Beaver v. Governor’s: Spring Training

Bash Hudson

January 20, 2022 @ 08:34 AM

I saw a competitive matchup between Beaver Country Day and Governor’s Academy, resulting in a 56-41 Beaver Country Day victory. They were tied at 25 going into the half and going back and forth for portions of the third until a key defensive adjustment was made by Beaver which put them in the driver’s seat the remainder of the game. Below are the standouts.   Player of the Game: <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-378115" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/01/5BBD7C2D-D9C2-4CBE-9509-ED2BD4AE7A9F-scaled-crop-1852x1216-1642686907-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="299214" first="Spring" last="Yan"] - Beaver Country Day - 5’3’’ - PG - ’23 Yan getting the second-half challenge of locking down explosive scoring guard [player_tooltip player_id="267115" first="Anique" last="St. Laurent"] was the difference in the game. Yan picking up St. Laurent the length of the floor and being physical with her throughout the final 2 quarters got Governor’s Academy out of their rhythm offensively and led to Beaver forcing turnovers. Yan shifted the game’s momentum on offense too. Six of her eight points came from two deep three-pointers when Governor’s Academy went zone, which gave Beaver a nice jolt. Overall, no one impacted the outcome of the game more than Yan.   Beaver Country Day Standouts: <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-378112" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/psQnmT4vTuAgQC3DwMTA-scaled-crop-1389x912-1642686817-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="263805" first="Oralye" last="Kiefer"] - 6’3’’ - PF - ’22 Keifer got going in the second half and dominated the block. She scored a game-high 17 points, showed great footwork in the post, and also displayed great hands on a few entry passes that came into her. Keifer’s mid-range and high post game played a major role in Beaver’s offensive efficiency, and she was also impactful on defense, altering shots consistently.   [player_tooltip player_id="269480" first="Jessie" last="Silk"] - 5’5’’ - CG - ’24 Silk also had 17 points, and she impressed me with her aggressive drives to the basket. She was excellent at initiating contact while showing the body control and strength to get her shot off and convert and-ones. The lefty slasher has a smooth outside jumper and is comfortable shooting jump shots contested. Silk was active on defense, especially in passing lanes which led to fastbreak opportunities. I thought Silk pushed the tempo well and made good decisions in those situations.   Governor’s Academy Standouts: [player_tooltip player_id="378126" first="Fiona" last="Neilon"] - 5’8’’ - SG/SF - ’24 Neilon was lights out in the first half scoring 12 of her team-high 14 points, including 4 threes. She came off of screens and filled aggressively and ready to shoot off the catch, which gave Governor’s a reliable offensive weapon early on. I was impressed most by Neilon’s toughness and versatility on defense. She was willing to guard any position and held her own against players who had a significant size advantage over her.   [player_tooltip player_id="363769" first="Cece" last="Batchelder"] - 5’4’’ - PG - ’25 Batchelder’s defensive intensity is one component of any Governor’s game that will be consistent throughout. She was relentless on the ball and wreaked havoc on the perimeter with impressive reads and forced turnovers that led to transition layups. Batchelder fights every possession, her effort is always sky high, and she does a good job getting under the opposition’s skin with her constant activity.   [player_tooltip player_id="378110" first="Mikayla" last="Moriarty"] - 5’4’’ - CG - ’24 Moriarty stood out simply because she played harder than anyone on the floor. She made the most out of her minutes by being extremely active on defense and competing at a high level while playing mistake-free on offense. Moriarty takes what the defense gives her and understands her role. I thought she played a significant part in Governor’s staying in the game with her scrappiness and grit.