15U Guards – Knoxville Knockout part 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this second article delveing into some of the best 15U Guards in attendance at the Knoxville Knockout at the Rocky Top Sports World.  We pick up where we left off in yesterday's coverage.   </p> <p><strong>Mekera Standridge - 5'3"/PG - Dacula - Team DBA </strong></p> <p>Standridge reminds me of one of the greatest scorers that has ever played the game: Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson of the Detriot Pistons "Bad Boys" teams.  Like him when she gets in the game she heats up quick.  </p> <p>She is shifty, crafty, and quick with the ability to get to the rim or into open space to create and finish in numerous ways.  She scored with the fadeaway jumper, floater, turn around jumper, scored after making a difficult catch in the air with a pirouette landing, one bounce a hit a layup.  </p> <p><strong>Kalia Nugent - 5'4"/PG - Hutchinson - EAB Tennessee </strong></p> <p>A very capable Guard.  A thinker that makes good decisions on Offense and Defense.  You can see the wheels turning in her head before she acts.  This can lead to a bit of a delay in getting there at times, but since she tends to make the right read I don't think that delay is negative.  Although, if the delay is out of self-doubt she needs to trust herself more and move sooner.  </p> <p>While I was watching she split two defenders for a layup, made a wing three, stole the ball during the press for a layup and finished through a no-call bump.</p> <p><strong>Kennedy Hayes - 5'2"/CG - Westwood Schools - One Step Away </strong></p> <p>I was wondering how I had missed Hayes on Saturday until an OSA Coach told me she was playing up for a few games that day, SHe returned to the '25 team o Sunday and was impressive from the jump.</p> <p>She scored 11 of her team's first 14 points and made the assist for the other 3 points on a kick pass to the wing following a long rebound.  She scored from all three levels during this impressive run.</p> <p><strong>Nataya Strader - 5'5"/CG - Madison Central - Richmond Heat </strong></p> <p>A great passer from the wing for feeding the post and for layups to cutting teammates running the floor, especially in the secondary break.  With the ball in hand, she is a good decision maker looking to make the defense pay regardless of what offensive options they try to take away.  </p> <p><strong>Brittany Campbell<span style="font-size: 1rem;"> - 5'6"/CG -Madison Central - Richmond Heat </span></strong></p> <p>Campbell is a shooter from the perimeter with the ability to take the ball fullcourt through traffic for layups.  A good decision-maker, ready to pass, score or pull the ball out to set up the offense as needed.  She is a reliable free throw shooter in the clutch and a very good defender in the halfcourt trap when in tandem with another quick Guard.  </p> <p><strong>Brooke Campbell - 5'6"/CG - Madison Central - Richmond Heat </strong></p> <p>Campbell is the third Guard on this team who also attends the same school and is a threat to force turnovers in the halfcourt trap and drive it to the rim for a layup.  She is also a good decision-maker and...  you know what...  just read the write-ups on the two previous players.  I could have literally written the same thing for each of them and been accurately describing each player.  </p> <p>This Trio ensures the Heat and Madison Central will have good ballhandling on the court and good pressure defense for a few years to come.  Better bring your A-game at the Guard position to be ready for them.  </p> <p><strong>Natalya Wooton - 5'6"/CG - South County Middle - SVM Select Rams </strong></p> <p>Great handles in evading the press defense.  Very evasive with the ball, and able to force opponents to foul and make the free throws.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->