HoopPlay Nationals Post Top Performances

HoopPlay Nationals featured some great team and individual play. This article will focus on the post players that really stood out during the national tournament. <strong>Azurea Seamster | 2023 | AR Blaze (Lafayette County High School)</strong> Aurea is an athletic post player that posts up strong. She grabs it off the defensive board and pushes it in transition. She possesses the skill to make plays for others while in transition by making on-target passes. Opposing players had a hard time keeping her off the offensive boards. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="306101" first="Alex" last="Newland"] | 2023 | AR United (Greenbrier High School)</strong> Alex is a post player that demonstrated her abilities from the interior and perimeter. She could score from the low post and step out and make the three. <strong>Sydney Standridge | 2023 | AR United (Clinton High School)</strong> Sydney was very effective from the mid-post. She could attack the defense in straight-line drives to get to the rim. She played through contact, finished in transition, and offered good help defense with her shot-blocking. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="308574" first="Dessi" last="McCarty"] | 2024 | AR Elite (Mt. Vernon High School)</strong> Dessi was one of the most skilled post players in the national tournament. She possed good footwork with a soft touch around the basket. She could grab the defensive rebound and push it in transition. Dessi could also make the deep ball if left open. <strong>Keller Bingham | 2022 | AR Sting (Warren High School)</strong> Keller is a post player that has good length that can contest shots without fouling. She has a soft touch around the basket, is serviceable with her handle, and can shoot the jumper. <strong>Aubrey Evans | 2023 | OK Fusion (Bigelow High School)</strong> Aubrey is a good athlete that runs the floor well and gives a lot of effort on both ends of the floor. The energy she possesses allows her to give multiple efforts on the boards. She has a soft touch around the basket, can push it in transition,  and finish through contact. <strong>Rilee Underwood | 2022 | OK Fusion (Pottsville High School)</strong> Rilee was one of the best post defenders in the tournament. She moves her feet well on closeouts to contest and was quick enough to protect against the drive. On help defense, she would rotate early to block or alter shots. Offensively she was effective from the high post. She could attack and finish at the rim. Rilee also made herself available off penetration, has a soft touch, good footwork on the low block, and rebounds well.