2021 MAYB Girls Nationals Standouts: Part 1
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So many great Oklahoma teams played in the MAYB Nationals this past weekend in OKC that getting around to see everyone in person proved somewhat daunting. Alas, my car had plenty of gas and there is video out there if…
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Continue ReadingSo many great Oklahoma teams played in the MAYB Nationals this past weekend in OKC that getting around to see everyone in person proved somewhat daunting. Alas, my car had plenty of gas and there is video out there if I didn’t get to everyone in person so I was still able to see a TON of talent over a very short period of time. My focus was on the 9th-10th and 11th-12th grade teams and Oklahoma teams ended up winning both. Today I’ll begin with a look at some of the 9th-10th teams and the players that stood out on each one.
*Note: Coaches, if you didn’t turn in a roster for the tourney or it didn’t get uploaded to the app (and isn’t readily available online), I have no way of knowing who your players are and therefore can’t right about them.
Oklahoma Fusion 2024
Snowda Watie Snowda Watie 5'6" | PG Stilwell | 2024 State OK | 5-6 PG | Stilwell | 2024 | @snowdawatie10
Watie is silky smooth with her handles. The consummate point guard, she is a great distributor and reader of the defense. Several times as she was left open on the perimeter and the ball was heading her way, I heard the opposing coach yell “SHOOTER” as loud as they could. It was for good reason since Snowda can fill it up from long range. Watie stands out on her 4A high school squad and after this weekend I see that she stands on any squad and against any competition. Watie led her Fusion team to a 6-1 record on the weekend against some very, very good teams.
Kori Rainwater Kori Rainwater 6'1" | C Tahlequah | 2024 State OK | 6-1 F/C | Tahlequah | 2024 | @Kori_Rainwater
Rainwater has great size – not just for a sophomore – but, for any high school player. The best part about her game is her ability to handle the ball and to shoot from further out than just in the paint. She moves very well for a “big” and can guard positions one through five. The threat of scoring from outside and her ability to handle the rock allows for her to blow by slower inside players who step out to guard her at the three-point line. She is basically a nightmare match-up for opposing coaches and is deserving of her No. 22 position in the 2024 rankings – possibly even better.
OK Swarm 2023 (M Cooper)
Baylee Mooney | 5-10 G | Harrah | 2023 | @bAyLeE301
Mooney has an unbelievably quick shot from deep meaning that if you give her an inch of space, she is going to let it fly. She is very bouncy and with her bounce and length, she is a shot changer under the rim. She is definitely not limited to a guard role. She hustles on the defensive end and is disruptive to the flow of the opponent’s offense. Baylee is very fun to watch and is a big part of what this very good Swarm team does on the court.
Hannah Fields | 5-11 CG | Norman North | 2023 | @HannahGFields2
This Swarm squad is loaded with very tall guards who can seemingly play anywhere on the floor. Hannah is yet another one of them. The first thing you notice about Fields is her willingness to defend. Really, the whole Swarm squad does, but Fields forces a lot of turnovers when she does. She always has her eyes up on both ends, diagnosing what is happening and playing the passing lanes or hitting a sweet pass to a teammate for an open shot on the offensive end. She gets out in transition and does a good job of finishing and playing through contact.
iD3NTiTY ELiTE
Paige Langley Paige Langley 5'7" | CG Jenks | 2025 FL | 5-7 G/F | Tulsa CHEF | 2025 | @Paigelangley_
This kid can flat out ball. She seems to be in every play and does things to make the outcome favor her team more often than not. She can score from seemingly anywhere. Her defense is top-notch due to a high basketball IQ and tremendous quickness. She goes hard to the rim and finishes consistently. On a loaded team like iD3NTiTY ELiTE it could be hard to stand out, but she does just that. Paige plays a lot bigger than her 5-7 and definitely turns some heads with her play anytime she is on the court. She is a fiery player with a ton of heart and there is no doubt in my mind that she is a Division-I player.
Heaven Smith | 5-6 PG | Tulsa Hope Academy | 2024
Heaven goes so hard to the rim that despite her being only 5-6, opposing players actually move out of her way. She is a wrecking ball. A whirling dervish. A beast. When she receives the pass on the perimeter, if the defender gives her even an inch of space, she is going to the rim and I can promise you, she will finish. I saw her score from all three levels consistently and – as if that wasn’t enough – she also does a very good job of running the offense and distributing. Smith is very quick, has very good handles and can basically get buckets from anywhere on the court. Though she was overlooked in the previous 2024 rankings, she won’t be again. This kid is an absolute baller and if you get the chance to see her play in person, you need to do it coaches!