Galena has had some solid prospects come through over the past 3 to 5 years, and another player who might join that list is Ava. At our showcase back in August, several things stood out about her. One is her ability to be a ball hawk, finding ways to make plays on the ball defensively while also making things happen with the ball offensively. She has a bit of scrappiness that makes matchups uncomfortable from the moment she gets close, and her aggression can quickly put players in foul trouble. She has a fast first step, and at the rim, she can finish with either hand. She is definitely a player to keep an eye on in this class, and she could continue to make a name for herself in the area over time.

Ava was probably the toughest player I saw on the court on Sunday. She’s got major grit in her DNA, and plays like she has something to prove.

Ava told me that she wants to show people that someone from even a smaller school like Galena High School can make some noise, and she’s doing that already.

Ava has a nose for the ball, and always seems to be getting in on rebounds. She’ll be a double-double threat at the prep level, and seems unafraid to drive the ball against anyone.

Ava has 3-point shooting abilities, but she is hard to stop once she gets up a head of steam and starts going at the hoop.

Even if Ava isn’t always her team’s highest scoring player, this is the type of athlete that coaches would want all of their players to model themselves after.

Ava really stood out to me as one of the gutsiest and hardest working players that I saw on the court on Sunday. She is absolutely tough as nails, and has a nose for the basketball.

She has nice length that allows her to corral rebounds, and when she grabs a board, she is hard to stop on the way to a putback.

Ava has nice handles on the perimeter, but she is a constant threat to put her head down and drive right into the heart of the defense. She made a couple of 3-pointers in her final game of the day, and has shot-making abilities at all 3 levels.

I was amazed at times how it felt like Ava was in multiple places at once. She has such hustle and grind that you feel like you’re playing against a team with 6 players on the floor.