Big 8 Game of the Night: Craig vs. #5 Sun Prairie Top Performers

In another stunner by Janesville-Craig, the Cougars (3-3) walked out of Sun Prarie High School with a 51-41 win against the #5 Cardinals. While SP enjoyed a 21 rebound advantage, credit the Craig 2-3 zone for stuffing the paint and forcing the Cardinal’s best outside players out of their typical shot profiles. But what truly separated the two sides was the inspired play of [player_tooltip player_id="204121" first="Kate" last="Huml"], who went off for 25 points and 10 rebounds, raining in jumpers all night in a game without a consistent offensive flow. <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">MVPs:</span></strong> <strong>Janesville-Craig: [player_tooltip player_id="204121" first="Kate" last="Huml"] | Class of 2022 | Guard | #40 Overall Recruit | UW-Oshkosh commit</strong> On a night where none of the stars got going offensively until late in the second half, Huml put the team on her back to get the road win. She opened the game with a corner pocket three and for a shooter like Huml, all it’s taken this season to get her going is seeing one shot go in. Her movement shooting and ability to find the infinitesimal amount of space in the defense demoralized Sun Prairie. And this is no aberration, she’s already had games of 26 and 27 points this season. While it’s known statewide that Huml is an elite catch-and-shoot scorer, what impressed me most on the offensive end was her ability to create for herself and others off the dribble. She’s sneaky fast but relies on simple change-of-pace dribble moves to create space. One move, in particular, stood out. With under five minutes to go, Huml utilized a pump fake to get [player_tooltip player_id="157531" first="Avree" last="Antony"] off-balance, used one-dribble to explode toward the basket as Antony recovered, threw a hesitation dribble to change pace and create space, and pulled up for a 12-foot jumper as SP looked to go on a huge run. A defensive footnote: Huml is the only player I’ve seen all season long stunt Antony’s attempts to the rim. Antony is a speed demon and Huml did an incredible job staying in front of her at the top of the 2-3. <strong>Sun Prairie: [player_tooltip player_id="157531" first="Avree" last="Antony"] | Class of 2023 | Guard | #3 Overall Recruit | Uncommitted</strong> It’s no coincidence that once Antony fouled out the Craig lead ballooned from four to ten. She was the most offensively aggressive player for Sun Prairie and kept them in the game. Her jumper came and went as the game went on but her explosiveness attacking the basket and fight on the offensive glass kept the Cardinals in the game despite their sluggish play in the half-court. Her 16 points and 9 boards paced the team and anchored them on both ends. But if I were a college coach (say, UW-Madison’s Marrisa Mosely) what would excite me the most is Antony’s heart and endurance on the defensive end. She pressed [player_tooltip player_id="206576" first="Ellie" last="Magestro-Kennedy"] full court all night and relented no space to her matchup in half-court sets. And while slower players would get burned by applying a similar amount of pressure, Antony has the raw speed, quickness, and defensive pride to stay in her stance and compete. She and [player_tooltip player_id="206584" first="Marie" last="Outlay"] were the main defenders on Magestro-Kennedy and held a 24.5 point per game scorer to 11. <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Best Defender</span></strong> <strong>Janesville-Craig: Ella Clarke | Class of 2023 | Forward | Unranked | Uncommitted</strong> Clarke was Craig’s defensive anchor all night long. Though she isn’t as intimidating an interior defender as, say, Sun Prairie’s [player_tooltip player_id="342098" first="Makiah" last="Hawk"], she did all the small things that result in winning basketball for the Cougars. She had two blocks and another challenged shot within the first five minutes of the game and consistently disrupted the rhythm of Sun Prairie’s offensive motion. So many times -- especially in the first half -- Clarke was the difference between an easy layup and a turnover. She played bigger than her 5’10" frame dictates and forced the Cardinals into awkward substitution patterns. <strong>Sun Prairie: [player_tooltip player_id="206584" first="Marie" last="Outlay"] | Class of 2023 | Wing | #29 Overall Recruit | Uncommitted </strong> Outlay is one of the smartest players in the state of Wisconsin. On both ends, she knows exactly where everyone should be and is often the one setting up certain matchups. Against Janesville-Craig, she was the defensive organizer and most active off-ball defender. While it’s commonplace to find Outlay cheating off of her assignment or zoning off the weakside to create turnovers, she’s often a very efficient mover, expending minimum intensity for maximum results. Last night, she cranked up the defensive intensity to the highest level I had seen all season long--including their statement win against Verona. Outlay matched up against Craig’s three best players over the course of the night, created steals, and disrupted the flow of Craig’s game plan. Had Huml not gone nuclear, Outlay’s play on that end would be the leading storyline. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Underrated Performers</strong></span> <strong>Janesville-Craig: Brae Bertocchi | Class of 2024 | Forward | Unranked | Uncommitted</strong> Bertocchi was Craig’s most versatile defender in their win. She can play four positions in the 2-3 and has legitimate length that can hound the ball and recover to the painted area. And in a game where rotations were shortened on both sides, that the first-year varsity sophomore earned significant minutes is a testament to her growth on that side of the floor. One of those signs of growth is her improved understanding of how she can maximize her potential while flanking the center in the 2-3. Instead of staying flat and waiting to react to a pass, she ever so slightly top locks the wing player and angles her positioning in a way that lets her cover as much ground as possible. Exciting to see where she can take her defensive potential <strong>Sun Prairie: Lucy Strey | Class of 2023 | Forward | Unranked | Uncommitted</strong> Strey was the safety valve in the second half as Sun Prairie found their offensive rhythm. Her touch around the rim led to 8 second-half points and provided a ton of stability. As wings attacked a crowded paint, Strey slipped between the seams of the zone and capitalized on her opportunities inside. And her interior passing was one of the most impactful aspects of the game. She got others going with her ability to thread bounce passes between bodies in tight areas. On a night where Hawk struggled offensively, Strey proved why she earned the start and found ways to impact the game without having to dominate the ball. &nbsp; &nbsp;