Team Preview: Midland Dow
MIDLAND DOW Today we examine perennial Class A powerhouse Midland Dow. Last Season Dow went 17-6 overall with an impressive 10-3 record in the Saginaw Valley Conference while playing one of the toughest schedules in the state. The Chargers resume…
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Continue ReadingMIDLAND DOW
Today we examine perennial Class A powerhouse Midland Dow. Last Season Dow went 17-6 overall with an impressive 10-3 record in the Saginaw Valley Conference while playing one of the toughest schedules in the state. The Chargers resume in 2017-2018 included wins over talented squads such as Chandler Park Academy, River Rouge and Bay City Western while going toe to toe with Detroit Country Day, Carman-Ainsworth and Detroit Martin Luther King in single digit losses. Dow eventually fell to conference rival and Class A state champion Saginaw Heritage in the District finals despite a gritty effort that was nearly good enough to garner a victory.
The Chargers have one of the best starting backcourts in the state with the 1-2 punch of seniors Molly Davis and Maizie Taylor. Committed to Central Michigan, Molly is a 5’7 combo-guard capable of putting up points in a hurry. Dow head man Kyle Theisen says “we will not play a team all year who has someone that can guard Molly. She can get in the lane and create her own shot any time she wants. She is a great shooter and defender.” Maizie is the proverbial floor general that makes the game easy for teammates. Theisen describes the Northwood commit as “an old school point guard that would rather create for others than shoot herself. She is the best passer I have ever coached and great in transition, but still a good shooter when left open.”
Freshman Alexa Kolnitys and Abby Rey are names to look out for. While the Chargers will not rely on either player, one or both may get significant minutes and be rotational pieces in the lineup.
When asked what is the X-factor for the team this season, Coach Theisen replied “I don’t really see an X-factor for this team.” That outlook makes a ton of sense for a program that brings back the entire roster with another year of experience under the belt. “We return everyone from last year and we know what to expect.” The Chargers head man will lean on his talented guards to do the heavy lifting. “We rely on Molly and Maizie to run the team. Our third option typically changes every game depending on match ups. Our team keeps more of a focus on doing our jobs well, so we don’t have to look for that unknown person to save us.”
In terms of style of play, a large portion of the doing the job well for Dow is high-octane perimeter shooting. “We love to play fast in transition and spread the floor. We have great shooters at every position. We are consistently ranked in the top 10 in the state each year in team 3 point percentage.” With talented shot creators off the bounce, Coach anticipates another successful year from beyond the arch. “Molly and Maizie are great shooters and great off the dribble, which creates a lot of open shots for teammates.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
MOLLY DAVIS – Sr. 5-7 G:
Davis could light up the scoreboard from just about anywhere. Regularly draining NBA-range 3’s and leading the Chargers’ fast break, she was almost impossible to stop one-on-one when driving to the rim. Last season Davis, who is committed to play at Central Michigan University, averaged 17.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, while shooting an impressive 56 percent from 2-point range, 37 percent from 3-point range, and 85 percent from the foul line.
MAZIE TAYLOR Sr. 5-8 PG
Committed Monday to play for Northwood. Taylor, who will be a fourth-year starter at Dow this winter, is generally known as an aggressive and savvy floor general who gets the ball to her teammates in good position to score. Her favorite part of basketball is that she likes to get out and push the pace and find the open person up the court and get the offense moving.
HALEY JASTER Jr. 6-2 C:
A player that can beat you inside or out. She is at her best running the floor. She’s a very skilled player. She’s a good shooter, has pretty good footwork, and is very coordinated and athletic for her size. She’s more guard-oriented even though she’s tall. She is a versatile player who can play inside or outside.
JADA GARNER 5-6 So. G
A solid defensive player who drive and shoot effectively from behind the arc. Contributed soild minutes off the bench as a freshman. Look for her to start and develop as the year goes on.
KATELYN MURRAY 5-6 So G
Another returner who played on varsity last season. A great team player who works hard on both ends of the floor. With another year’s experience on the varsity, look for improvement and major contributions from Murray.