Central Illinois Thanksgiving Week Recap

Last week I was in Central Illinois visiting family for Thanksgiving and was able to get out and watch some teams play that I don’t normally get to see throughout the basketball season. Here is a group of players that stood out to me at the Thanksgiving Tournaments I was able to attend: <strong>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="241897" first="Megan" last="Williams"], 5’10” Guard, Normal West </strong> A multi-talented Combo Guard with good scoring abilities from every level, Williams paced her team with 10pts and 8rebs against a talented Washington squad. She is a confident ball-handler who uses her strength to fight through contact and finish among defenders at the basket. Megan is a terrific shooter from beyond the three-point line and plays tough on defense with her length and crashes the boards on a consistent basis. <strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="346997" first="Claire" last="McDougall"], 6’0” Guard, Washington </strong> McDougall is an incredibly skilled Small Forward who plays the 1-5 with her Washington team and finds success with her length and athleticism. The Bradley University commit led the way with 20pts and 10rebs with the majority of her scoring coming from mid-range jumpers and impressive takes to the hoop. Claire gives great versatility at both ends of the floor and has the potential to be a big difference maker at the next level. <strong>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="203244" first="Georgia" last="Duncan"], 6’0” Guard, Washington</strong> Much like her teammate at Washington, Duncan is a player any coach would like to have with her ability to play and defend multiple positions at a high level. The McKendree University commit is an excellent scorer with an outstanding jump shot and smooth finishing skills in the lane. Georgia uses her length and quickness on defense to cause problems for opposing ball-handlers and can slide down to the post and block or alter shots regularly. <strong>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="78772" first="Katie" last="Krupa"], 6’2” Forward, Morton</strong> A top player in Illinois’ Class of 2022, Krupa showcased her wide range of skills in a lopsided victory over Batavia. The Harvard commit tallied 17pts and 5rebs while knocking down shots from the perimeter and scoring in the lane with a variety of post moves. Katie is an incredibly intelligent athlete who always plays under control when faced with pressure and provides great leadership to her teammates. <strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="347004" first="Tatym" last="Lamprecht"], 5’8” Guard, Morton</strong> Lamprecht is an impressive Point Guard in the Junior Class who makes a significant impact with the ball in her hands. She is a skilled ball-handler who plays with excellent pace and shows good composure when leading the team and running the offense. Tatym matched Krupa with 17pts of her own, knocking down a few shots from beyond the three-point line and finishing at the rim among taller defenders. <strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="295262" first="Addy" last="McLeod"], 5'7" Guard, Champaign Central </strong> The top performer that I saw last week, McLeod led her team to an impressive victory over a solid Peoria Richwoods program with 26pts and 11rebs. She is an efficient three-level scorer with a knock-down jumper and in-the-gym range. Addy is a constant playmaker with the ball in her hands, consistently getting into the lane with ease and finishing creatively at the hoop. <strong>2023 Nevaeh Essien, 6’0” Forward, Champaign Central </strong> Essien was a phenomenal compliment to McLeod’s play on the perimeter with her ability to move throughout the lane and impact the game down low. She is a strong and active Forward who brought down 9rebs to go along with 13pts. Nevaeh uses good footwork with and without the ball to put herself in position to score and shows nice touch when finishing at the basket. <strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id="265980" first="Kamryn" last="Heider"], 5’7” Guard, Peoria Richwoods</strong> A talented player you need to keep an eye on in Central Illinois, Heider is a do-it-all Combo Guard who is going to give teams issues over the next three years. She is an outstanding shooter from beyond the three-point line and uses her speed and ball-handling skills to dominate in the open floor. Kamryn plays tough on-ball defense against opposing Point Guards and gives extra effort when going after rebounds and loose balls. <strong>2024 Braniyah Hickman, 5’10” Forward, Peoria Richwoods</strong> Hickman is a strong and skilled interior post player who played a vital role in Richwoods’ close loss to Champaign Central, scoring 13pts and bringing down 6rebs. She has good ball skills on the block and showed a variety of post moves to create opportunities for herself near the basket. Braniyah runs the floor well and excels in the transition game so her ball-handlers can set her up for easy points.