Mid America Classic: Point Guards and Play Makers

Dodge City, Manhattan, McPherson, Olathe South, Ulysses, Valley Center, Wellington, and Wichita Southeast filled up the brackets for the 24th Annual Mid America Classic. The event drew teams representing classes 4A-6A and provided opportunities to look at talent from the breadth of the state. I had the opportunity to enjoy all four second round games. Enjoy this look at the point guards and play makers. <h2>Upperclassmen</h2> There are games where absolutely nothing goes as expected. For Manhattan it was the 62-21 semi-final blow-out loss to Olathe South. Open looks consistently missed, offensive rebounds didn't get gathered, routine passes didn't get caught or finished, and their opponent shot the lights out or got multiple stick backs. That was Manhattan's night. In such adversity sometimes you get a chance to see how players handle it. I'm leading off with a pair of Manhattan's guards. [caption id="attachment_25652" align="alignleft" width="300"] Manhattan's Haleigh Harper looks to go end to end against a Olathe South defender following a steal.[/caption] Haleigh Harper, 2019, 5'8" PG -- Harper, a Kansas University softball signee, is one of the keys to her team's success. A three-point shooting threat she has the ability to rebound, pick up a couple steals, and to take care of the ball. [caption id="attachment_25644" align="alignright" width="249"] McPherson's Rylee Hett looks to reverse the ball against Ulysses' Gina Ballesteros.[/caption] Taylor Johnson, 2019, 5'10" G -- Johnson, a Washburn University signee, is the other key to her team's success. Johnson shares time running the point with Harper, has the ability to beat defenders off the dribble, and is often the point on the team's press. Rylee Hett, McPherson, 2019, 5'6" PG -- Hett is key to her team's success due to her quickness, reliability in taking care of the ball, and her solid passing ability. Additionally she is a perimeter scoring threat and sound rebounder on both ends of the court. Gina Ballesteros, Ulysses, 2019, 5'8" PG -- Ballesteros runs the show for a team that likes the transition game and to shoot a lot of threes. While not a pure scorer she comfortably swaps her point position to play on the wing where she is a perimeter threat. Ballesteros is also a very competitive rebounder. Alyssa Castilleja, Ulysses, 2019, 5'6" G -- While she also plays some point Castilleja is a serious scoring threat from the three point line and on the block. She plays big inside and is skilled at shooting over much taller players from anywhere. She also is adept at using the glass. Fast in transition Castilleja gets her share of assists. Liz Taylor, Wichita Southeast, 2020, 5'7" PG -- Taylor is fast in transition with the ball, has a very quick step, and goes aggressively to the basket from each side. A perimeter threat, she also is a strong free throw shooter. She needs to get physically stronger to be able to finish more often while absorbing contact. [caption id="attachment_25657" align="alignleft" width="300"] Wichita Southeast's Liz Taylor eyes a cutter while Dodge City's Amaya Perez defends.[/caption] Charity Dixon, Wichita Southeast, 2020, 5'7" G -- Dixon is a strong perimeter threat with the ability to create her own shot. She has good transition speed and showed a terrific hesitation move off the dribble to create space to score inside. [caption id="attachment_25647" align="alignright" width="289"] Trapped under her basket on the baseline by two Dodge City defenders, Wichita Southeast's Charity Dixon kicks the ball out to the the opposite corner.[/caption]               Riley Ranzau, Valley Center, 2020, 5'4" PG -- Ranzau is a solid ball handler and distributor. She does need to improve greatly in two areas, getting faster with the ball in transition and accuracy with lob passes into the post. She does shoot 80% from the line. [caption id="attachment_25656" align="alignright" width="269"] Valley Center's Riley Ranzau waits for play to resume.[/caption] <h2>Underclassmen</h2> Rylee Rusk, Wellington, 2021, 5'10" G -- Rusk does a lot of everything well. She is quick enough to defend opposing teams' point guards, plays four positions including point guard, and is the team's best passer. Rusk's ability to get shots off quickly boosts her as a perimeter threat as well as when finishing after beating defenders off the dribble. Improving her leaping ability and her control on the drive will improve her effectiveness. She also needs to show she can consistently hit the 8'-10' jumper. [caption id="attachment_25658" align="alignleft" width="300"] Dodge City's Kisa Unruh looks to pass the ball down the floor to a teammate Chidera Okoro.[/caption] Kisa Unruh, Dodge City, 2021, 5'8" G -- Unruh's court vision stands out. It makes her an effective passer, which translates into assists. She is also a three point scoring threat. Unruh needs to improve her ball handling skills especially against full court pressure. Grace Pyle, McPherson, 2021, 5'10" G -- Pyle is an impact player not only because she has a strong all-around game but because her presence on the floor elevates the play of her teammates. She can score off the dribble and on the perimeter, handle the ball well in transition, and distribute in the half court. Where she notably makes her mark is her ability to weak side rebound. [caption id="attachment_25651" align="alignleft" width="300"] McPherson's Grace Pyle eyes a possible three-point attempt from 25' away while Ulysses' Madison Haney stands ready to challenge.[/caption] Reagan Halliday, Olathe South, 2022, 5'4" PG -- In the thrashing of Manhattan Halliday showed why she is one of the strongest point guards in the state let alone of the freshman class. Very fast with the ball she also showed strength with her ability to drive the baseline to score as well as in her passing. She can quickly whip the ball around the perimeter, up the floor in transition, or softly lob inside over opponents' bigs.