8 Under the Radar Players: 4A State Tournament
On Monday we will start the 2020 girls’ state tournament in Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena. There are a lot of star players in each class who have led their teams all season long but there are also players…
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Continue ReadingOn Monday we will start the 2020 girls’ state tournament in Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena. There are a lot of star players in each class who have led their teams all season long but there are also players who don’t get the recognition on each team that deserve it. Below I will be taking a look at an under the radar player on each team in the 4A state tournament.
Coryl Matheny – 2022 – Glenwood
Glenwood plays a very up-tempo style of offense and many times that means players can fall out of the spotlight because it is truly such a style that involves everyone. Matheny is one of those such players as she comes off the bench to score 7.7 points a game. Matheny is a very active rebounder on the boards as well as she pulls in 5.1 rebounds a game. She’s a very important player for Glenwood off the bench.
Samantha Scott – 2021 – North Scott
Scott is essentially the best shooter on this North Scott team and she has been very good all year long. It’s easy to stay out of the spotlight on this team with the players they have but Scott is firmly on my radar as one of the best shooters in the state tournament. She scores 8.3 points a game while dishing off a few assists. More importantly, Scott doesn’t turn the ball over as she averages less than one a game.
Cassidy Thompson – 2021 – Ballard
Thompson isn’t a flashy player on the Ballard roster but she is very effective with what she does. She doesn’t score a lot and she doesn’t rebound the ball a ton but she does create a defensive presence on the inside. Thompson swats 2.4 shots a game and that is big for a Ballard team that wants to get out and run with the ball. Thompson will always pitch in a few points and rebounds but it’s her defense that is overlooked on this team.
Tayler Reaves – 2023 – Center Point-Urbana
Reaves has played in all but one game this season and has come off the bench in each of those. Percentage-wise she is the best shooter on the team and I think that it gets lost with the talented players she is around. Reaves scores 4.3 points a game and dishes off an assist a game. She could be averaging a bit more if she were to get more playing time. Reaves is someone who can come in and knock down a few 3s throughout the tournament.
Camryn Grawe – 2020 – Waverly-Shell Rock
Grawe has been a player that I have really liked for a while. She has the ability to do some much more on the floor but just doesn’t have to with the players around her. She pulls down a few rebounds a game and grabs 2.0 steals a game. Grawe is a force on the defensive end and I think that her impact on the game gets lost sometimes because she doesn’t score a ton. Grawe is very important to the success they’ve had.
Whitney Traetow – 2020 – Clear Creek-Amana
Clear Creek-Amana has a few players who are much better than their stat lines might indicate and Traetow is one of those players. She averages 6.8 points a game and you can count on her to be smart with the ball and accurate with her passes. She will always be near two assists and a few steals each game. Traetow is a big glue piece to Clear Creek-Amana’s team this year.
Thea Rotto – 2021 – Gilbert
Rotto has been one of my favorite players to watch for a while now and I still don’t think people give her as much credit as they should. She has a very high basketball IQ and sometimes that doesn’t show up in the stat sheet. She is tough with the ball in her hands and clears out space on the inside really well. If Gilbert is going to advance through the tournament, Rotto will be a key reason for that.
Grace Ruzicka – 2021 – Lewis Central
Ruzicka is a player who primarily looks to shoot the outside shot when she is in the game. She is a fairly good shooter and she nails it at a 35 percent rate and scores 4.3 points a game. Ruzicka adds in a steal and an assist per game and plays solid defense. She is one of the better free throw shooters on the team and could really have a nice run in the state tournament.