PGH Freshman Showcase: The best of Team #6

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As with my recap of Team #5, this squad had it's own share of ballers who would not to be denied their opportunity to make a name for themselves. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":760690,"width":295,"height":196,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/626-Berkley-Blaisdell.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-760690" style="width:295px;height:196px" width="295" height="196" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#626 - <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Berkley Blaisdell</span></strong>, <strong>Mahtomedi </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blaisdell did a great job of running the floor in every game I watched her play. She wasn't always rewarded for her efforts, but that didn't stop her from impacting the game in other fashions. She played tough, in your face defense the entire day and was in help more times than not. She didn't handle the ball a ton, which leads to her needing to be a bit more assertive by stepping out of her comfort zone and being more vocal. That'll come with time and experience. She knocked down a few outside shots when she got the opportunity and seemed to genuinely enjoy the experience. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":760696,"width":283,"height":188,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/627-Grace-Prose.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-760696" style="width:283px;height:188px" width="283" height="188" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#627 - <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='667779' first='Grace' last='Prose']</span></strong>, <strong>Mahtomedi</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prose is a tough, physical defender for her size. On occasion when she was switched on to someone with a few inches and more weight, she didn't back down. She banged and battled for as long as she had to. Offensively she put a few defenders in the blender and mixed them up something nasty. Prose's handle was tight and her ability to finish high off the glass was impressive. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":760709,"width":283,"height":188,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/640-Kendall-Krause-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-760709" style="width:283px;height:188px" width="283" height="188" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#640 - <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Kendall Krause</span></strong>, <strong>Spring Lake Park </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Krause is like the energizer bunny, just keeps going and going and... you get the picture. She is constantly moving which makes her a tough cover. I watched a sequence where she passed and cut 2 to 3 times, received the pass at the top of the key and then beat her defender off the dribble for a layup. It may sound simple, but when you are guarding someone who is a triple threat, it keeps you on your heels. Defensively she stays low and moves her feet. Krause will need to continue to work on her skill set which will take her as far as she's willing to go. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":760710,"width":284,"height":188,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/685-Madyson-Prevail.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-760710" style="width:284px;height:188px" width="284" height="188" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#685 - <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Madyson Prevail</span></strong>, <strong>Sioux City West </strong> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Iowa is known for their shooters, and Prevail is no exception. She did an excellent job of spacing the floor, which ultimately worked to her benefit as she was the beneficiary of kick-outs for her to launch that picturesque jump shot. What also impressed me was that if she didn't get the kick out, she didn't just sit back and watch, she crashed the boards looking for other ways to get involved and get touches. Defensively she didn't shy away from the tough match-ups and held her own. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":760711,"width":283,"height":189,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/693-Anna-Neyens.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-760711" style="width:283px;height:189px" width="283" height="189" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#693 - <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='659121' first='Anna' last='Neyens']</span></strong>,<strong> Mountain Iron-Buhl</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Neyens was a lot of fun to watch at the Showcase. Defensively she was all over the place. Whether she was hounding the ball handler, sliding over in help, getting deflections, you name it, she did it. She allowed her defense to set the tone and then started to cook on the offensive end. Neyens' aggressive takes finishing with her off-hand in the lane and hitting streaking teammates for easy buckets was a thing of beauty. She'll need to keep working on her outside shot, but with everything else she brings, I don't know how you keep her off the floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":760713,"width":288,"height":191,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/696-Fiona-Anttila.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-760713" style="width:288px;height:191px" width="288" height="191" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#696 - <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Fionna Antilla</span></strong>, <strong>Prior Lake</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I really enjoyed watching Antilla work. She just did a little bit of everything right, and did it with a smile. She set solid screens and rolled hard whether she received the dime or not. A few times she was in position to take a semi-contested shot, but she made the right basketball play and hit wide open teammates for a better look. It was refreshing to see someone settle in and accept playing a role in an event like this. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":760714,"width":288,"height":192,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/706-Mariko-Lang.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-760714" style="width:288px;height:192px" width="288" height="192" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#706 - <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Mariko Lang</span></strong>, <strong>Hill-Murray </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lang did something on the defensive end that really impressed me. An opponent was attempting to bully her to the basket and she was able to gather herself and block the shot with her off hand. That may not sound like a lot, but many a players pick up bad fouls by not being able to control their body and use their non-dominant hand. Something small like that shows me she understands the game. On the other side of the ball, she played with good pace and made the right basketball play once she broke the defense down. There were a lot of questionable shots tossed up all day long, but not by her. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":760715,"width":290,"height":193,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/721-Ava-Litecky.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-760715" style="width:290px;height:193px" width="290" height="193" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#721 - <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Ava Litecky</span></strong>, <strong>Totino-Grace </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At 5'10", Litecky is a coaches dream, can defend on the perimeter, drop down and bang in the paint and she just never stops moving. Her impact was immediate, as soon as she checked in to the 1st game, she picked her opponents pocket for a steal and a bucket. She has good vision and proved to be a willing passer as she hooked up several times on some pick-n-roll action with teammates and put accurate passes right on the money for easy scores. Improved ball handling and a consistent outside shot will make Litecky unstoppable. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":760717,"width":288,"height":192,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/723-Samira-Taylor.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-760717" style="width:288px;height:192px" width="288" height="192" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#723 - <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='644101' first='Samira' last='Taylor']</span></strong>, <strong>DeLaSalle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Outside of [program_tooltip program_id='713348' first='E1T1' last=''] teammate <strong>Lyric Burrell</strong>, no one attacks the rim harder. Throughout the showcase, Taylor took tough shots and made tough shots. The refs aren't looking to call a ton of fouls in events like this, but Taylor gave them no choice but to blow the whistle they way she attacked the basket. Her upside is through the roof, but she needs to continue to work on her left hand and shot selection. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":760718,"width":288,"height":192,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/725-Pressley-Watkins-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-760718" style="width:288px;height:192px" width="288" height="192" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#725 - <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='498661' first='Pressley' last='Watkins']</span></strong>, <strong>Benilde-St. Margaret's </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pressley put everyone on notice at the Showcase that she's a big-time player in the 2027 class. Her size allows her to snatch rebounds and become a one-woman fast break either finishing at the rim with an array of moves or pushing it ahead to a streaking teammate for an easy bucket. She shoots the 3 ball at a very high clip and defends her position with the best of them. She's already a who's who in the 2027 class with nowhere to go but up. She could stand to bulk up a bit to add another tool to her already overflowing bag. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->