Texas Top 250 Expo: 2023 and 2024 Standouts
There were a ton of talented prospects in attendance this past Sunday at the Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo in Irving, Texas. This event was loaded. I had the chance to see a bunch of players for the first time, as well as a few familiar faces.
The classes of 2023 and 2024 were both well represented. Let’s take a look at a few standout underclassmen from Sunday:
Samantha Basson | 2023 | 5’7’’ Point Guard | Lovejoy HS – Basson is a dynamic playmaker. She can make every pass in the book. The sophomore floor general has an outstanding feel for the game and knows how to set up her teammates. She was responsible for a few assists that left me speechless. Basson can score too. She beats defenders off the dribble and can shoot the three off the bounce. She needs to be on your radar if she isn’t already.
Abbie Boutilier Abbie Boutilier 6'9" | PF Flower Mound | 2023 State TX | 2023 | 6’9’’ Center | Flower Mound HS – With elite size at 6-feet-9-inches, Boutilier is virtually unstoppable when she catches the ball in the post. Just throw the ball up high and get out of her way. She has a soft touch down low and even showed the ablity to stretch out to the mid-range and bury jump shots. And don’t get me started on her rebounding. Even the best athletes in attendance had trouble contending for boards against the sophomore center. She is going to wreak havoc for the next three years at Flower Mound.
Nia Santiago | 2023 | 5’9’’ Small Forward | Rockwall HS – Santiago operates as a point forward. She is a natural facilitator. Her height and length allow her to see over the defense. She possesses great court vision, can zip passes with either hand, and does an excellent job of finding teammates in scoring position. Furthermore, Santiago can create space for herself as a shooter with step-back and side-step moves. She also makes timely cuts when playing off the ball.
Hannah Mack | 2023 | 5’9’’ Shooting Guard | Henry M Jackson HS – Mack is a sniper from beyond the three-point line. She is virtually automatic when left open. She has a beautiful jump shot with a quick release and thrives at shooting from the catch. In addition, Mack wastes no time getting into her shooting motion once the ball hits her hands. The Henry M Jackson guard has a knack for getting open away from the ball and finding openings in the defense that she can exploit with her shooting.
Alysia McDaniel Alysia McDaniel 6'0" | PF Parish Episcopal | 2023 State TX | 2023 | 6’0’’ Power Forward | Parish Episcopal – McDaniel is a versatile power forward. She is an athletic prospect who is productive on the boards at both ends. The Parish Episcopal sophomore showed good footwork down low and solid touch on her finishes near the basket. She even displayed the ability to stretch out and hit mid-range jumpers as well as catch-and-shoot triples. I loved her activity on both offense and defense at the expo.
Gabby Morales | 2024 | 5’8’’ Shooting Guard | Idalou HS – Morales lit it up from mid-range on Sunday. She drills pull-up jumpers from inside the arc and understands how to manipulate her opponents’ leverage. Her three-point shooting was solid too. The freshman two-guard also had success scoring off the drive. Beyond that, Morales contributes as a rebounder and is a disruptive defender. The 2024 prospect has a bright future.