Hope Showcase Day 3 Standouts Pt. III

Sophia Dignadice; Bishop Montgomery 2026

David Yapkowitz

October 15, 2023 @ 05:27 PM

This past weekend, Cypress College played host to the annual Hope Showcase. The event always features some of the top teams in California as well as some out of state teams as well. I was able to attend the event on the final day, Sunday Oct. 8 and I focused on the CA teams only. Here's a quick look at some of the standouts I saw. 1. [player_tooltip player_id='574430' first='Sophia' last='Dignadice'] - Bishop Montgomery 2026 Dignadice is one of the best shooters I've seen this year. She has unlimited range and if she's open she's letting that shot fly. She can shoot off the catch or she can shoot off the dribble. Navigates screens and can shoot if the defense goes under. She can handle the ball too and she has playmaking to her game. If she's run off the three-point line she can put the ball on the floor. 2. [player_tooltip player_id='104787' first='Jenessa' last='Cotton'] - Mater Dei 2024 Cotton is a forward/center who can operate well in the post. She's active in the paint and moves without the ball. Good hands ready to catch a pass. Will finish at the basket. She runs the floor on the break. Active on the glass, especially on the offensive end. She can space the floor too with consistent three-point range off the catch. 3. [player_tooltip player_id='570401' first='Helena' last='Vu'] - Long Beach Poly 2025 Vu is a big point guard. She has the size to be more of a wing but she's trusted as the primary ball-handler and facilitator and she run the point. She's very unselfish, she's always looking for her teammates and looking to make the extra pass. Scoring-wise, she has a solid off the dribble game and consistently was able to get into the paint. 4. [player_tooltip player_id='574419' first='Payton' last='Montgomery'] - Chaminade 2026 Montgomery has the ability to be an impact player in the paint. She's more of a true center. She's able to take up space in the post. Good screener who can roll well off the pick. Moves off ball. She's strong on the glass and boxes out not necessarily to grab the board herself but to allow a teammate to hit the glass. Stood out as a good help defender.

This past weekend, Cypress College played host to the annual Hope Showcase. The event always features some of the top teams in California as well as some out of state teams as well. I was able to attend the event on the final day, Sunday Oct. 8 and I focused on the CA teams only. Here's a quick look at some of the standouts I saw.

1. Sophia Dignadice Sophia Dignadice 5'7" | SG Bishop Montgomery | 2026 State CA - Bishop Montgomery 2026

Dignadice is one of the best shooters I've seen this year. She has unlimited range and if she's open she's letting that shot fly. She can shoot off the catch or she can shoot off the dribble. Navigates screens and can shoot if the defense goes under. She can handle the ball too and she has playmaking to her game. If she's run off the three-point line she can put the ball on the floor.

2. Jenessa Cotton Jenessa Cotton 6'2" | SF Mater Dei | 2024 State CA - Mater Dei 2024

Cotton is a forward/center who can operate well in the post. She's active in the paint and moves without the ball. Good hands ready to catch a pass. Will finish at the basket. She runs the floor on the break. Active on the glass, especially on the offensive end. She can space the floor too with consistent three-point range off the catch.

3. Helena Vu Helena Vu 5'9" | CG Long Beach Poly | 2025 State CA - Long Beach Poly 2025

Vu is a big point guard. She has the size to be more of a wing but she's trusted as the primary ball-handler and facilitator and she run the point. She's very unselfish, she's always looking for her teammates and looking to make the extra pass. Scoring-wise, she has a solid off the dribble game and consistently was able to get into the paint.

4. Payton Montgomery Payton Montgomery 6'0" | PF Sierra Canyon | 2026 State CA - Chaminade 2026

Montgomery has the ability to be an impact player in the paint. She's more of a true center. She's able to take up space in the post. Good screener who can roll well off the pick. Moves off ball. She's strong on the glass and boxes out not necessarily to grab the board herself but to allow a teammate to hit the glass. Stood out as a good help defender.