PGH Top 250 Expo: 2023 Standouts (Part 1)

There were a ton of talented prospects in attendance this past Sunday at the Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo in Carrollton, Texas. This event was loaded. I had the chance to see a bunch of players for the first time, as well as a few familiar faces. The class of 2023 was well represented. Let’s take a look at some standout juniors from Sunday: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="331945" first="Alana" last="Trail"] | 2023 | 5’4’’ Combo Guard | Shadow Creek HS</strong> - Trail’s shot making was on full display in Carrollton. The junior guard was terrific from behind the arc, burying threes from a variety of spots on the perimeter. Moreover, she showed that she can knock down triples off the bounce, from the catch, as well as after stepping back. She can create her own shot and possesses beautiful mechanics on her jumper. Trail’s quickness with the ball was evident too, getting past defenders and all the way to the basket for high-percentage looks. Watch out, because this is one of those players who can heat up in an instant from the field and light it up as a scorer. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="65932" first="Dalanna" last="Carter"] | 2023 | 5’6’’ Point Guard | Lutheran North HS</strong> - Carter showcased her killer instinct and explosive first step on Sunday. She aggressively attacked the basket off the dribble, weaving her way through traffic and finishing through contact with strength and good body control. The Lutheran North Guard scored the game winning layup on a baseline drive in a sudden death overtime period, proving she isn’t afraid to take and make big shots in critical moments. Beyond that, Carter was responsible for some flashy moves to create space for herself, and drained threes off the dribble when defenders went under screens. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="331912" first="Reagan" last="Moilan"] | 2023 | 5’4’’ Combo Guard | <span class="school-name">Fort Worth THESA</span></strong> - Moilan had a strong performance in her closing game of the event. She recorded eight points during a short stretch where she knocked down a catch-and-shoot three, converted a three-point play at the foul line, and made a good cut while away from the ball to get herself an open layup. The junior guard looked comfortable at both guard spots, displaying that she can score when playing on or off the ball. Her jumper is fundamentally sound and she has a nice runner that she can go to when attacking players with a size advantage. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="331954" first="Avery" last="McConnell"] | 2023 | 5’9’’ Shooting Guard | Northwest HS</strong> - McConnell had success attacking the basket off the dribble with baseline drives. She finished strong and was great about feeling defenders on her hip and making necessary adjustments on the fly. The Northwest junior also drilled some corner threes when spotting up from deep, making her an offensive threat from the inside and outside. She was unbothered by close outs and did a good job off releasing her shots in rhythm. Additionally, McConnell was consistently engaged as an on-ball defender throughout the event. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="331935" first="Alexia" last="Lohman"] | 2023 | 5’9’’ Shooting Guard | Royse City HS</strong> - Loham was incredibly productive as a scorer in transition at the Top 250 Expo. She was excellent in the open court and constantly made correct decisions when her team had a numbers advantage. The junior guard made timely cuts in the half court too that resulted in high percentage looks for herself in the interior. She was able to impact games with her shooting as well, exhibiting that she is capable of hitting long twos as well as make the three ball. Loham also got after it on the defensive side with active hands and sticky on-ball pressure.