Run4Roses: 2025 Division Standouts (Part 2)
There aren’t many events that feature 1400+ teams, 1100+ college coaches, 92 courts, and the chance to play on ESPN, but TFN’s Run 4 Roses did just that and more. While it would’ve been impossible to watch all 1400 teams,…
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Continue ReadingThere aren’t many events that feature 1400+ teams, 1100+ college coaches, 92 courts, and the chance to play on ESPN, but TFN’s Run 4 Roses did just that and more. While it would’ve been impossible to watch all 1400 teams, I did catch quite a few teams and players throughout the tournament’s 4 day span. When I looked at my notes at the conclusion of the tournament, there were a little over 100 players that had caught my eye in some way. This series is going to discuss some of those standouts and it’ll be broken down by the division they played in (2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026) rather than the player’s class. This article features players that played in the 2025 divisions.
Ava Gascón
Ava Gascón
Gascón initially drew me in on the defensive end of the court. She was moving her feet so well to stay in front while applying heavy pressure. She was also constantly reading the passing lanes, ready to jump over and get the steal whenever the opportunity presented itself. And while Gascón’s defense initially got me, her offense is what kept me drawn in. She really sees the floor well and delivers her passes to the perfect spots. A lot of times, she was really setting her teammates up by forcing their defenders to step over on her. She was also handling pressure at the point guard position. Gascón proved she can score inside or out as well, showing deep range on her outside shot.
Renee was out when I got to watch her high school squad earlier this summer, so I hadn’t gotten to watch her play this year prior to this tournament. However, she was well worth the wait. She’s got excellent strength and isn’t afraid to bring physicality to the game. Renee’s ability to put a lot of pressure on the ball while remaining in front was so impressive. You could see the frustration in the players she was guarding because she was not making it easy on them in the slightest. Offensively, she can finish tough baskets through contact and she also made some excellent passes to her teammates. Renee makes great drives to the basket, but she can also knock down deep shots.
Highlights
Smith is a sharpshooter with excellent length. She was knocking down shots from deep range. I watched her knock down shots on the move, off of the catch, and off of the dribble. Smith’s got a quick release and does a really good job of moving to the open spots on the perimeter. She was running the floor consistently and she plays really hard. She also follows her shot (though it felt like they were all falling) and made some good passes to teammates.
Highlights
Freisleben was in her element on the court. The lefty is a great shooter and makes some impressive drives to the basket. She was taking a lot of contact and still finishing through it. She really proved to be a versatile scorer. Freisleben showed her strength and ability to draw fouls as well. She made good cuts and really found the gaps instead of just cutting to a designated spot. She also made great passes to her teammates. Defensively, Freisleben stays ready to get out into the passing lanes and was getting her hands on the ball a lot, disrupting the offense.
Mortenson finished multiple tough baskets around the rim. She was making impressive moves to score at the rim and in the paint. She was also consistently finishing on both sides of the basket. She really showed that she is a 3 level scorer who will force the defense to work. Mortenson also showcased her ball handling skills, taking care of pressure with ease, as well as her passing abilities as she delivered some beautiful passes to her teammates. On the other side of the ball, Mortenson played excellent on-ball defense and stayed active off of the ball.