Takeaways from Class 5 State Tournament: Class of 2021 Standouts

In Roanoke Virginia, there were two teams who wanted to earn there way to the state finals, Patrick Henry-Roanoke (22-6) vs Highland Springs (24-2). It was a battle from the beginning of the game, with Highland Springs only leading by 5 at halftime. However, they came out of the half hot and outscored Patrick Henry 32-13 in the second half to secure the victory 59-35. Highland Springs will advance to the State Championship finals. It was mostly the Class of 2021 standouts who made the most noise in this competition. The takeaways we have from the Class 5 State Tournament are: [caption id="attachment_154177" align="alignleft" width="300"] [player_tooltip player_id="21914" first="Sydney" last="Boone"] lets it fly from behind the arc. Photo Credit: Ryan Hunt/Roanoke Times.[/caption]<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="21914" first="Sydney" last="Boone"] - Highland Springs - 2021</strong> Syndey is a 5’7 guard, who led all scorers with 18 points, including 4 three-pointers and 7 steals. She is a scorer with smooth ball handling, a mean stepback and can shoot the ball from deep. Sydney uses her basketball IQ and great court vision to make sensational passes, allowing her team to score easy buckets when the defense focuses on her.  She has earned region 5B Player of the Year and First Team All-Region honors throughout the season. [caption id="attachment_154178" align="alignright" width="275"] [player_tooltip player_id="21919" first="Iyanna" last="Rogers"] finishing over top of the defenders. Photo Credit: Ryan Hunt/Roanoke Times.[/caption]&nbsp; &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="21919" first="Iyanna" last="Rogers"] - Highland Springs - 2021</strong> Iyanna is a 6’2 forward, who was the second-leading scorer in the game with 16 points. She is long, athletic, and can run the floor really well, getting easy points in transition. She uses her length to play big down low and protect the rim, in which, she had 10 rebounds with 5 blocks in the game. Iyanna has earned First Team All-Region throughout the tournament. <strong><span style="color: #000000">India Dailey </span>- Highland Springs - 2021</strong> India is a 5’9 guard, who scored 13 points, including 3 three-pointers in the game. She is able to create her own shots and plays aggressively on both ends of the floor. India has earned Third Team All-Region honors throughout the tournament. [caption id="attachment_154179" align="alignleft" width="300"] Kiaa Boyd goes to the hole, finishing strong. Photo Credit: Ryan Hunt/Roanoke Times.[/caption] <strong>Kiaa Boyd - Highland Springs - 2021</strong> Kiaa is a 5’7 guard who scored 11 points, including 1 three-pointer in the victory over Patrick Henry to help her team advance to the Class 5 state championship. She is an all-around player for her team, scoring 21 points in the 5B Regional Championship game. Kiaa has earned Second Team All-Region honors throughout the tournament. [caption id="attachment_154183" align="alignright" width="230"] Moneshia Wright finishes strong over Kiaa Boyd. Photo Credit: Ryan Hunt/Roanoke Times.[/caption] <strong>Moneshia Wright - Patrick Henry - 2020</strong> Moneshia is a 6’0 center who plays big down low, scoring a team-high 13 points in the game. She uses her size to get buckets off of post moves, offensive rebounds, and receiving passes from her teammates by knowing where to be as they penetrate and have to dish. She has become a big part of Patrick Henry's success by playing aggressive and defending well in the paint. [caption id="attachment_154184" align="alignleft" width="300"] Savannah Derey drives strong to the basket. Photo Credit: Ryan Hunt/Roanoke Times.[/caption] <strong>Savannah Derey - Patrick Henry - 2021</strong> Savannah is a 6’1 forward who can dominate on the boards and also handle the ball, bringing it up the floor. She ended the game with a double-double, scoring 12 points and 20 rebounds. Savannah has a nice midrange game, scoring down low, and can also step out and shoot from behind the arc. She is aggressive on both ends of the floor, playing hard throughout the game, and leading her team with her intensity.