COLLEGE COACHES ALERT: THREE D1 PLAYERS WHO DON’T LOOK THE PART…. BUT PLAY IT SO WELL:)

There are always talented players that we know very little about who often blow up at the next level. There are lots of reasons why these players often are left undiscovered until late in their careers. In 99% of the cases there is a good excuse as to why. Today I gave you three such players, their FUTURE DIVISION ONE “IMPACT” players.

SHE DOESN’T LOOK THE PART.. BUT SHE PLAYS IT IN AWARD WINNING FASHION!

“27 ACADIA WALTERS- BISHOP EUSTACE HIGH SCHOOL – SCORING POINT GUARD

Tracey Sabino of the Shoreshots told me her point guard this year is “one of the best she has had in recent years”. For the record her last three point guards went by the names (EMNACE currently at D1 Harvard starting), CLARK (POY candidate at D1 Lemoyne), LIGGIO (incoming freshman at D1 Bucknell, the best pure point guard in the state of New Jersey). Those are strong words by SABINO. But based on what I have seen, Tracey Sabino, is right on the money. ACADIA WALTERS is the real deal. If you think I may be wrong. How about this statement. No combo guard in the state of New Jersey has got it done more consistently and more dynamically against Top D1 talent and teams than ACADIA WALTERS. Now I’m not even talking about her showing up at NBS and taking out future D1 players off to college in the Fall. I’m talking about her showing out against the best teams with the best players in the state. You think I’m exaggerating? Well think again… How about

*17 points vs Top 20 Cherokee and their D1 bound senior

*How about 21 points vs Lenape and their 1st Team All State player 

*How does 20 points vs Camden Catholic sound

* How about the 16 points vs NATIONALLY RANKED SJ and there D1 seniors

* How does 17 Points vs the State Runner -up PAUL VI and their multitude number of D1 players)

* The 20 vs St. Rose and there D1 bound senior.. well that was just for shits and giggles

That 16 points or more vs Top 5 and nationally ranked SJV with all there D1 and vs State Top 3 and runner up PAUL VI with their D1 roster full of studs is a measuring stick that only the great ones understand why!

Now you might be asking, how do I not know about a player who has over 1200 points in just 3 seasons and doing it against the best of the best players and teams. How is that possible? I’m talking about against the killers? That answer is simple and easy. You see ACADIA WALTERS doesn’t look the part. She isn’t physically imposing. She isn’t an athletic freak of nature. She doesn’t wow you with show stopping highlights plays. You see Acadia, kills you by a million cuts. She gets in lane and pulls up vs bigs. She finishes at the rim vs guards. She makes you cry when you go under screens with her deadly jumper. Her shiftiness and creativity with the ball is magical. She flashes her IQ and savvy ball handling, not show boating. Just pure rock solid fundamental stuff, the stuff you only understand until the game is over.. She does all this and you keep wondering how. She looks like the girl next door, she isn’t intimidating. But she’ll snatch the life out of your chest. Thats because she is a ruthless competitor. 

ACADIA WALTERS is the classic example of why kids get missed. She plays in South Jersey the home of the forgotten. No media coverage, few bloggers, few Marque or showcase games, with few Elite trainers. The place the hype forgot. The place of under recruited mega talent ballers who show out in college. The place with old school coaches who still believe in teaching the game. ACADIA WALTERS is as good as any guard in the Shore conference. In fact I will go on the record. She would be the best guard in the Shore Conference. Those are facts… but when you can only play the role and not look the role. The academy sometimes over looks you. Then again every once in a mean a OSCAR WINNER arrives out of nowhere … ACADIA WALTERS has been putting in Oscar award winning performances for a long time. This summer her name will be called by lots of D1 Coaches… FACTS!.

THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND

‘27 HARPER COHEN- SADDLE RIVER DAY- PURE POINT GUARD

The legend of the Christina Liggio vs Harper Cohen at NBS will last forever. It was on that day the two played the most physical, most competitive 1 v 1 game in recent NBS history. It was so bad that a number of parents requested it be stopped. It was a day that many players in the gym froze. What they didn’t understand was both were playing to win by any means necessary. You see that’s the first thing you must know about Harper Cohen. She never gives up and never backs down from a challenge. She was one of the best freshman in the state two years ago. Not because I say it. But rather because it what she has proven. Then as a sophomore she double her stats in every major statistical category. She went from 39 three’s to 60 three’s. She went from 249 points to 429 points. She went from 39 assists to dropping 54 dimes. See if you don’t understand this, you don’t know Harper Cohen. She is the ultimate gym rat. She eats, sleeps and dreams in the gym. It’s what’s she loves so much. So when she tore her ACL and missed her entire junior year. The coaches forgot about her. She changed schools to attend Saddle River Day. If she didn’t miss the season they would have been Top 10 in the state. That’s because not only is Harper Cohen a gifted point guard, she’s a leader and a player who is always living in the moment she doesn’t worry about the coast of the future. She is always in the now. And it’s about now that coaches are going to remember her.

See when you lost a year, when you fall off the map . Your greatness goes into hibernation. The decision makers forget your value, they only see what is in front of them. Harper Cohen is that kid most don’t understand doesn’t care. She consistently is concerned with her development. It’s the only way you can explain how she made it back at the end of the season. How she scored over 20 points in multiple games and scored in double figures in just about ever game when she returned. If you don’t understand it because you don’t know Harper. She does do excuses.. she does executions and she doesn’t so well even if it’s in the darkness waiting to come to the light. This spring and summer college coaches are going to learn the name HARPER COHEN. College coaches are going to learn she the Harper Lee of making coaches remember.. BOO they need to learn to understand!

I CAN’T TELL YOU WHY!

ANNIE GENTILE- HUDSON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL- COMBO GUARD

ANNIE GENTILE strode into NBS in a very quiet manner. I had not watched her play in a year. She was coming off an injury when she show up at NBS. She left having injured a number of souls. Make no mistake Annie Gentile is one of the two best players in the 2029 class and that my friends is not up for debate. She has a grown woman’s game at 5’7”. She has every skill set, mental set, competitive set and talent related set. Annie Gentile is going to be on every college’s wish list one day. That’s because her talent, work ethic and ego are on point. Annie Gentile is the perfect young basketball player. She plays for Philly Rise and one day will be a nationally ranked player and get one of those bags they talk about so much these days. It better be a big bag I can tell you that.

ANNIE GENTILE has a personality that is hard not to notice. She has that thing that separates the good for the great… PRESENCE! There is just something about the way she walks and talks. It just different, it just feels different. So you might be asking why is she on the list. Surly P4 coaches know her name. I can’t exactly tell you why she is on this list. What I can tell you is this… ANY LIST SHE MAKES WHEN IT CONES TO THE BEST… well that list is going to be small and she’s going to be on it!

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