Class B State Tournament Preview: X-Factors
The Class B State Tournament starts up Thursday. A good chunk of the players that will be on all-state teams when postseason awards are announced are in attendance and on the biggest stage, those big-name players have a lot on…
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Continue ReadingThe Class B State Tournament starts up Thursday. A good chunk of the players that will be on all-state teams when postseason awards are announced are in attendance and on the biggest stage, those big-name players have a lot on their plate. But who are some lesser-known players who will play roles in potentially shifting the balance?
Here are some of the X-Factors:
Jacee Turcotte, Trenton
Trenton has a lot of firepower and all the component pieces to win multiple games in the state tournament. Kaity Hove and the St. Pierre sisters are going to garner a lot of attention but Turcotte is an integral cog in this wheel too. She’s one of the team’s top defenders, capable of guarding bigger or smaller offensive players. She rebounds well, makes smart plays that impact winning and can score in complementary fashion from the perimeter or on cuts to the rim.
Walker Demers, Grafton
Demers is the lone new starter this year for the Spoilers and she’s been a key cog in their defensive effort all year. At 6-foot-3, she’s a presence in the paint and her length and ability to cover ground allows all the athletic guards on the perimeter to press up on their counterparts and apply pressure. She isn’t heavily involved offensively, but has proven effective when it comes to finishing at the rim and rebounding her area.
Mollie Robins, LaMoure/Litchville-Marion
LLM has gotten this far thanks in large part to stifling defense and while some of its other players have gotten a lot of attention for their efforts on that end of the floor, Robbins is a key cog in the defensive excellence. The Loboes aren’t big, but they do a great collective job of keeping people in front, not allowing penetration and walling up on shots. Robbins has proven to be one the team’s top rebounders despite lacking great height, and her ability to guard up and down a lineup has proven vital.
Rylie Holzer, Central Cass
Central Cass is heading into the tournament with major momentum and Holzer has been one of the team’s many important role players. For a team that does a lot of its damage getting downhill and into the paint, Holzer’s ability to shoot from the perimeter can swing a game in a hurry.
Lexi Olson, Langdon/Edmore/Munich
Olson is the Cardinals’ fifth-leading scorer but her value on both ends of the floor isn’t to be discounted. At 5-foot-9, she’s got the versatility and athleticism to defend five positions on the floor, apply pressure on the passing lanes, rebound in and out of her area and score when opportunities arise.
Kelsey Mischel, Shiloh Christian
Mischel came up with the big shot – a buzzer-beating 3-pointer – in Shiloh’s region final win over Flasher. She’s one of the featured players for the Skyhawks. But for a team that does a lot of its work in the paint and around the rim, Mischel has the ability to stretch the floor and open the game up to a degree.
Tesha Sobolik, Rugby
Sobolik has been a solid rotation piece all year for the Panthers, but she was a different player in the region tournament and it is perhaps the main reason they are in the state tournament. She knocked down five 3-pointers in the Panthers’ win over Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood and three triples in the win over Velva. Rugby isn’t going to win games in the 60s (they might not even win them in the 50s), but the Panthers need to be able to hit shots to take the pressure off the interior players. Sobolik could be the one to do that.
Quinn Mellmer, Hettinger/Scranton
The Night Hawks are back in the state tournament and a lot of the key players from last year have been at the forefront of this year’s success. Sam Oase is going to be an all-stater again and she’s ascended into the clear go-to player. Alyssa Andress hasn’t been as consistent this season, but she’s experienced and highly-talented. The Night Hawks are relying on her. Bailee Pierce has emerged as a very talented scorer. Mellmer is a bit of a wildcard. She’s not going to be at the top of the scouting reports, but her ability to hit open shots, make the right plays and put pressure on the ball could be the difference for a team that has the high-end talent to win multiple games.