MHS Invitational: 1st Team All-Shootout & MVP
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6 games full of fire and passion from start to finish. The Midwest Hoops Spotlight Invitational was one to remember. It was jam-packed and the fans were locked in from start to finish. Below are my selections for 1st Team…
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Continue Reading6 games full of fire and passion from start to finish. The Midwest Hoops Spotlight Invitational was one to remember. It was jam-packed and the fans were locked in from start to finish.
Below are my selections for 1st Team All-Shootout and the MVP
’23 Elise Ward | 5’11 Wing | Marist
A smooth and lengthy wing who leaves her imprint on the game in all aspects. Ward has a quick and easy release that makes her a threat from mid to the arc. When driving to the bucket, she consistently uses her length and speed to take advantage of anyone that’s guarding her. Floaters, step throughs, or she just simply weaves her way through traffic. High IQ and even higher upside. Marist as a collective had the game in control the entire night. Elise was the main firepower, finishing the night off with 26 in 3 quarters.
’23 Ava Gugliuzza Ava Gugliuzza 5'7" | SG Lincoln-Way West | 2023 State IL | 5’7 Combo Guard | Lincoln-Way West
The SIU-E Commit put a show from all areas of the court. Ava is a quick and shifty guard that can get where she wants to go ..whenever she wants to. She’s crafty and creative with the ball and uses it to get herself and her teammates open. From the mid to the paint, she draws fouls constantly but can also finish through contact. Behind the arc… Gugliuzza is at her best. The release is consistent and quick… and that’s from 3-6 feet back. The Warriors gave Sycamore their first loss of the season behind Ava’s 23 points
’23 Sophie Swanson Sophie Swanson 5'10" | SG Barrington | 2023 State IL | 5’11 Combo Guard | Barrington
Recently announcing her commitment to Purdue… Sophie is easily one of the best shooters in the state. Her ball handling and strength matched with her athleticism is a mismatch for anyone that guards her. Her finishing and shooting ability has no difference… she can get it done from all angles. Three levels of buckets are what Swanson gives.. she has no quit or stops in her game. Is 100% effort from start to finish. Defensively she plays just as hard and consistent as she does on the other side. Last night against Libertyville, Swanson put on another high-scoring performance… finishing with 31, she scored 22 in the last quarter for the win.
’23 Emily Fisher Emily Fisher 6'0" | SF Libertyville | 2023 State #48 Nation IL | 6’0 Combo Guard | Libertyville
The future Terp (Maryland) is as all-around as any player can be. Fishers frame, athleticism, high-level skillset, and strength allow her to play 1-5 …effectively. She can knock down the mid to arc with ease, finish with creation and patience in the paint or use the footwork and strength to bully and finish in the post. Defensively, she can guard 1-5 as well. The foot speed and IQ allow her to guard 1-3 and her toughness and size give her the skill to defend and give trouble to 4-5s. She’s as hard body as they come and can keep up with whoever is opposite of her. A tough loss against Barrington, but Fisher finished the night with 17 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, & 3 blocks.
’24 Emory Klatt Emory Klatt 6'2" | SF Stevenson | 2024 State IL | 6’1 Wing | Stevenson
The sophomore is a huge piece and the heart of Stevenson’s Big 3. Emory affects the game in many ways, a walking double-double. Her skillset can be applied to any type of offense. She does the dirty work, she scores from the paint to the mid and will block any and everything if she’s within two passes. Her energy and effort are on from start to finish and she just completely works her matchup to exhaustion. Defensively, she always finds a way to create disruption or get her team another stop. On the boards… she will get her hands on the ball and her team another possession. Any type of rebound is hers. Emory left the floor with another double-double of 10 points… and 20 rebounds.
MVP
’22 Simone Sawyer Simone Sawyer 5'10" | CG Stevenson | 2022 State IL | 5’10 Combo Guard | Stevenson
If there was a game you had to see in person to understand what a relentless player looks like ..Stevenson vs Kenwood was the game and Simone Sawyer Simone Sawyer 5'10" | CG Stevenson | 2022 State IL was the player. The Penn U Commit plays every minute and possession like it’s her last. Sawyer is a three-level threat and shows the same aggression on the other side of the ball. She plays at her speed and never lets the defense change her tempo. Her athleticism mixed with her creativity is a problem for any and everyone. Relentless on both sides, especially her disciplined defense. She can stay in front and cause havoc on whoever is handling the ball. Last night’s matchup against Kenwood was physically and mentally tough for both sides, but Simone carried her team to a W with a career-high of 34 points. After the game, she wasted no time in giving credit to everyone else who stepped up… without speaking a word on herself.
Talented & humble. A special type of player.