Intriguing Prospects: Johnston 49 vs Waukee 41

<em><strong>Johnston</strong></em> -- Johnston had the best player on the floor in this one, and that was the biggest difference-maker in the top 5 clash of CIML titans: <strong style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 16px">Maya McDermott</strong><span style="font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 400"> was slicing and dicing all night and canned four triples en route to a game-high 18 points for the Dragons. She set the tone early with two first quarter 3s, and the UNI recruit never let up. </span><strong></strong> Johnston led at halftime 21-19 before using the third quarter to build a cushion. The 5th-ranked Dragons headed into the fourth quarter up by seven. The Dragons defense was smothering throughout, no one could really get going for Waukee, who was led by sophomore <strong>Katie Dinnebier's</strong> nine points. The Warriors drop to 2-1 with the loss, they'll try and get back into the win column Friday against Fort Dodge. Johnston improves to 5-1 and will play No. 15 Ames on Friday. &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 18pt;color: #ff6600"><strong>Team Scoring</strong></span> <strong>Waukee</strong> --     11   8   7  15 -- <em>41</em> <strong>Johnston</strong> -- 13  8  12  16 -- <em>49 </em> <span style="color: #ff6600;font-size: 18pt"><strong>Individual Scoring</strong></span> <strong>Waukee:</strong> Katie Dinnebier 9, Paityn Rau, 8, Lindsey Kelderman 7, Anna Brown 5, Jori Nieman 4, Petron Kelderman 4, Kat Moody 2, Lexi Boles 2. <strong>Johnston:</strong> Maya McDermott 18, Kendall Nead 11, Maddie Mock 10, Regan Nesheim 5, Anna Gossling 4, Zoey Buchan 1. &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 18pt;color: #ff6600"><strong>The Prospects </strong></span> <strong>Maya McDermott</strong>, 5'5 PG, 2020 (Johnston) The Northern Iowa recruit was easily the most dynamic player on the floor on this night. Despite her diminutive stature, she had a huge court-presence, and it's clear she's ultra confident in her abilities. Her quick crossover was on display plenty, which allows her to get into the paint at will. She didn't shoot the best today (just 6-21), but showcased a full array of shots, including a floater and a quick release 3-ball, of which she canned four. Simply put: McDermott is fun to watch. &nbsp; <strong>Kendall Nead</strong>, 5'11 G/F, 2020 (Johnston) What an impressive prospect Nead is. What's most striking is her length, not only is she 5'11, but has a wing-span that's longer, making her more of a threat for blocks, steals and rebounds. She's got a nice jumper from deep, as evidenced by her pair of triples. The most versatile threat on the floor for Johnston, Nead is a capable post and perimeter presence. &nbsp; <strong>Katie Dinnebier</strong>, 5'7 PG, 2021 (Waukee) The best player for Waukee in this one, Dinnebier finished with nine points and a handful of assists. It's her court-vision and feel for the game that was most impressive, sometimes she sees the floor too well (which resulted in a turnover or two from teammates not ready for her pass), but the high hoops IQ is certainly a plus. Defensively, she has quick hands, which resulted in a couple steals. She's a very promising young prospect for the Warriors. &nbsp; <strong>Maddie Mock</strong>, 6'1 F, 2020 (Johnston) Another junior for the Dragons who thoroughly impressed. Mock came away with a double-double in this one, 10 points and 11 rebounds. She spent most of her time in the paint, but also showed she's a capable 3-point shooter (she was also 3-3 from the line). A stat-stuffer, Mock also was co-leader for the Dragons with three assists. &nbsp; <strong>Paityn Rau</strong>, 6'2 C, 2019 (Waukee) Her sheer size makes her a threat, especially offensively, and at 6'2 she was the tallest player out there in this one. She carves out space well in the paint, and understands spacing. Rau will certainly be among the leading scorers night-in and night-out for the Warriors this season. &nbsp; <strong>Anna Brown</strong>, 5'10 SG (Waukee) It wasn't the best night for Brown, who after hitting a 3-ball early, struggled with her shot throughout. Her five points in this one will be well below what her season average is. She's a sniper from deep, that's evidenced by her 78 made 3s from a season ago. The Loyola-Chicago commit should have a bounce-back game Friday against fort Dodge. &nbsp; <strong>Lindsey Kelderman</strong>, 5'6 G (Waukee) Just a sophomore, Kelderman plays like a seasoned veteran. She seldom made mistakes, and was careful in running the offense when the ball was in her hands. She can shoot it, too.