HOOP GROUP EXPOSURE …RECAP!

Yesterday’s Hoop Group Exposure hit the spot yesterday. In what likely could be the last time talent of this level all showed up at one time in one gym for a long time. College coaches flocked to watch the event on streaming video. No question the $15.00 dollar price tag for the package was key. The ladies in this event got massive exposure. Big props to those players who have committed to schools that attended this year’s event. They no question gave the event the pop all events need to be successful. With that being said… her we go!

The VITALS

49 POSSIBLE D1 PLAYERS… 40 D1 LOCK PLAYERS(meaning offer on the table or will have one before the start of their junior year, or currently committed… .9 PLAYERS ON THE FENCE.. meaning we need to see more and development will play a role one way or another.

3 of the top 5 Freshman in the state were at the event… that number may grow as two freshman had a breakout afternoons and Freshman Eli Clark of Ocean was spectacular.

….There were 8 future or current Power 5 players at the event.

There was on Post Grad playerShae Sabino( good move on her part as she was lights out)

THE BRIGHTEST STARS….

There are two names that you cannot discuss yesterday’s event without starting with. Iris Azcona and Kay Donahue. Both players were simply off the charts.

Azcona is a junior at Trenton Catholic and put on the shooting show of the day. Then she went into a her bag of tricks and showed her passing skills. But what really put her over the top was her defensive effort. Her talking and fighting over screens was just real next level stuff.. she was wonderful from the start of the session till the very end. I wrote about her a few weeks ago and folks, she just keeps getting better and better… a college coaches dream.

Kay Donahue was just a grown women folks. She simply was unstoppable yesterday, No player was more dynamic or played with more energy than she did, yesterday, It seemed they was nothing she could not do. Pull up jumpers, three’s, mad dashes to the rim. She was elite in the drill part of the program as well. She just was on point all afternoon. I kept asking all day who is this kid? Well she plays for nationally ranked Rutgers Prep. She is not just athletic but so skilled and more importantly plays with a competitive nature you just don’t see very often. If you are not recruiting this young lady…YOUR OFF YOUR ROCKER!

I have been saying for weeks, Janie Bachmann of SJV is going to be a mega star. Yesterday just may have been the sophomore’s arrival. It started in the skill session, when just about every coach was raving about her game. The 6’0″ combo guard was on another level yesterday. The three level scorer and elite defender was just spectacular all day. Bachmann who is a high major lock is knocking on the Power 5 door loud and hard these days… she is one of the best sophomores in the entire state and yesterday she proved that.

Rosie Scognamiglio, of St. Rose is so good that the Vice President of the Hoop Group, Matt Pooley said these words to me yesterday “Who is that girl, she is really something. She is a complete player” ..Cracklin Rosie folks is officially moving into star status. She is a future high major lock. Yesterday she brought her “A” game on both sides of the ball. The St. Rose 2023 combo guard is clearly one of the best young players in the entire state. Yesterday all questions about her game were answered.

KAY JOSEPH OF DONOVAN CATHOLIC was so good it was scary. All I keep doing was writing sweet things about her game. She has come from out of nowhere to show out yesterday… this young lady better get some sunglasses ASAP because her future’s so bright. Everything she touched turned to gold yesterday… she was masterful all day….oh yeah and she is a good kid. Because when I made multiple mistakes regarding information about her on twitter.. some took me to task… but this young lady said “no worries”. I really like kids who get my back…THANKS KAY!

TAYLOR DERKACK of Colonia High School. Folks I am simply running out of things to say about this young lady. She is just a freshman and it’s almost hard to believe at times. But what you can believe is this… she will be one of the best players in the state of New Jersey one day and yesterday she showed why. Some of the stuff she did was just cartoonish….

MORE PLAYERS WHO SHINED..

Mary Donnelly of Manasquan is going to to be a First Team All Shore if this keeps up. It’s that simple and if your in the Big East or A-10 and not recruiting this young lady, your making a massive mistake. It seems every time I put eyes on this kid she is dominating. It may be against the 2021 Shoreshots, at a boys workout or like yesterday at the Hoop Group Exposure event. This kid is a star folks…END OF STORY AND YESTERDAY SHE PROVED IT…

Laya Laws of St. Rose shocked everyone including college coaches, who were texting and asking about her during the game… it was if she was shot out of a cannon in game one. At one point she was the best player in the gym.

Grace Munt I know she has already signed but I had to think Holy Cross was doing the happy dance yesterday. There is doubt in my mind after yesterday. She is one of the best two way players in the senior class…

Madison St. Rose of SJV and Princeton bound again showed why she was the player of the year last year in New Jersey. She broke out her her bag of tricks yesterday just to remind everyone has special she truly is…

Erin Martin again as in this is starting to become old… put on a show yesterday. Emory was watching from Atlanta and had to asking one question? Can we really be this lucky. Martin was once again one of the best players in the gym. Her passing yesterday was something from the Magic Johnson playbook

Harmony Marquez is from Rutherford high School. She wasted no time in making her presence known. The fiery 2023 put on a show yesterday with her toughness and all out hustling style of play. She simply out worked everyone in front of her… she is somebody that coaches better get to know better

Post Grade Senior Shae Sabino went off in her 2nd game yesterday. Sabino, simply could not be stopped in her return game. She banged out jumpers, displayed a sweet handle and most importantly played with such purpose and IQ…

Aleah James of Stuart Country Day, come on coaches how good is this young lady? I will tell you she could be the best pure point guard available these days. Any more questions about the jumper? She was off the charts good yesterday… everyone around her got just a little better.

THE SURPRISES….

Sarah Hughes of Ranney yesterday showed everyone what happens when you work hard. Yesterday Sarah Hughes put herself right back on the D1 map. She was dynamic yesterday. She not only knocked down jumper after jumper. She showed a next level ability to finish at the rim. She did it with twisting moves and explosive power finishes… her passing and defense were just little pieces added to her her show stopping day.

Montana Hicks of Dwight Englewood high school was wonderful yesterday. The 2023 showed off her speed and talent all afternoon. She without question has a big future ahead of her. Anyone watching had to be impressed,

How many players does Saddle Day River have folks.. Mia Walsh is just another toy for Coach Danny Brown’s top ranked program. The 2023 showed she has the goods and looked like the perfect combo guard. She knocked down jumpers and displayed a sweet creative handle in traffic. Yesterday was a good day:)

Make no mistake folks, Emma Carman last year had a disappointing freshman season. Many were calling her a possible FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR. Instead she played behind Lehigh signee, senior Fab Eggenschwiler. It’s a good thing Eggenschwiler is gone is because just may have had to switch roles with Emma Carman. Let me simply put it this way. Emma Carman has arrived folks. Yesterday she went into her grown woman act as she has done all fall. It’s clear she is going to have a monster season and yesterday college coaches got to see why.

Skyla Paris of Matawan High School, might have shown why she may be the biggest sleeper left on the 2021 board. She displayed that sweet jumper and more importantly an ability to score. This is a SLEEPER ALERT for college coaches… just watch the video of #24 yesterday… watch the video.

VERY INTERESTING…

Kyla Glasser -Hyman of Hightstown made me do a double take. You don’t know because of she doesn’t look the part. But she clearly plays the part of point guard really well… check out her video because I wanted to make sure what I saw real yesterday and she did the same thing against real competition…she had very good day from start to finish and made me sit up and take notice.

Faith Pappas of Pope John has D1 schools from every level recruiting her. I think at some point coaches will need to realize that she will do whatever it takes to be successful. The young lady has so much passion for the game and yesterday she proved that… Power 5 schools are going to catch on to what she really brings to the table… that is a ELITE WORK ETHIC…

Amaya Evans of Neptune is just so fast and quick. The former First Team All Freshman member is a future D1 player. The real question is what level. Her shooting has taken a major jump from a year ago… she just may have been the most interesting player in the gym

Isabella Pellecchia of Rutgers Prep is just a flat out an elite defender and warrior. Watching her play against Monmouth U commit Toni Panayides was like watching WW2. This young lady is the king of little things. I would tell coaches to start watching video of her from the start of the skill session right till her last game. The more you see her, the more you like her… it will be interesting to see who takes this young lady. I personally think she is a winner. Sometimes playing on a stacked high school team can get you lost in the mix.

THE UPSIDE….

6’0″ 2023 ANGELINA BANAS of Northern Burlington high school has size at 6’0″ and a strong body. She moves very well and has nice soft hands. She can play inside or out. You can tell has not been in the fires yet. But was willing to compete. She can step away and shoot and has a real feel for the game. I think she showed she has a big upside. I got a real good feeling about this young lady.

Ashley Sofikanich is 6’2″ maybe a little bigger than that listed height and folks nobody in that gym has a bigger upside. She did battle with BC bound Ally Carman and fought her tooth and nail. She also jumped up and grabbed the rim. She is mobile and displayed a toughness that will serve her well. She is a future D1 player with a insane upside. Every coach would be wise to learn the name name now!

Angelina Dragone of Our Lady of Mercy is 6’1″ big and strong. She showed a real ability TO GRIND. Her size and work ethic make her a prime target for college coaches. She will need a little help along the way. Coaching and competition will be a must for her. But there is no question after watching her in the drill part of the day… she has what it takes to get to the next level…

Emma Afflerbach of Delsea Reg High School I was waiting to see her for an entire week. She has that all important size at 6’1″ and has some nice skills sets. She talks and more importantly looks like basketball matters to her. I think she is a kid with a wonderful upside and big future with a little help along the way.

THE FRESHMAN…

TAYLOR DERKACK

TAYLOR DERKACK I already spoke about .. it clear she was the best freshman on this day…

Julia Karpell of SJV is putting it in the bag folks. I am talking about the freshman of the year award. It’s looking more and more like a runaway to me. Karpell is just so efficient. But it’s the passing and IQ that really makes her different than any other freshman in the Shore.

Eli Clark of Ocean has come from nowhere to the spotlight. She my friends has arrived and yesterday the unknown freshman showed she is really to join the elite. She simply did a little of everything yesterday.

McKenna Karlson of Manasquan I have known for a while now. She has always been mega talented. But I have in my mind questioned her competitive nature. Those days are gone because yesterday McKenna Karlson showed the world she is a future D1 player if this keeps up. She was flat out off the charts yesterday. Her ability to finish at the rim was special. But more importantly her decision making was elite. Folks here she comes, look out below……STAY TUNED.

Shayne Eldridge of Wall had a breakout day. Just flat out a break out day. She my friends will 100% be in the hunt for a spot on the All Freshman Team. I was totally shocking watching the level of confidence this kid played with yesterday. She was in one word…MARVELOUS. A great example of game over hype.

Carlie Lapinski of Ranney is no joke folks. Noo player has picked up their intensity this fall like this young lady. She has taken leap and bounds. Yesterday she flat out was a beast and played with sheer reckless abandonment. Right now Carli is tracking as one of the best freshman in the Shore Conference and before this is all said and done… just may be one of the most recruited players in New Jersey… the development curve is that big right now.

THE AWARDS…

CO– MVP WINNERS

IRIS AZOCNA ( TRENTON CATHOLIC)

KAY DONAHUE(RUTGERS PREP)

TOP 6 PERFORMERS…

MADISON ST. ROSE..2022…SJV

MARY DONNELY…2022..MANASQUAN

ROSIE SCOGNAMIGLIO…2023…. ST. ROSE

GRACE MUNT…2021… RUMSON

TAYLOR DERKACK…2024… COLONIA HS

KYA JOSEPH..2023… DONAVAN CATHOLIC

TOP PERFORMANCE BY 6 UNSIGNED SENIORS

LAYLA LAWS

LAYA LAWS… ST. ROSE

ISABELL PELLECCHIA…RUTGERS PREP

LEAH JAMES…STUART DAY COUNTRY DAY

EMMA BRUEN….SJV

LUCY ALBERICI…RBC

TOP PERFORMANCES BY 6 UNSIGNED JUNIORS

Gina Gaccione

GEORGIA HINE…MANASQUAN

MARY DONNELLY… MANASQUAN

FAITH PAPPAS…POPE JOHN XXlll

KYA JOSEPH….DONOVAN CATHOLIC

GINA GACCIONE… IMMACULATE HEART

ASHLEY O’CONNOR… SJV

TOP PERFORMANCES BY 6 UNSIGNED SOPHOMORES

KAYLA GLASSER HYMAN

CASEY PRIOR…RBC

EMMA CARMAN…RBC

KYLA GLASSER HYMAN…HIGHSTOWN

SARAH HUGHES…RANNEY

JANINE BACHMANN…SJV

MONTANA NICKS … DWIGHT ENGLEWOOD HS

TOP PERFORMANCES BY 6 UNSIGNED FRESHMAN

ELI CLARK

TAYLOR DERKACK..COLONIA

JULIA KAPRELL… SJV

ELI CLARK… OCEAN HS

KATIE COLLINS…. MANASQUAN

CARLI LAPINSKI… RANNEY

SHAYNE ELDRIDGE..WALL

SPECIAL NOTE… COLLEGE COACHES YOU WILL RECEIVE A CHEAT SHEET IN YOUR MAILBOX THIS EVENING …

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