Pre-Season First Team All-Seventh Region: Guards
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As we look at the season ahead, the 7th region will be loaded per usual. The 2x defending state champions and 3x defending regional champions, Sacred Heart, will strive to remain on top while other top teams in the state,…
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Continue ReadingAs we look at the season ahead, the 7th region will be loaded per usual. The 2x defending state champions and 3x defending regional champions, Sacred Heart, will strive to remain on top while other top teams in the state, such as Manual, Male, CAL, and Central will be putting in the work as they try to come out on top. What’s crazy is that the top teams in this region could probably win more than half of the other regions in the state, and not because those regions are bad, but simply because of how much talent each of these teams have. All 5 of the top teams have at least 1 Division-I player on their roster. So needless to say, it was extremely hard to pick a 1st team and 2nd team, even when I split up the guards and posts groups up. However, let’s look at the 5 players I put on the pre-season 1st team.
Thompson has multiple D-I offers for a reason. She consistently puts up impressive numbers and her game is just impressive in general. Thompson can score at all 3 levels and she can score a lot. Her outside shooting is strong, her mid-range game is strong, she makes impressive drives to the basket, and she has a high IQ. Pair that with the excellent playmakers she’ll have surrounding her this season and I think you’re going to see big things in Thompson’s senior season. She has already proven that she is one of the best players in the state and I expect her to have her best season yet this year.
Highlights
Ralston has proven herself time and time again. As talented as SHA is, they likely would not have back-to-back state titles without the contributions of Ralston. She is so effective on both sides of the ball. The best part about her game is that she doesn’t even have to score to greatly impact games, and yet, she can put the ball in the basket in a variety of ways whenever the Valkyries need a basket. A fearless and ferocious defender, Ralston can lock up whoever she’s tasked with guarding, and she’s had to guard some really talented players.
Highlights
Tolbert comes to compete every time she steps on the floor. She’s never one of the biggest players, but there aren’t many players that can impact the game as much as she does. Tolbert is a true 2-way player. She brings intensity on the defensive end and she can apply a lot of pressure to ball handlers. If you relax for even a second, she’s likely going to come away with the steal. Offensively, she can play any guard position and she consistently scores at all 3 levels. Tolbert finds ways to score no matter who’s guarding her. She also has a high IQ and makes some excellent passes.
Bender is one of the best overall shooters in the region, if not the best. She can knock down shots from anywhere on the floor and she can do it off of the dribble or catch. She also makes strong drives to the basket and she can stop to pull-up at any point on her drives, so teams can’t just easily stop her from shooting the ball. She also is a playmaker who can get her teammates involved. Barring Bender stays healthy and no other unforeseen circumstances arise, she should surpass 1,000 points this year as she strives to get her 3rd state title in 3 years.
Asher is tough and her contributions on the floor are invaluable. She can score on just about anyone because she’s stronger than most high school players and if you try to put a stronger post on her, she can knock down shots or drive right around them. If Asher isn’t scoring herself, she’s creating for her teammates. Her floor vision and court awareness is elite. Asher can handle pressure without ever getting rattled. She can rebound and defend as well. Central has a very talented team and with Asher leading the way, they will definitely be a tough team to beat.
The All-Region teams at the end of the season consist of 10 first team selections, so stay tuned as we will look at 5 more top guards in the region tomorrow.