Alliance Fall Invitational: Scouting BBL's 2027s

With the November circuit winding down, I hit DE Turf on Sunday for the inaugural Alliance Lacrosse League Fall Championships, attended by over 200 college coaches in the event's fall debut. My main emphasis was on getting an early look at some of the better '27 squads in attendance, <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/11/alliance-fall-championships-scouting-sweetlaxs-2027s/">so after highlighting a talented Sweetlax Upstate squad in Tuesday's post</a>, let's head a bit further head south to New Jersey check in on an impressive group of BBL sophomores. Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual or two-year subscription!     Lagunowich was an absolute problem on Sunday, an outcome that was far from a surprise given the reputation he's already built for himself. After all, he racked up 28 goals and 11 assists as a freshman then had a huge football season at wide receiver for the Cougars, <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/nick-lagunowich/">earning a few writeups from Prep Redzone scouts in Jersey</a>. An explosive and elusive playmaker, Lagunowich made a habit out of gaining more than a stick's length of separation against longpoles. Any attempt at playing the body or jarring the ball loose with a stick check fell short as he posted two goals and an assist in a big win over Sweetlax, serving as the straw that stirred the drink for BBL's offense. The ball flies out of his stick, and his uncanny release was even more impressive in person than it was on his tape, which is full of low-to-high lasers with a vapor trail on them. It's early, but Lagunowich seems destined to have his pick of the litter next fall, and it'd be fair to assume that Virginia will be in the mix given that his older brother JP is a first-year midfielder for the 'Hoos.     Dante has built a strong early résumé as a do-it-all face-off midfielder for Gill St. Bernard's. He got a lot more experience as the season progressed (both at the face-off dot and when staying on as a middie), winning 63 percent on the year along with 12 goals and five assists for the Non-Public B champs and going 24-for-28 in the final two games. This past Sunday, he found a ton of success as the setup man for BBL in an anticipated matchup at the stripe. Lam has a really sturdy and strong build, and he used his combination and upper and lower body strength to counter at an exceptional level on the occasion that he lost the clamp, showing off some impressive defensive exits. Both Lam and his wings were on their A-game, helping BBL win the 50-50 balls, with Lam doing a stellar job of scrapping for loose balls. He has excellent hand speed and adjusted incredibly well throughout the game. When it comes time for the '27s to get recruited, he'll certainly be coveted not just for his technical acumen at the X, but for his prowess with the ball in his stick, a quality that helps set him apart.     Given how balanced the 6-foot-2 lefty's offensive skill set is, Crowley has a rather interesting profile and already made quite a splash at the varsity level, primarily as a facilitator. As a freshman, he posted nearly 4.3 points per game and finished with 26 goals and 56 assists in 19 contests. On Sunday, he asserted himself nicely and registered a pair of goals to provide a shot in the arm for his squad. Crowley is a heady and hard-charging player who has head fakes and a bit of deception in his game that allowed him to work his way through the teeth of the defense on one occasion. It did feel like we only saw a sliver of what he's capable of a small sample size, but he's such a dynamic player to have out there because of his vision, decision-making, and opportunistic play without the ball. I'll be intrigued to see more of him in the future.     A highly skilled and savvy lefty goal-scorer, Gillette tallied a hat trick in a 9-6 win over Sweetlax and looked excellent in the process. He did a terrific job of finding seams in the defenses and sneaking his way to space, and when his teammates found him, Gillette demonstrated soft hands and slick scoring ability inside as the beneficiary of superb ball movement and team offense. At his best within 10 yards of the cage, he's a capable dodger who consistently put forth great takes, often getting back to the middle of the field or up the hash. Watching his spring and summer highlights back after the event, I was incredibly impressed with his two-handedness and the plethora of ways that he's able to score. Gillette played a lot running out of the box for Hill as a freshman and finished at a high clip, but there's no doubt that his role will increase dramatically in Year 2.     When a player puts on a goal-scoring clinic in a summer championship in front of an ESPN+ audience, it's tough for that to fly under the radar, no matter the age group. In Sunday's afternoon tilt with Sweetlax, it quickly became apparent that Fodor's opponent wanted to do anything they could to try to limit him. At one point, he was even shut off on EMO. So, while Fodor's impact on the game wasn't reflected in the scoring column, he still managed to show many of the reasons why he's so respected in the Class of 2027. Athletically, it sometimes looks like he's floating, moving around deftly with his rangy 6'1 frame and demonstrating ambidextrousness that is beyond his years. I try not to make too big of a deal out of any one game, but I can't help but revisit that aforementioned showing at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in the Naptown final. If you wanted to guess what his dominant hand is, you'll probably have a hard time based off of the tape. He constantly attacked poles up top and showed an advanced dodging skill set with either hand, along with outstanding placement on his shots and craftiness that was always on display.

With the November circuit winding down, I hit DE Turf on Sunday for the inaugural Alliance Lacrosse League Fall Championships, attended by over 200 college coaches in the event's fall debut.

My main emphasis was on getting an early look at some of the better '27 squads in attendance, so after highlighting a talented Sweetlax Upstate squad in Tuesday's post, let's head a bit further head south to New Jersey check in on an impressive group of BBL sophomores.

Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual or two-year subscription!