Run 4 Roses & EYBL: Friday's Impact Players

Jersey & PA held it down once again in Louisville on Day 2 of the Classic and Day 1 of EYBL Session 3! Some seriously scintillating performances that really caught my attention today!   Natalie Berndt | United NJ   She did a lot of things well this evening against a very talented and deep Minnesota Stars squad! Her ball-handling was impressive the way she changed directions quickly and kept defenders on their toes. She was confident and cool with her dribble and creating off the bounce, whether it was a straight path to the hoop or a smart drive-and-kick play. Solid size at 5'9" made a difference on the glass in her ability to rebound the ball from the guard spot. She popped out to the perimeter and made herself available to drain from deep off the catch-and-shoot. Whether or not her team was up or down, she kept a poker face and kept it all business out there. Really good stuff from the rising junior!   [player_tooltip player_id='789167' first='Madison' last='McLain'] | Jersey Gemz   It's not often that a player's defense is the sole focus of my scouting report, but this was the case today for Madi. She was SO DARN GOOD today applying pressure and smothering the opponent! Her hands were active and she sat in a stance that wouldn't allow anybody past her; players had no choice but to give up the rock! She made life miserable off the inbound by hawking the ball as soon as the opponent got it in the back court. She executed quick, sharp rotations and never lost sight of her primary assignment. The biggest compliment I could give her is that she is an annoying defender! Absolutely pesky & disruptive! Whew!!   Jessie Moses | Philly Rise   Jessie is the real deal. She seemingly does everything well and is a wickedly efficient scorer and facilitator. She is such a clutch shooter that I almost think she's TOO unselfish sometimes! But being the total team player she is, Jessie is going to make sure she gets everyone involved. Everybody eats! Sharp court vision leads to strong ball distribution and pretty dimes. She makes the extra pass and distinguishes between a good shot and a GREAT shot. Bringing the ball up the floor, she pushed the tempo, buried shots from the perimeter in rapid succession and poured on the points against Kia Nurse Elite. A total gym rat, it's pretty obvious that her readiness to compete comes from countless hours behind the scenes of training and perfecting her craft.   Atlee Vanesko | Philly Rise   There's so much to be said for a player as committed to the sport as Atlee is! She had high major college coaches chattering this afternoon about how impressive her shooting was! She did a terrific job creating from the mid-range and swishing in buttery smooth 15-foot J's! Where she really did damage was from 3-point land. By now, it's no secret that she is a lethal sniper from long range, but that doesn't mean that it still isn't wildly impressive! Her efficiency, coupled with a lightning quick release makes her 3-point shooting THAT MUCH MORE PHENOMENAL. At just under 6'0" tall, she elevates over the defender and gets a good line of sight to the basket. It's that same length that makes her tough on the glass as she rebounds very well from the guard spot.   [player_tooltip player_id='559037' first='Taylor' last='Sofilkanich'] | Jersey Gemz   She gave Drive Nation all they could handle today and made her presence felt from tip! She imposed her will under the basket and went to work, gathering her steps, getting active on the glass and executing on put-backs. Her tenacity earned her multiple trips to the charity stripe for free points. Her mobility and fluid movement for a player 6'4" is insanely impressive. It's almost as if she's floating up and down the court, and I don't think that's something the ladies from Texas were expecting! Tenacious all the way around with a motor that seems to get more advanced every time I watch her play.   [player_tooltip player_id='414234' first='Azanah' last='Campbell'] | Jersey Gemz   An absolute firecracker! She was a ball of energy that never let up on intensity and ferocity. Her rim-running was electric as she outran and outlasted opponents for easy buckets. She worked the defense without the ball in her hands and got to her spots quickly around the perimeter, making herself readily available to knock down big shots. Her mid-range pop which was truly automatic, whether it was on the pull-up or sinking it off the catch. She locked down on defense and made sure every spectator knew that she is much more than just an offensive weapon!   [player_tooltip player_id='651486' first='Grace' last='Smith'] | [program_tooltip program_id='714654' first='NJ' last='Shoreshots']   Grace has put in tremendous work this summer on her fitness and efficiency around the rim. It showed today vs an incredibly tough Phee Elite! The opponent may have gotten the win, but Grace proved that she's no slouch! Her aggressiveness driving down the lane got her to the FT line where she converted at a high percentage. Her energy throughout the duration of the game was top tier, no matter how fast-paced the game got. She kept up and played high quality minutes. What I love so much about her game is the confidence instilled in her to put in work and to never cower to the opponent, no matter how good on paper. She just goes out there and competes!   [player_tooltip player_id='559070' first='Jada' last='Lynch'] | Exodus NYC   Jada put the girls from Why Not Premier in a spin cycle today! Her footwork was even more impressive than usual as she slashed her way to the basket, finishing in a number of ways. One of the strongest guards I laid eyes on Session 3 opening day, Jada did her big one on the glass, securing boards for her team on both ends and proving to be a formidable rebounding presence from the guard spot. The level of physicality she played with today made a big statement on what she was about to do and what's still yet to come!   [player_tooltip player_id='559028' first='GiGi' last='Battle'] | Exodus NYC   The picture of tenacity, GiGi made her mark on the day and showed off another layer of her ever-evolving skill-set. She was powerful off the dribble, splitting defenders with hard-nosed takes to the basket. With a blistering first step, she slashed past the first line of defense and scooped past the help to lay in for 2. Her bouncy play and high energy made opponents uncomfortable and kept them guessing on her next move. She did a fantastic job manipulating the defense with her handles, scoring it well and also delivering on the kick-out. Undeniable hustle plays and next-level athleticism. Slowly but surely, I'm running out of adequate words to describe how stellar she is and continues to be event after event!   [player_tooltip player_id='651496' first='Ashley' last='Kreiger'] | Philly Rise   With a versatile game and sharp basketball acumen, Ashley executes time and time again, coming up clutch in big moments for the Rise. She covers a lot of ground with long strides and at 6'3", keeps up with guards in transition. Her scoring comes in all types of ways, from tough post moves, to an impressive fade off one leg from 10 feet, to big shots from the perimeter. She is a legitimate 3-level scorer and a rock solid defender who not only protects the paint, but can also stretch out and swat shot attempts from long range. ProSkills had no answer for her on Court 34!

Jersey & PA held it down once again in Louisville on Day 2 of the Classic and Day 1 of EYBL Session 3! Some seriously scintillating performances that really caught my attention today!