Top 2024 Defensive Players at Splash and National Championship

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="419646" first="Talia" last="Kemp"] / 2024 / 5'6" PG / 2024 J Sizzle</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kemp's defensive abilities caught my eye time and time again during the live period. She gets after it on both sides of the court. The top moment was during the live period when Kemp stole the ball and scored the game-winning shot with just seconds to play. Kemp plays great defense and is tough on a ball defender. She generally makes it tough on the opposing team's ball handler. Kemp is also a very good helps side defender as well. She gets a lot of steals from the help side. Once Kemp gets the ball she knows what to do with it. She can take it coast to coast and can finish in a variety of ways: floater, euro step, or just blow by a defender and get the ball in the goal. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="248303" first="Jasmine" last="Bocca"] 2024 / 5'2" PG / 2024 J Sizzle</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bocca is one of the best defensive guards in the 2024 class. Bocca makes it uncomfortable at all times on an offense. She applies pressure after rebounds and attacks guards as soon as they receive the outlet pass. Bocca has quick hands and she constantly tries to knock the ball out of the hands of the defender. She is quick to double-team a defender who is in a vulnerable position. She gets her share of steals and deflections by jumping the ball handler. Once she gets the ball, Bocca can get the ball to the rim and score or create a scoring opportunity. She is masterful at drawing fouls if she gets the defense off balance. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="349278" first="Aniyah" last="Fisher"]/ 2024/ 5'9" SG-SF / 2024 ECU Clarke </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fisher plays the passing lanes extremely well and has great anticipation of knowing where the pass is going to. She is at the top of her game when sitting back in a press and baiting the ball handler to through the ball in her area. Once the ball is in the area, Fisher has the quickness and instincts to intercept the pass like a cover-corner in football. In a zone defense, she is good at baiting the guard to throw into the post and jumping the pass for a steal. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="247154" first="Yakiya" last="Milton"] 2024 / 6'4" PF / ECU Family 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> Milton's versatility is what makes her a special talent. She can cover in the paint and also on the wing and has the ability to defend positions 2 through 5. Milton does a good job of blocking shots in the paint, especially when she is set and has her feet under her. She is also special in transition where she utilizes her athleticism and her jumping ability. Milton has the ability to play on the wings and it's intimidating when a 6'4" defender with an equal skillset is preventing you from shooting or driving to the basket. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="217663" first="Sydney" last="Roundtree"] 2024 / 6'0" SF / ECU Family 2024</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Roundtree's agility to erase a play with a lightening quick reaction is mind boggling. When you see the athleticism, you can see how she made the playoffs in track and field after never participating before. On the basketball court, she can guard on the wings and in the paint. She is really exciting to watch, especially when she is defending in transition. There the blazing speed and jumping ability are put on display. She has quick lateral movement and can defend guards and forwards because of her versatility and athleticism. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="331745" first="Eris" last="Lester"] / 2024 /5'11" SG -SF / 2024 Miami Suns Larkins 16U EYBL</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When Lester's name is mentioned, it's usually because of her offensive, but she can really play some "D." A lot of her offense is created by her tenacity on defense. Her length and ability to move her feet gives her the versatility to guard positions 1, 2, and 3 on the floor. Lester also has great jumping ability. She has a great vertical and a quickness to her jump that leaves you in awe at times. She is a very good shot blocker from the guard position. She is also very exceptional in the passing lanes and it's a bucket when she steals the ball in the open court. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->