Live Period Preview: Boston Showstoppers
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On Thursday, I popped my head into the Roxbury Boys and Girls club to check out the Boston Showstoppers, who are getting prepared for a busy July. Starting next week with the Premier Basketball Super 64 Tournament in Mansfield, Texas,…
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Continue ReadingOn Thursday, I popped my head into the Roxbury Boys and Girls club to check out the Boston Showstoppers, who are getting prepared for a busy July. Starting next week with the Premier Basketball Super 64 Tournament in Mansfield, Texas, this talented group is ready to make some noise this summer. Loaded with talent up and down the roster, here are a few players to look out for this month.
Watching @B_Showstoppers to kick off July!😤😤 You already know they got some dogs in this gym!🔥🔥💪🏾💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/Iibbr3X00n
— Bash Hudson (@BashHoopsNE) July 1, 2021
Backcourt:
Emelia O’Gilvie Emelia O’Gilvie 5'7" | PG St. Andrew’s | 2023 State NewE – Boston Latin – 5’7’’ – PG – ’22
’22 Rank: #34
What stood out to me most about O’Gilvie during the practice was her rebounding. She constantly crashes the glass on the defensive end and fights to get the ball. As soon as she comes down with the ball, O’Gilvie’s eyes immediately look up the court, and the Showstoppers are off to the races. I like that O’Gilvie is that active on the glass because the bigs can get a head start with their rim runs, knowing that O’Gilvie will hit them in transition for easy layups. If not, she will go coast to coast and score with ease. What cannot be overlooked is how efficient O’Gilvie is from the field. She has good shot selection and is one of the best finishers at the rim.
🚨’22 Player to Watch 🚨
Emelia O’Gilvie@B_Showstoppers /Boston Latin
5’7’’
PG‘22 PGH-NE Rank: #34
Pos Rank: #6@EmOGilvie05 jumper is straight cash!!😤🔥📈 pic.twitter.com/nLECwADxQy— Bash Hudson (@BashHoopsNE) July 1, 2021
Chayil Mauristhene Chayil Mauristhene 5'8" | SG Noble & Greenough | 2023 State NewE – Noble & Greenough – 5’7’’ – CG – ’23
’23 Rank: #11
I can write a book about how superior Mauristhene is on defense. She is arguably the best defender in the ’23 class; when you combine her speed and quickness with her IQ and instincts, Mauristhene can completely erase any offensive player out of the equation. What I didn’t realize about Mauristhene that I noticed during the practice is how excellent a ball-handler she is. She has one of the quickest crossovers and first steps I have seen while staying under control at all times. The comfort Maurithene shows handling the ball and facilitating can make her be a de facto point guard for the Showstoppers. With her getting in the lane effortlessly and drawing the defense, Mauristhene can make a living kicking out to shooters or dumping the ball down to the bigs.
Good weekend competing in Philly! @chayil_mauris23 making her presence known…@B_Showstoppers @HardwoodJungle pic.twitter.com/rUiz1eanYC
— Ernest Mauristhene (@ErnestMauris) May 17, 2021
Frontcourt:
Sophia Fontaine Sophia Fontaine 6'2" | PF Putnam Science | 2023 State NewE – Proctor Academy – 6’2’’ – PF – ’22
’22 Rank: #13
There is no answer for Fontaine when she seals you in the post. She gets a wide base and as low as possible on the block, making it near impossible to deny her the ball. When she and Chinenye Odenigbo Chinenye Odenigbo 6'6" | C Noble & Greenough | 2023 State NewE are on the same page, they are one of the best 4/5 1-2 punches you will see. This is because Fontaine is so good in the high post. She is a shooting threat from 15 feet and also an excellent passer from that area. Fontaine threads the needle beautifully into the post; and overall, she is one of the best passing bigs in the ’22 class.
@sophiafontaine1 back after a 4 week, finger injury hiatus. Still working toward 100% but was no doubt hard to handle at @SelectEventsBB this past weekend. Balled up vs. top EYBL comp. Heads into July with A10, Big East, Colonial, AAC offers. In TX 7/6 with @b_showstoppers pic.twitter.com/GnMiH5oH7c
— Elliot Fontaine (@elliot_fontaine) June 25, 2021
Chinenye Odenigbo Chinenye Odenigbo 6'6" | C Noble & Greenough | 2023 State NewE – Noble & Greenough – 6’6’’ – C – ’23
’23 Rank: #9
Towards the latter half of practice, something got under Odenigbo’s skin, and she morphed into the most dominant force on the court. I do not know what was said or done to make her play with that level of energy but Odenigbo elevated her game 10 notches from that moment. It seemed like every time she touched the ball on offense, it was an easy bucket or a drawn foul. She is a proficient free throw shooter as well; so, even if you resort to fouling her, she will bury two free throws. On defense, when Odenigbo is locked in like she was, there is no one better at patrolling the paint. She was so active flying around, wreaking havoc, and limited the production around the hoop.
Yedidya Lubunga Yedidya Lubunga 5'10" | SF Cathedral | 2023 State NewE – Cathedral – 5’10’’ – SF – ’23
’23 Rank: WL
Lubunga is one of the best athletes on the Showstoppers. Her athleticism allows her to defend multiple positions, and she does a good job of being active and keeping her assignment in front of her. Lubunga runs the floor well and is a major threat in transition. What was most noticeable was that she is developing her shooting off the bounce. She connected on a mid-range pull-up multiple times, which is a nice compliment to her jaw-dropping vertical and speed. Lubunga is a valuable glue piece for the Showstoppers because she will do all the dirty work and does not need the ball in her hands to be impactful.
Natalia Hyman Natalia Hyman 5'10" | SG Weston | 2022 State NewE – Weston – 5’10’’ – SF/PF – ’22
’22 Rank: WL
Hyman impressed me with how consistent she could score in the paint contested. She was the only player to challenge Chinenye Odenigbo Chinenye Odenigbo 6'6" | C Noble & Greenough | 2023 State NewE down low and convert frequently. Hyman may be undersized to play on the block, but she is tough as nails and always makes an aggressive move towards the basket. I liked how she is not afraid and does not get intimidated because a bigger forward is covering her. She popped on my radar after an excellent weekend at the GymRats Showcase in Albany a couple of months back. She continues to give the Showstoppers valuable minutes at the forward position.
Sleeper:
Jasmine Day-Cox Jasmine Day-Cox 5'6" | PG O'Bryant | 2024 State NewE – O’Bryant – 5’6’’ – CG – ’24
’24 Rank: #97
Day-Cox’s endless motor is the first thing that sticks out when you watch her play. During the scrimmage at the end of practice, her energy and effort ignited big scoring plays on the break. Seeing her turn her defense into offense so consistently makes her a candidate for a player who can have a breakout summer. She is not a big guard, but she makes up for it with athleticism. When Day-Cox is aggressive on offense, she can get to the basket at will and finish strong over anyone. I have a feeling Day-Cox’s stock will increase a lot this month.