State Tournament Day 1: Top Performers
Mason Asher
At the end of each day we will be putting forth our top 10 performers from the day's action. You can see the top performers from the seven games on Monday below.
Maya McDermott - 5'5 PG - 2020 - Johnston **22 points** McDermott played a fantastic game and willed her team to the victory. She struggled to get anything to fall in the first half but in the second half she really exploded and put her team on her back. She's a quick and small point guard, but when she gets going, not many can stop her. McDermott had a great performance in the first round leading her team back from an 18-point deficit at the half. Committed to Northern Iowa. Zoe Young - 5'10 G - 2019 - West Des Moines Valley **30 points, 10 rebounds** Young was spectacular as she really turned it on in the second half leading Valley to the win in overtime. She is such a solid all-around player and is a leader on the court. I thought that she showed the toughness in the second half that I really wanted to see as she was really poise through the second half. A true game changer, Young can put up points on anyone at anytime. Thought she really led her team well and helped them to the win. Committed to Maryland. Rose Nkumu - 5'8 PG - 2020 - Iowa City **25 points, 7 steals** Nkumu was really good today as the lead guard for Iowa City. She was great at going to the basket, but also shot the ball really well going 5-of-11 from deep. For someone who shot just 24 percent from deep this season, her scoring ability was much needed today. Great defensive effort as well grabbing seven steals and pulling down four rebounds. If we see this type of game more often, she will take her game to the next level. Caitlin Clark - 5'11 G - 2020 - Dowling Catholic **42 points, 10 rebounds** While Clark had to take 39 shots to score 42 points, she really kept her team in the game. It went to three overtimes and Clark fouled out in the third, but the shots she was hitting throughout kept them in the game. She is an ultra competitor who plays with an edge. Controls the ball really well and makes good decisions with the ball allowing her teammates to get open. She has NBA range and can hit a step-back in your face if you put your hand down. A high major recruit with her choice of schools. Katie Dinnebier - 5'7 PG - 2021 - Waukee **31 points** Dinnebier was really good today as she scored 31 huge points in the game. A quick guard she has the ability to sneak into the lane and also pop out and hit a jumper. She shot the ball really well and played very solid defense all game long. A sophomore prospect whose stock should rise this spring and summer. Really, really liked her game this afternoon. Maggie McGraw - 5'11 G - 2019 - Southeast Polk **24 points, 8 rebounds** McGraw was the spark that took Southeast Polk to the top. She played a really solid all around game and was able to get to the rim to score. She didn't get any jumpers to fall but she was clutch at the line hitting 10-of-12 free throws on the day. Really liked the way that she competed and fought once Ankeny Centennial took the lead in the fourth quarter. Committed to Iowa State. Kenna Sauer - 6' PF - 2019 - Ankeny Centennial **17 points, 12 rebounds** When Ankeny Centennial needed someone to step up early in the second half, it was Sauer who did so. She was nearly unstoppable in the second half early as she scored basket after basket in the post. She is a supremely athletic post player who has a really good move to the basket. Really enjoyed watching her today, but basketball isn't in her future. Committed to Mizzou (Volleyball). Jaedon Murphy - 5'10 W/F - 2020 - North Polk **15 points, 11 rebounds** Murphy is a player who played really solidly in the North Polk game. She was able to do some damage on the inside but also was able to create off of the wing. She's a versatile forward who I think is able to bounce out to the wing. She is kind of a player who isn't going to be flashy, but will grab a ton of rebounds and score 10-14 points a game. Really like her game and think that she'll be a solid four year contributor at the next level. Sydney Ross - 6' F - 2019 - Waukon **13 points, 5 rebounds** Ross was magnificent on the defensive end today. She really shut down the post play for Crestwood and fronted the post really well. She has to play hard every minute she was in, and did just that. Honestly, I think it might have been the performance of the day with how much she was needed to be amazing on defense. Very mobile and athletic forward who is as tough as they come. Kaili Lawson - 6'1 C - 2019 - Des Moines Christian **14 points, 7 rebounds** Lawson is a very skilled inside presence for Des Moines Christian and she showed that today. She pretty much had her way down low when she wanted to. Would like to have seen a bit more aggression out of her but overall she played really well. Showed the ability to step out and hit shots and was really solid on the defensive end. A really good performance in the final game of the day.
Maya McDermott - 5'5 PG - 2020 - Johnston **22 points** McDermott played a fantastic game and willed her team to the victory. She struggled to get anything to fall in the first half but in the second half she really exploded and put her team on her back. She's a quick and small point guard, but when she gets going, not many can stop her. McDermott had a great performance in the first round leading her team back from an 18-point deficit at the half. Committed to Northern Iowa. Zoe Young - 5'10 G - 2019 - West Des Moines Valley **30 points, 10 rebounds** Young was spectacular as she really turned it on in the second half leading Valley to the win in overtime. She is such a solid all-around player and is a leader on the court. I thought that she showed the toughness in the second half that I really wanted to see as she was really poise through the second half. A true game changer, Young can put up points on anyone at anytime. Thought she really led her team well and helped them to the win. Committed to Maryland. Rose Nkumu - 5'8 PG - 2020 - Iowa City **25 points, 7 steals** Nkumu was really good today as the lead guard for Iowa City. She was great at going to the basket, but also shot the ball really well going 5-of-11 from deep. For someone who shot just 24 percent from deep this season, her scoring ability was much needed today. Great defensive effort as well grabbing seven steals and pulling down four rebounds. If we see this type of game more often, she will take her game to the next level. Caitlin Clark - 5'11 G - 2020 - Dowling Catholic **42 points, 10 rebounds** While Clark had to take 39 shots to score 42 points, she really kept her team in the game. It went to three overtimes and Clark fouled out in the third, but the shots she was hitting throughout kept them in the game. She is an ultra competitor who plays with an edge. Controls the ball really well and makes good decisions with the ball allowing her teammates to get open. She has NBA range and can hit a step-back in your face if you put your hand down. A high major recruit with her choice of schools. Katie Dinnebier - 5'7 PG - 2021 - Waukee **31 points** Dinnebier was really good today as she scored 31 huge points in the game. A quick guard she has the ability to sneak into the lane and also pop out and hit a jumper. She shot the ball really well and played very solid defense all game long. A sophomore prospect whose stock should rise this spring and summer. Really, really liked her game this afternoon. Maggie McGraw - 5'11 G - 2019 - Southeast Polk **24 points, 8 rebounds** McGraw was the spark that took Southeast Polk to the top. She played a really solid all around game and was able to get to the rim to score. She didn't get any jumpers to fall but she was clutch at the line hitting 10-of-12 free throws on the day. Really liked the way that she competed and fought once Ankeny Centennial took the lead in the fourth quarter. Committed to Iowa State. Kenna Sauer - 6' PF - 2019 - Ankeny Centennial **17 points, 12 rebounds** When Ankeny Centennial needed someone to step up early in the second half, it was Sauer who did so. She was nearly unstoppable in the second half early as she scored basket after basket in the post. She is a supremely athletic post player who has a really good move to the basket. Really enjoyed watching her today, but basketball isn't in her future. Committed to Mizzou (Volleyball). Jaedon Murphy - 5'10 W/F - 2020 - North Polk **15 points, 11 rebounds** Murphy is a player who played really solidly in the North Polk game. She was able to do some damage on the inside but also was able to create off of the wing. She's a versatile forward who I think is able to bounce out to the wing. She is kind of a player who isn't going to be flashy, but will grab a ton of rebounds and score 10-14 points a game. Really like her game and think that she'll be a solid four year contributor at the next level. Sydney Ross - 6' F - 2019 - Waukon **13 points, 5 rebounds** Ross was magnificent on the defensive end today. She really shut down the post play for Crestwood and fronted the post really well. She has to play hard every minute she was in, and did just that. Honestly, I think it might have been the performance of the day with how much she was needed to be amazing on defense. Very mobile and athletic forward who is as tough as they come. Kaili Lawson - 6'1 C - 2019 - Des Moines Christian **14 points, 7 rebounds** Lawson is a very skilled inside presence for Des Moines Christian and she showed that today. She pretty much had her way down low when she wanted to. Would like to have seen a bit more aggression out of her but overall she played really well. Showed the ability to step out and hit shots and was really solid on the defensive end. A really good performance in the final game of the day.
