5 Key Questions After Madison Memorial vs Janesville Craig
Madison Memorial jumped on the cougars from the being and did not let upholding a solid twelve-point margin at the half. The second half was no different as the pressure from the Spartans continued to force Craig into multiple turnovers,…
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Continue ReadingMadison Memorial jumped on the cougars from the being and did not let upholding a solid twelve-point margin at the half. The second half was no different as the pressure from the Spartans continued to force Craig into multiple turnovers, helping extend the lead to a final of 65-46. Although the game ended as a blowout, it did help produce some interesting questions.
#1 How do you stop LeiLani Kapinus
The Penn State commit is a 5’11 nightmare for any team that comes up against Madison Memorial. A primary component of the senior lead Spartans, Kapinus is a force on both sides of the court. However, there does seem to be some chink in the armor. A high-pressure individual and a faceguard mentality can help keep her away from the ball. Craig showed a little of this pressure during the game however they relied on a two-three zone that Kapinus tore apart.
#2 What is Madison Memorial’s ceiling?
With a strong core of seniors as well as an All-state in Kapinus, Madison Memorial’s ceiling is high. Outside of Kapinus influence, the Spartan’s two-point guard rotation creates big problems for the opposing team. Daiysha Brown is a traditional point guard in the sense of a pass-first floor general. She can create off the dribble but gives the Spartans a solid court present that can run the floor immaculate. On the other hand, Liliana Garcia can come in and push the pace. Garcia gives a more of a run and gun aspect to the Spartans. With these different dynamics, the Spartans are poised to make a deep run in the playoffs.
#3 What is Janesville Craig missing?
Janesville Craig was outplayed in every aspect of their game against the Spartans of Madison Memorial. However, there were some lights at the end of the tunnel for the cougars. Sarah Gregg shows that when she is on the cougars can be dangerous. Gregg, a sharpshooter from the outside, has great form on her threes. Unfortunately, Craig is missing that other key component inside to help free up Gregg on the outside. Claudia Fieiras gives a little help with her driving ability although at 5’9 she does not like to get on the block to draw in the defenders that could help Gregg. Thus, a solid inside presence will help free up Gregg and Fieiras from the outside.
#4 What level of Prospect is Claudia Fieiras?
Fieiras was one of the few players to show up in Janesville Craig game against Madison Memorial. She presented some difficulties for Memorial on the offensive end. At 5’9 she has the height that is needed for a 2 or 3 guard. Other than having great height, she can beat a defender off the dribble as well as hit a three with pressure on her. One aspect that would help her game is to develop a post-game. At that height and the build of her body, she has the potential to post up the smaller defenders while also creating problems for bigger defenders on the outside. Similarly, her defense could improve underneath. There were multiple times when she was backed down to the post by the offensive player. Overall, if Fieiras can improve on these skills she can be a force for Craig next year.
#5 Is there a better backcourt in than Garcia and Brown?
Garcia and Brown will not pop off the stats with massive points however they provide a dynamic backcourt that will help Memorial go deep into the playoff. Both players provide too different strategies when they are out on the court. Brown creates a traditional floor general style that gets the ball to Memorial playmakers and provides a solid defensive front to combat in their 1-2-2 full-court press. In contrast, Garcia tunes up the pressure with her explosive speed and willingness to push the ball. This transition into her defense as well that puts even more pressure on the offense. These two players complement each other so well that Madison Memorial can be two different teams, one of slow and methodical or a run and gun team, that is very hard to stop.