Coach Kipps Hoopsfest Day 1: First Team All-Shootout & MVP
12 hours of basketball over a stretch of 8 games. Day 1 of the Coach Kipps Hoopsfest was simply amazing from start to finish. PA announcer Steve Lessman, the DJ, & the players kept the crowd locked in from morning…
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Continue Reading12 hours of basketball over a stretch of 8 games. Day 1 of the Coach Kipps Hoopsfest was simply amazing from start to finish. PA announcer Steve Lessman, the DJ, & the players kept the crowd locked in from morning to night. Each game had two MVPs regardless of what the scoreboard showed. The girls came out, competed, and put on a show!
Below are my selections for First Team All-Shootout and the MVP of Day 1
2022 Sawyer White Sawyer White 5'8" | PG Montini | 2022 State IL | 5’8 Combo Guard | Montini Catholic *PLAYER OF THE GAME* (on right)
A win, a halftime half-court heave, and a well-rounded stat line of 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. The recent Illinois Wesleyan commit had a strong game against Oak Forest. Sawyers’s ability to pick and choose when she needs to attack and facilitate is the true essence of a point guard. Offensively, she’s full of finesse and patience. White can hurt the defense from all levels of the court.. and she showed throughout her 29 minutes of play. On the opposite side of the ball, she’s just as effective. Her presence in the passing lanes and on-ball defense is felt on every defensive possession. A high IQ guard that just continues to get better every day and every minute she spends on the court.
2023 Olivia Vick Olivia Vick 5'6" | CG Whitney Young | 2023 State IL | 5’7 Combo Guard | Whitney Young *PLAYER OF THE GAME* (on left)
Over half of her field goals and attempts were from the arc.. but that’s the tool that gets Vick going. Her sniper ability is well known, and much needed by her team. She has a toughness and an overlooked strength about her that allows her to be effective on both sides of the board regardless of her height. Capping the night off with 20 points and 5 rebounds, she was the spark her team needed when the usuals were having an “off night” Staying on the court for 31 minutes in the win against Burlington Central… her stamina mixed with her confidence to keep shooting was the true threat to her opponents. Olivia is continuing to catch the eyes of many.
2023 Janae Kent Janae Kent 6'0" | SG Oak Forest | 2023 State IL | 6’1 Stretch Post | Oak Forest *PLAYER OF THE GAME* (on left)
She needs no introduction… The candidate for Illinois Ms. Basketball is top tier. Kent can go off for 30 plus on any given night. She’s versatile and can play every position if need be. She possesses a guard-like skill set at 6’1 and can do it all from every angle of the court. Her frame is the first thing you notice… shes strong, athletic and just built to dominate the game. Off the dribble… she’s a problem, catch and shoot… she’s a problem, and when she’s in the post… it’s a bucket. Kent took a tough loss without her running mate on Saturday, but she put up 19 points (10 in the 3rd, & 8-9 from the line), and grabbed 6 boards.
2023 Elise Ward | 5’11 Wing | Marist *PLAYER OF THE GAME* (on right)
Length is a strength… and Ward used her frame perfectly to grab the W for her team. She finished the night with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals. Offensively, she’s effective in every position you need her in. She can take it to the bucket and use her length to score over or through the defense. She’s comfortable at the arc and can go coast to coast to score or play make. Defensively, her length is the main weapon. There’s not a shot she cant block, and a passing lane she can disrupt. Elise’s skillset stuffs the stat sheet, and she proved it on Day 1 against York.
2023 Jaclyn Riedl | 6’0 Forward | Maine West *PLAYER OF THE GAME* (on left)
Setting the standard at 9:30 am… Jaclyn woke up ready to go. She put up 21 points (4/5 from 3) and 5 rebounds in the win over Timothy Christian. Just one point shy of having half of the team’s total points. Riedl was the clear force behind the victory. She can affect the game at every level. She has the size and athleticism to attack the paint and go to work in the post. Outside the arc, she’s just as dangerous… a smooth and quick release allows her to let it go whenever and wherever. On defense, her size is felt as well. She can stay on ball or get blocks, deflections, and multiple steals from the gap or just gamble with her reach. A talented and versatile player who just hustles from start to finish.
MVP OF DAY 1
2023 Lexi Salazar Lexi Salazar 5'7" | SG Plainfield North | 2023 State IL | 5’7 Combo Guard | Plainfield North *PLAYER OF THE GAME*
Last game of the day… and if you stayed, your time was well spent. First off, Lexi missed 3-5 shots out of the 40 plus she took in her pregame warmup. That same efficiency was seen in all 25 minutes she spent in the game. Going 7/13 from the field (6/12 from the 3). Salazar behind the arc is effortless. From the form to the way she gets to her shot and into her shot. Every 3 pointer she took in before the game, she took in the game. She’s comfortable within her skill set and beyond confident behind the arc. She plays the game with poise and hustle. Finishing off the night with a win against Argo and 3 boards shy of a solid double-double Salazar had 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. The offensive talent she has will only continue to grow and expand.