Fall Ball: The Saints Go Marching In

Team Saints have had an encouraging fall season, and it has been the development of the underclassmen and middle school talent that has caught my attention the most. Below are some of the budding talent and sleepers from the program.   Class of ’24   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/6041B07E-6B7B-49E8-8540-C0F04B55ADCA-crop-1213x797-1635426326.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-345869" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/6041B07E-6B7B-49E8-8540-C0F04B55ADCA-crop-1213x797-1635426326-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="299627" first="Juliette" last="Tarsa"] - Bow - 5’8’’ - SG ’24 Rank: #94 Is there anyone who plays more under control on offense than Tarsa? She lets the game come to her and never rushes whenever the ball is in her hands. Tarsa’s use of shot fakes and good footwork allows her to be a crafty shot creator and penetrator. What I like most about Tarsa’s game is her dedication to rebounding, which enhances her value at the guard position. When watching Tarsa on defense, you immediately notice her lateral quickness. When the Saints go to their full-court trap, Tarsa covers a lot of ground and works as hard as anyone to disrupt the opponent’s offensive flow.   Class of ’25   [caption id="attachment_345865" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/103CF35B-AA23-4198-85C5-10421CB06058-crop-994x653-1635426082.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-345865" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/103CF35B-AA23-4198-85C5-10421CB06058-crop-994x653-1635426082-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="299627" first="Juliette" last="Tarsa"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="336446" first="Kaitlin" last="Arenella"] - Pembroke Academy - 5’10" - SG ’25 Rank: #83 Arenella is a big guard who has an impressive skill set for her age. I watched her on a few occasions at the end of the summer, and she looked unstoppable on offense at times. She can score at all three levels contested and was making it look easy. Arenella is a confident ball handler who keeps defenders off balance, and once she blows by the first line of defense, has the strength and size to finish over the trees in the paint.   [caption id="attachment_345871" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-345871" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/0C866B11-EDD5-42AE-B6D2-32E03D711547-scaled-e1635427141823-300x212.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="212" /> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="299627" first="Juliette" last="Tarsa"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="273942" first="Hayden" last="Leccese"] - Pinkerton Academy - 6’0" - PF ’25 Rank: #118 When you first look at Leccese and see her size and strength, you think she is your classic double-double power forward. Watching Leccese from the beginning of fall until now, she has become more confident in handling the ball and being a factor in the open court. Leccese has always been a strong rebounder and finisher around the basket, but with the expansion of her game to the wing, Leccese can jump up the rankings. Seeing her growth over the past few months, it will be exciting to see the kind of player she develops into come spring.   [caption id="attachment_345857" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/D1FA1EC2-B136-4453-93DB-34470F6C603A-scaled-crop-1707x1121-1635425219.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-345857" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/D1FA1EC2-B136-4453-93DB-34470F6C603A-scaled-crop-1707x1121-1635425219-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="299627" first="Juliette" last="Tarsa"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="273943" first="Kaylee" last="Dupuis"] - Pinkerton Academy - 5’11’’ - SG ’25 Rank: #115 Dupuis is another Saints big guard who I am incredibly high on for many reasons. The Saints, in general, are excellent at developing that position. Dupuis fits the profile of another tall, long, and athletic wing who has one of the highest ceilings out of the ’25 team. Dupuis is versatile on both sides of the ball, uses her size and length to be a factor on the glass, and runs the floor well. With exponential skill development for Saints guards being a noticeable trend, it is hard to overlook Dupuis as a prospect whose stock could rise over the winter months.   Class of ’26   [caption id="attachment_345855" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/2B6C4871-39B9-4254-B4A3-D92B353E08F7-scaled-crop-1707x1121-1635424930.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-345855" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/2B6C4871-39B9-4254-B4A3-D92B353E08F7-scaled-crop-1707x1121-1635424930-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="299627" first="Juliette" last="Tarsa"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="345608" first="Brooke" last="Benz"] -Cawley Middle School - 5’10" - PF I first saw Benz over the summer, and she is nothing short of a beast inside. She cleaned up around the basket, grabbing every board and finishing everything in the paint. Benz’s strength is unreal. No matter how many defenders hang off her, Benz finds a way to fight through the contact and still convert the shot attempt. Benz might be one of the biggest sleepers in ’26 and should garner everyone’s attention.   [caption id="attachment_345841" align="alignnone" width="200"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-345841" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/AED19FBF-AFBD-4468-A7DD-8A0315E09D9F-200x300.jpeg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="299627" first="Juliette" last="Tarsa"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="345607" first="Ella" last="Trefethen"] - Bow - 5’1’’ - PG Trefethen has been a great spark plug off the bench for the Saints as the backup point guard. She also is one of the most underrated ball handlers. I think Trefethen’s biggest strength is her ability to keep the ball on a string and limit her turnovers. Even though Trefethen is a more undersized point guard, her toughness and fearlessness going to the hoop are fun to watch. She is developing into a dynamic playmaker at the 1, and her scoring confidence has vastly increased.