Claire O'Conner
Jenna Villa lines up a jumper at the 2022 Check Me Out Showcase in Seattle, Washington. *Photo by Chris Hansen.
We’re just weeks away from the early signing period for the 2023 class. The quartet of Elite Is Earned Boost program members are all set for their fall signing.
September saw the final piece fall into place with 6-foot-1 wing-forward Claire O’Conner of Bellevue, Washington, committed to Gonzaga. The four-star prospect from Lakeside High School in Seattle, Washington, chose the multi-time WCC Champion Bulldogs over a finalist group that included Davidson, among others.
O’Conner fits the mold of GU player over the several decades of winning, long, mobile and athletic players with perimeter skills. O’Conner is a lefty with good bounce, making the mid-range game a real weapon for the opposing defenses.
Another western Washington product, Jenna Villa of Arlington, Washington, gave her verbal commitment to Washington State. Villa, one of the nation’s top shooters, chose the Cougars over finalists Gonzaga and Utah. She made visits and drew attention from the Big 12, Big Ten, SEC and
Villa has been battled tested having competed in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League for several years. In addition to deep shooting range well beyond the college 3-point arc, she has shown the ability to make reads in actions and find teammates. She’s also shown her basketball I.Q. and length defensively.
Earlier in the summer Rylee Leishmann, the 5-7 combo guard from Ellensburg, Washington, gave her verbal commitment to Central Washington University. With this move, Leishmann will get to play in her hometown for a Wildcats squad that is coming off winning the GNAC tournament and making the NCAA DII regional semifinal round.
The first 2023 Boost Member to commit was KK Jones of Lantana, Texas. The 5-6 point guard locked in on Sienna College of the MAAC. She made several elite camp and unofficials the previous summer. She attended Wisconsin’s elite camp and made contact with Missouri State, Samford and West Texas A&M before committint to Sienna head coach Jim Jabir in February.
These four will sign their national letters of intent in November and are poised to have terrific senior seasons. The 2024 crop of EIE Boost Members spans British Columbia in Canada to Kansas to Oregon and up to Washington. The underclass group just getting going in the program reach from Washington to Montana, Arizona, Texas and Florida.
Interested in boosting your recruitment?
Chris Hansen is managing editor of ProspectsNation.com and serves on the McDonald’s All-American and Naismith Trophy selection committees. He was a co-founder of and the national director of scouting for ESPN HoopGurlz from 2005 until 2012 and is the director of the Check Me Out Showcase and ELITE is EARNED events. He can be reached at chris@chrishansenbasketball.com.
