Players to Watch: CIML-Iowa

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I want to start talking about specific conferences, so today, I went on Varsity Bound and randomly selected one to highlight a few returners. I landed on the CIML-Iowa and will highlight a few key returners.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='63055' first='Jenna' last='Pitz']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I like the way Pitz uses ball screens, and I love her aggression when she decides to turn the corner. She has the skill to come off a ball screen and get right into her jumper if the defender goes under, but she can also use her aggression to get to the basket. Pitz is a dynamic athlete with a high ceiling because you see the flashes of skill and athleticism in person. She also keeps her head up when she attacks and makes good decisions in traffic.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='63056' first='Averi' last='Porter']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One thing I like about Porter, outside the obvious stuff, is how well she moves without the ball. Some lead guards will pass and watch the play for a split second before moving on. Porter does not. She does an excellent job cutting and doing it aggressively, which leads to some easy baskets. Other than that, Porter makes winning plays. She cuts the passing lanes, creates live ball turnovers, makes her open shots, creates easy shot attempts, and makes people around her better.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Peyton Hiveley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last season, the Fort Dodge forward led the conference in blocks and rebounds. Just with those two numbers, I can tell she owns the paint and the area around the basket. That level of spatial dominance can change games. With her rebounding, she likely limits the opposition to one shot, making it more difficult for them to get into any offensive rhythm. Her blocked shots also make it difficult for teams to attack the basket. Hiveley can make offenses very one-dimensional when she's at her best.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='311376' first='Savannah' last='Gage']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When it comes to elite first steps, Gage's is one of the first that comes to mind. Watching her get by kids in a couple of steps is impressive, but she does it with or without the ball. Few things look as good on the floor as a [player_tooltip player_id='311376' first='Savannah' last='Gage'] backdoor cut because if the defender isn't expecting it, Gage will get a layup. She's excellent at getting to the basket. As Gage adds strength, her jumper will naturally improve. It looks okay now, but there's room for improvement, and I see no reason she doesn't improve that aspect of her game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->