Notes from Day 1 of Orlando Splash

Orlando Splash has come around again. There were some big-time performances throughout the day. Here's who caught my eye on Day 1. Tai Baldwin 2022 University Christian)  showed some quickness on the court on day 1 of Orlando Splash.  She had several offensive rebounds and put-backs that were attributed to her quickness.  She was running down loose balls with a faster gear than anyone on the court.  Baldwin did a nice job of penetrating the defense and dishing to the bigs.   Her first step was lethal. [player_tooltip player_id="91588" first="Janiyah" last="Jackson"] ( St Augustine 2022)  was a force on the boards and blocking shots on Day 1 of Orlando Splash.   Jackson did a nice job of running the floor,  showed some soft hands on her catches,  and did a good job of finishing around the basket.  Jackson was getting to the loose balls as well.   She sprinkled in a good offensive performance (double-digit scoring)  to go with her solid defensive efforts. Tori  Balser (2024)  looked to be in mid-season form today.   She did a great job running the floor and shooting the nice midrange.   Balser showed her passing skills with some nice entry passes to the bigs down low and also showed the ability to pass after drawing defenders. [player_tooltip player_id="248568" first="Cee" last="Cee Bell"]  (University Christian 2022) showed some serious quickness on the floor: chasing defenders down for steals, playing the passing lanes,  and playing with a contagious motor that doesn’t turn off.    She was definitely a force on the court on both sides of the court,   connecting on some nice 3 point shots. [player_tooltip player_id="247153" first="Ronnie" last="Hannah"] ( St Augustine 2023)  connected on 4 3s.  Shot the ball with confidence and accuracy. Kendall  Shorstein ( Episcopal 2024) shot the ball well from mid-range and behind the arc.  She also did a good job handling the ball,  handling pressure, and running the point. Yakiya Milton  (2023) showed why she is one of the hottest recruits in the State.   It wasn't so much what she did but how she did it.  She hit a jumper from long range, followed by a midrange shot, and then a putback after an offensive rebound.  Milton showed that she can pass the ball as well.   Watching her run the floor on fast break opportunities was impressive to watch. [player_tooltip player_id="91582" first="Nia" last="Brown"] (Orange Park 2023)  knows how to play defense and she definitely knows how to block shots.  Her timing on blocks is impeccable.   On Day 1 of the Orlando Splash, she played her usual defense and added 12 points in the process. Did a good job of running the floor as well.