There was so much basketball at this weekend's Nickerson Showcase that standout underclassmen can often get lost in the shuffle.
This was one of the first major school-season chances for younger talents to stand out, both among their older peers and in front of college scouts. These types of showcases can be daunting on the first go-round, with many teams playing three games in three days. But several underclassmen still made an impact.
As with the underclassmen standouts, I'll reiterate: I lean towards watching full games when I can. Especially with younger players, I don't want to let one mistake define their game or prospect status. Unlike with upperclassmen, I'm looking less at stats and production, and more at skills and usage. That being said, a select few shined in both respects.
Here are the results from games I watched while at Nickerson, plus 10 underclassmen who impressed me.
MORE: 24 upperclassmen standouts | 5 team takeaways from Nickerson
Friday, Dec. 20
Nobles 77, Hoosac 68 (OT)
Northfield Mount Hermon 65, Storm King 41
Tilton 59, Wilbraham and Monson 43
New Hampton 49, Worcester Academy 47
Tabor 50, Loomis Chaffee 41
Saturday, Dec. 21
Rivers 50, Greenwich Country Day 47
Darrow 61, Choate 33
Tabor 85, Wilbraham and Monson 32
Kent 54, Storm King 53
Northfield Mount Hermon 49, New Hampton 44
Sunday, Dec. 22
Sacred Heart 68, Winchendon 36
Choate 61, Storm King 49
St. George’s 61, Wilbraham and Monson 61
Nobles 66, New Hampton 44
Milton Academy 46, Brooks 41
Anna Moser, Hoosac
Class of 2027, 5-8 guard
Hometown: Rutland, Vt.
By Anna Moser standards, this was a decent weekend, which says more about how highly I regard her as a young player. She scored 11 points in Friday's dramatic overtime loss to Nobles, then had 12 Sunday in a win against Rivers that I caught bits and pieces of. Moser is just ridiculously quick with and without the ball. She drained three 3s against Nobles, including some of the relocation corner makes she has clearly mastered.
Moser also showed an ease getting into the teeth of the defense. Sometimes she'd toss in a floater, but I liked the reads she made when she drew two and quickly kicked the ball out. Everything about her game is so fast-paced. For reference, Moser already wields offers from Syracuse, Boston College, Harvard, Fairfield and several more schools.
Ava Perry, New Hampton
Class of 2027, 5-9 guard
Hometown: Groveland, Mass.
For New Hampton to reach true Class AAA title contender status, they'll need players who can capitalize on the gravity generated by stars Elyse Ngenda and Serenity Lancaster. Perry can be one of those pieces. Her best game came in Saturday's narrow loss to Northfield Mount Hermon, when Perry scored 11 points.
Perry cut really well in that contest and was rewarded with some passes for layups. She also hit a 3-pointer and made a smart pass out of the middle of the defense to an open corner shooter. Coach Jamie Bavaro has mentioned she wants to see Perry's confidence improve, and Perry should feel confident in her current skills.
Aliyah Allston-Pujols, Nobles
Class of 2028, 5-10 guard/forward
Hometown: Randolph, Mass.
You're not going to see Allston-Pujols' true impact on the scoreboard yet, but she's become a core piece to Nobles' early success. The Bulldogs will throw her or junior Brynn Bryant on the opponent's top guards, and Allston-Pujols has more than held her own. She's also fitting in well as a floor-spacer and cutter in a Nobles system that demands a high level of conceptual ball knowledge. Allston-Pujols playing these types of major minutes on a AAA frontrunner is a great sign.
Zariah Ottley, Northfield Mount Hermon
Class of 2027, 5-7 guard
Hometown, Rockland, Mass.
I'm putting Ottley on my early-season "All-Fun" team without hesitation. She's a physically strong, stout guard with a surprising combination of handle, power and shooting touch in the mid-range. I never know what Ottley will pull out of her bag on a given possession — in a good way. She'll fade away in the post, head-fake into drives or pull-up shots, throw an occasional flashy pass and win on the boards. I had Ottley with exactly 13 points in all three NMH contests this weekend. It feels like she gets more confident and more entertaining as a game progresses.
Lucianna Parrotta, Sacred Heart
Class of 2027, 6-0 guard/forward
Hometown: Armonk, N.Y.
Parrotta led Sacred Heart's ultimate blowout win against Winchendon Sunday morning, helping generate momentum when her team needed it in the second half. She scored a game-high 20 points, made two 3-pointers and displayed confidence spotting up behind the arc, or attacking and then pulling up for 2. Parrotta is also a long wing who consistently gets deflections with her anticipation skills. She's got some early Division 1 offers from UNH and Hofstra.
Lauren Fitzgerald, Tabor
Class of 2027, 6-0 forward
Hometown: North Attleboro, Mass.
Fitzgerald's best game of the weekend came Friday when she scored eight points off the bench in a close win against Loomis Chaffee. She had this impressive move where she attacked a closeout and finished through two defenders for an and-one. Fitzgerald also caused trouble with her long arms in Tabor's press. She has helpful physical tools and a good sense for how to space the floor; the next step is further refining her handle and continuing to add strength.
Corinne Lomax, Tabor
Class of 2027, 6-0 forward
Hometown: Watertown, Conn.
Lomax coming off the bench says a lot about how good Tabor is. She's a new NEPSAC transfer who's impacting winning right away as a forceful rebounder and driving threat. Lomax almost plays like a running back with her physical strength and downhill power, which helps her attack from the wing and operate as another dangerous Seawolf in transition. She tallied eight points Friday against Loomis Chaffee, then 16 Saturday against Wilbraham and Monson.
I also caught some strong defensive moments from Lomax on Friday, when she jumped a passing lane for a steal and registered a big-time rotation block. It's no surprise Lomax already has offers from the likes of Xavier, Rhode Island and Northeastern.
Iyanna Hodge, Wilbraham and Monson
Class of 2027, 5-1 guard
Hometown: Springfield, Mass.
A tiny guard who defends her tail off and isn't afraid to attack the basket? Count me in. Hodge was one of the bright spots during a rough 0-3 weekend for the Titans. She forced a shot clock violation with her perimeter defense against Tilton, plus frustrated players into offensive fouls. Hodge had her best scoring game Sunday vs. St. George's, scoring 12 points with a 3-pointer, a fall-away 2 through contact, an and-1 layup and a step-through score.
Avery Vanderburg, Wilbraham and Monson
Class of 2028, 5-9 guard/forward
Hometown: Easton, Conn.
I'm intrigued by what the Titans have planned for Vanderburg. One of the first plays of Friday's game against Tilton was designed to have Vanderburg get the ball off an Iverson cut, after which she then turned the corner to score a layup. For a freshman, Vanderburg handles physicality quite well, shows great touch around the rim and is quick on her feet defensively. She has her share of youthful moments, but Vanderburg has a solid foundation of skills as a starter and coach Durelle Brown clearly trusts her.
Gracyn Barnes, Worcester Academy
Class of 2027, 5-7 guard
Hometown: Auburn, Mass.
Barnes is the starting point guard for a Hilltoppers squad that has been a consistent thorn for some of NEPSAC's best teams. She's got to iron out some consistency, but she'll catch teams off guard with a sharp crossover or hesi into a floater or fast drive. Barnes has the burst and handle to create advantages already, and with Worcester Academy's array of scorers around her, she's in a good position to develop.
