Watch out for the NJ Belles 17U squad
In our Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey summer AAU tour, we haven’t yet covered the New Jersey Belles program, one of the premiere travel programs in the state without a doubt. The NJ Belles have teams all the way to…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIn our Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey summer AAU tour, we haven’t yet covered the New Jersey Belles program, one of the premiere travel programs in the state without a doubt.
The NJ Belles have teams all the way to the 2029 class, so when it comes to depth up-and-down the board, the Belles are loaded with talent.
We are here to start at the top and work our way down, so where else to start than the 17U team, one full of big names that will be superstars this coming high school season.
Let’s go to the tape to see why you would keep your eyes on every one of these prospects the rest of this summer going into the fall.
We start with Dorothy Loffredo, a rising senior at Manasquan who was as good as they come last spring and has shown that level of talent and skill so far this summer. She features well as a combo guard with the ability to play a forward position, extremely versatile on the floor.
Had a great time in Atlantic City with my team! Here are some of my highlights from the tournament. Looking forward to playing in D.C. next week! @NJBelles_Fagan @njbelles @NJLadiesHoops @CoachTinyGreen pic.twitter.com/xGu0R6HTfE
— Dorothy Loffredo (@dorothyloffredo) July 14, 2021
One play we’re going to focus on when talking about Loffredo highlights her toughness and tenacity on the court, and her court vision to get to the basket even when surrounded by a number of players.
She gets trapped toward midcourt, but is able to retain possession, escape the double team, and find an open lane to the basket for an easy layup. Loffredo is an impact player, a playmaker and fantastic shooter with a knack for doing just about everything and anything on the court.
Alongside Loffredo is Paige Knutsen, a rising senior at St. John Vianney, the top program in the state in the spring and one of the perennial top programs in New Jersey year-in and year-out.
https://twitter.com/paigeknutsen12/status/1415835235191824386?s=20
Taking a look at her highlights from the AC Championship, the 6-1 shooting guard uses her size to her advantage, especially when it comes to driving to the basket, one of her strengths on the floor.
As you would expect from a premier shooting guard, Knutsen shoots the lights out from the outside, a confident shooter with such an effortless shooting motion. The one three she hits, the net doesn’t even move. That’s how pinpoint of a shooter she is.
Anyone who has to guard Knutsen on either side of the floor, good luck because she’s an absolute force on the floor.
The last player we’ll highlight in this article is rising senior Julianna Gibson from Colts Neck, a forward with a lot of promise.
Here are some highlights from this weeks tournament at Soooky Nook. Excited to play again this weekend with my team! @NJBelles_Fagan @njbelles @NJLadiesHoops pic.twitter.com/kigDcfnHx7
— Julianna Gibson (@JulesGibson_15) July 10, 2021
She showed a lot of consistency as a junior during the high school season, but so far in AAU play, she’s really stepped up her game, using much more of her tall, forward-like frame to her advantage.
Gibson stands tall as a defender, not allowing anyone to back her down going into the paint. It’s extremely impressive to watch her pick apart opponents as a defender, breaking down their movements until they turn the ball over or force up a bad shot.
As she continues to work on and hone in on her game this summer, it’s going to pay off dividends once the high school season begins.
We’ll be revisiting this team and many others in the AAU circuit as the summer rolls on, so stay tuned for more.