Illinois Rockets: Week in Review July 5th-12th
I spoke with Head Coach Cass Rufus and I asked him to break down his Illinois Rockets squad and some standout players during their week in Indianapolis. 17u Red Illinois Prep Girls Hoops writer Don Halling wrote a terrific review…
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Continue ReadingI spoke with Head Coach Cass Rufus and I asked him to break down his Illinois Rockets squad and some standout players during their week in Indianapolis.
17u Red
Illinois Prep Girls Hoops writer Don Halling wrote a terrific review of how 17u Red looked during their week in Indy. You can find that article here https://prepgirlshoops.com/2020/07/il-rockets-17u-red-team-review/
17u White Overall Record Nike TOC 3-3. Won their final 3 games of the weekend to finish strong
- Emily Galvan: Rolling Meadows High School. 5’6 2022 – A high volume scoring shooting guard who averaged near 20ppg in Indy during Nike TOC, Emily had her self quite the tournament. She scored from all three levels on the floor and she kept her defenders on her toes and off balance with her quick handles.
- Nicole Connolly: Lincoln-Way Central High School. 5’8 2022 – A guard with great athleticism, Nicole had a standout tournament. Her excellent leaping ability helped her rack up the rebounds and her speed made her a problem for the opposition in the open court. She was knocking down the mid range jumper as well. Nicole is a high ceiling player that only has room to improve.
- Emily Ytsen. Conant High School. 6’0 2022 – A very impressive player playing in only her first year of travel basketball, Emily looked good in Indy. She was able to make shots from the mid range and used her speed to blow by her defenders to get to the rim. She can consistently hit the 3 ball from deep which just adds to her already good scoring skill set. Her length as a guard helps her defend everyone on the floor and grab boards from both the offensive and defensive end of the floor.
- Samantha Locascio. Conant High School. 5’8 2022 – A great defender, Samantha was a problem for teams in Indy. She is relentless in pursuit of the ball and Coach Rufus says that when she is in the lineup the team can switch everything 1-5 on the defensive end. When she is on the floor, her high energy and effort really shines. She was also knocking down the 3 ball and getting to the rim very well this past week.
- Mariann Blass. York High School. 5’8 2022 – Coach Rufus explained her week in Indy the best stating “Mariann can flat out score. She had a great week, scoring a season-high 27 points on 6 of 9 shooting from beyond the arc in one game. She is shooting 44% from deep but is not just a spot-up shooter. She can score off the bounce with an explosive first step off the dribble that allows her to get to the basket.”
- Kelly Knight. Providence Catholic High School. 5’5 2022 – An extremely tough point guard, Kelly brought great athleticism and speed to the floor in Indy. She was able to hit the open court and score with ease and her defense made her a pain for whomever she was guarding, which was mostly the point guard. She is shooting 40% from 3 which just adds to her long list of valuable skills.
- Laurelei Thormeyer. Lincoln Way East High School. 5’6 2022. A commander on offense, Laurelei is a coach’s point guard. She attacked the basket, looking first to set up her teammates’ and then to go at the basket aggressively herself. The team finds the most success when she is able to do this. She was calling defensive sets from the floor and from the bench.
- Sophie Morey. Providence Catholic. 5’10 2022 – Sophie had a fantastic week getting to the basket and finishing using her soft touch. She led the team in blocks and was one of the teams best rebounders. She had a team high 11 points in a win versus Kentucky Elite.
- Dania Sweis. Lockport High School. 5’6 2022 – Dania was a spark plug all tournament. She did a bit of everything; big steals, big shots and great leadership. She had a team high 12 points in a win against a very tough Oregon team.
- Maggie Grady. Lincoln Way East High School. 5’8 2022 – A consistent plus performer for the 16u White Rockets, Maggie was a top player all week. She was top 3 in the team in scoring, boards and steals. She had a knack for finding ways to get to the foul line and had a handful of “and ones” throughout the tourney.
- Hailee Marek. Lincoln Way East. 5’6 2022 – A strong shooter that has made shots all summer, Hailee continued that in Indy. She made some huge 3’s in for the team and finished the tourney with over 20 three pointers made.
- Angelica Bafia. Lockport High School. 5’8 2022 – An integral part of the team that gives everyone confidence that they are never out of a game, Angelica was vital all week. She had crucial steals game after game to go along with some big threes. She was also successful at getting to the rim.
14u Red
- Isabella Morey. Providence Catholic High School. 5’5 2024 – The leading scorer for the 14u Red, Isabella had a great tournament
- Trinity Jones. Madison Jr High. 5’6 2025 – Trinity had a solid tournament. Coach Rufus states that she is one of the top athletes in the Illinois Rocket program.
- Arianna Pellegrini. St. Charles North High School. 5’6 2024 – Arianna was knocking down the outside shots all week. She also played great defense.
The Illinois Rockets will be playing next at the Windy City Classic in Indianapolis July 24th-26th.