2024 Names to Know: Part Two

<p style="text-align: center;">Now that we have crossed the midway point of the season, I wanted to highlight the up and coming names who have had success in their first high school action. Keep an eye on these players down the stretch of this season, and in the coming years.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Kenzie Melcher - Bellevue West</span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;">When I first watched Bellevue West this season, I was surprised to find out Kenzie Melcher was only a freshman. Yes, she is talented, but she makes reads that you hope your upperclassmen can make. Her off-ball defense really flashed in the times I have watched her. She times her digs perfectly, and she is very accurate on those swipes. She is great at guarding her woman without having to keep her eyes on her. She uses her body to feel out the position of her assignment and where she might go, all while visually monitoring the other action on the court. Her three-point shooting has been excellent this season (37% on 4 attempts per game), and she's comfortable shooting off the catch or dribble.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>McKenna</b></span><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Stover - Omaha Marian</span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;">McKenna is a smart lead guard who will improve immensely once the game slows down for her. She can get tunnel vision at times, only seeing where she wants to go or where she wants to pass the ball. She doesn't always read the help, and will turn it over periodically because of a premeditated pass. She has proven she can make the right play, but sometimes it comes a half-second too late. Her scoring ability is a bit of an unknown at this point, as she doesn't have the strength and conditioning to beat her defender 1v1 and finish through contact. As the game slows, and her body develops, the tools are there to be a high-level starting point guard at the high school level.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Allison Marshall - Gretna</span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Gretna has benefitted greatly from Allison's impact without the ball in her hands. She rebounds at a high level, and has flashed great off-ball defensive instincts. She slides her feet well, and her hands are always in a strong guarding position. She digs at the driver with precise timing, and knows when to get out of the play and back to her assignment. Marshall hardly looks for her own offense, so that side of the ball is unknown at this point.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Ellie Shanahan - Duchesne</span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Ellie fits in perfectly with this Duchesne roster. She is a quality passer on a team filled with good passing. In transition, she makes some excellent plays, and not always the most obvious one available. To avoid pressure defense, or when she notices a numbers advantage on one side of the court, she will pass quickly to get into advantageous situations. When the defense is in rotation and the ball is swinging, Ellie can reliably knock down the kill shot when the ball finds her hands.</p>