahati would make the perfect stretch four because along with her elite athleticism and versatile defense she can hit three-pointers at an efficient clip. Bahati has the highest ceiling in the ’23 class and could potentially be the hottest commodity in New England. https://x.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1397699961664454659