There’s star power to be found on the NJ Panthers’ 16U squad
As the AAU season carries on, we here at Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey have been looking for talent up and down the Garden State when it comes to exploring the different AAU programs this state has to offer. We’ve…
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Continue ReadingAs the AAU season carries on, we here at Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey have been looking for talent up and down the Garden State when it comes to exploring the different AAU programs this state has to offer.
We’ve definitely made our way through, and now, we go over to the NJ Panthers, a program composed of a lot of Central Jersey and North Jersey talent.
We’re starting with the 16U3SSB team that has some quality names on it, all of which you should be keeping an eye out for this coming high school season. Let’s go to the tape to see what makes these players stand out.
The first player that jumped off the page for us was Paige Gorczyca, a 2023 prospect out of Westfield. We went over to her YouTube channel to check out the highlights, and she’s got an impressive build and is a very active player in the lane.
She has versatility to play in both the guard and forward positions, but it seems that she’s most comfortable playing as a forward, a position that she dominates in.
Gorczyca uses her height and length to her advantage, backing down opponents in the lane to score and getting prime position for rebounds.
She also features well on the wing, showing off some great range as a shooter, which is a massive plus for her overall player development going into the high school season.
Helping out Gorczyca is Chloe Escanillas, a 2024 recruit from Rutgers Prep, one of the strongest programs in the country. She jumps out as a great shooter, one who is an opponent’s nightmare from an off-ball defending perspective.
Some @TFNsRun4Roses highlights b4 flying to AL tomorrow for @adidas3SSB championships. @nj_panthers @yalecoachguth @coachmeggebbia @key_ah_tweets @suetroyan @coachmegbarber @coach_bixby @kdelaneysmith @coachshibles @trevorwoodruff @nursegmo @coachmcnamee @bucoachg @bobbimorgan7 pic.twitter.com/yrMInyQ92B
— Carol “Chloe” Escanillas (@ChloeEscanillas) July 20, 2021
She’s got a smooth, quick release and is a knock-down perimeter shooter. Along with a deadly three-point shot, she has breakout speed to weave herself through the lane or get down the floor on a fast break opportunity.
While most will look at her shooting as her biggest strength, it’s her dribble-drive ability that makes her a multi-tool player that can take over a game at any point and will shut down opponents on a whim.
The last player we’ll take a look at is Natalie Stoupakis, a 2023 guard out of Morris Catholic who exudes a lot of confidence going into her junior year.
Had a great time in Dallas with the @nj_panthers. Check out my highlights from the week!! pic.twitter.com/TGzuJyPRBg
— Natalie (@nat_stoupakis) July 18, 2021
Looking at her film, the first thing that stood out was a dribble drive she pulled out at the Adidas 3SSB Live Dallas event within the last week where on the drive, she deked the defender with a ball fake as she went to the basket with authority.
It was a really impressive, heads-up play to throw the defense off, and that’s the style of game she plays.
Stoupakis is a well-rounded guard, a playmaker on the court that can shoot, dominate the interior, pass and rebound as well as play a stout defense on the other side of the floor. Having a complete guard like her is going to help out Morris Catholic in a big way this fall.
One player we didn’t mention was Mia Walsh, a rising junior point guard from Saddle River Day. Unfortunately for Walsh, she tore her ACL at the Run 4 The Roses tournament in early July, sidelining her for the entire 2021-22 season.
However, good news is making its way to Walsh as she’s moved up to a walking brace and her six week marker post-op is on August 24. Look out for her recovery as she prepares for the 2022-23 season, her senior season at SRD.
We’re continuing our AAU tour for the rest of the summer, so continue to stay tuned as we look at more players within New Jersey.