NYG Coast 2 Coast Junior All American (2027-2028).

MONROE, NJ – How amazing has it been to have March Madness back this year? Seriously. For any of us, as basketball fans, going 2 calendar years without crowning a National Champion in women’s or men’s college basketball would have been unimaginable. And now, as we continue to progress back to normal, basketball continues to return, and it could not have come soon enough.

Needless to say, we have not been disappointed. The Women’s NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament has produced record ratings on ESPN, generated millions and millions of social media impressions, and even prompted greater awareness toward equity after our own athletes used their voices to point out disparities in tournament operations. On top of that, the games, the players, and the coaches have inspired young players all over the country.

This weekend, some of those players gathered in Central New Jersey with the NYG Hoops Report crew for a well-established annual event, the Coast 2 Coast All-American Camp. As the sun rose the morning after two amazing Final 4 games, we tossed the ball up and went to work with over 150 middle school players who have their eyes on being the next big thing. We could not have picked a better day for this year’s camp, and just like the tournament, these ladies brought it!

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The day opened with the youngest age group, featuring the classes of 2027 and 2028. Players this young each year are literally in the infancy of their basketball years, and yet their energy, passion, and hunger to learn is clear!

One of the big standouts from this morning session was 2027 wing Ashley MacCalla, an impressive 5’8 athlete hailing from New York’s Top Notch Lady Ballers. MacCalla has plenty of athleticism, slicing through traffic to finish and initiating her own contact with the ball in her hands. She can shift gears in a hurry, and the physical gifts are clear.

Another wing player from Top Notch that caught our attention was Ryan Carter, and athletic 2027 baller who is only starting to scratch the surface of how good she can be. This kid is gone in a flash off the crossover, and collected plenty of frequent flyer miles, even rebounding her own misses and going again. Her ability to handle and pass in traffic is already showing regularly.

Speaking of the Big Apple, City Rocks was in the building, and 5’4 2028 lead guard  El Dior Dobere is going to be a fun player to watch the next several years. She’s bouncy for a kid who is still waiting on that first real growth spurt, and the jets are on display on both ends. Ball pressure is a specialty of hers, and with a shot that already looks like it belongs to an older player and the confidence to put up the 3, it’s safe to say a ceiling is way up above for her.

New England was also represented throughout the day, starting in the opening stanza with 2027 guard Alannah Morantus of Team Providence (MA). A bigger guard, Morantus did some nice things on the O-boards, flashing a spin move on one nice put back. Her ability to handle in the open floor and knock down the 15 foot jumper will also be useful. Morantus also seemed willing to sit down and defend on the perimeter, making good use of her length.

The Syracuse Royals have a promising young backcourt tandem is 2027 Loren Green and 2028 Aaliyah Zachery. Zachery showed plenty of flashes with the ball in her hands, aggressive on the attack and splitting the help D to finish. Green has already found the money in her ability to get to the rim and finish in some traffic with either hand. Both players got and Easter egg basket full of lay-ups a day early!

Last, but certainly not least, flipping back to the Top Notch program, 2027 5’6 Combo Guard Jessie Moses is a young scorer to commit to memory now. Moses plays hard and is very skilled at a young age, and while she got cooking with made baskets from all over the floor, it was her pinpoint, thread the needle passing that really should be appreciated. It was a good day for her, no doubt.

Here are a few more names to know from the young group of the day:

Arielle Lopez, 2027 Combo Guard, Top Notch Lady Ballers, New York
Makaela Bordner, 2027 Guard, In the Zone, Pennsylvania
Maddi Frohnapfel, 2028 Wing, Kentucky Premier, Kentucky
Jada Russell, 2027 Guard, Power Move, Maryland
Anastasia Bonfante, 2027, Point Guard, Riverside Hawks
Aaralyn Scott, 2028, Guard, City Rocks 
Josephine Pinnock, 2027. Positive Direction