Players to Watch: War Eagle Conference

Brady Peterson October 16, 2022 @ 03:46 PM

In a conference where two teams made it to the Wells Fargo Center with another appeared in a regional championship game: you know things are competitive. MMRCU didn't win the conference and still narrowly missed out on winning the 1A state title. Conference champion Unity Christian also won a game at the Wells Fargo Center. There are plenty of returners to talk about, so let's meet a few of the top returners.   [player_tooltip player_id='127626' first='Gracie' last='Schoonhoven']   The multi-sport athlete led the War Eagle conference as a junior last season with 24.7 points per game. The 5-foot-11 wing participates in all aspects of the game. The Knight grabbed over seven rebounds per game, dished out over five assists, and recorded over three steals per game. Schoonhoven also has an excellent shooting touch. She shot 60% from the 3-point line on low volume last year and finished the year at 71% from the free-throw line. For some kids, the box score doesn't always show how much a kid affected the game, but in Schoonhoven's case, it's clear that she is one of the most influential players on the court.   Tyra Schuiteman   Schoonhoven's parten in the frontcourt is no slouch herself. The 6-foot forward finds ways to help her team win in every way imaginable. Schuiteman can move, shoot, defend, rebound, and get to the free-throw line. Double-doubles aren't uncommon for the Knight, she is a constant threat around the basket, and her ability to play on the perimeter makes her a danger to defenses the second she steps foot on the floor. The Unity Christian frontcourt is well-rounded and has the experience of winning in the postseason.   [player_tooltip player_id='314129' first='Whitney' last='Jensen']   Remsen St. Mary's five leading scorers last season were all sophomores, and Jensen led the Hawks with 13.6 per game. The 5-foot-10 wing also recorded some ridiculous numbers in other areas. Jensen snatched 6.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 4.9 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game. That production is excellent, and she has familiarity with her fellow class of 2024 Hawks.   [player_tooltip player_id='314118' first='Mya' last='Bunkers']   The 5-foot-8 guard had an excellent season shooting the ball as a sophomore. Bunkers made over 40% of her 3-point attempts while shooting over four 3-pointers per game. The other thing Bunkers did well was distribute the ball. She recorded 4.7 assists, and I imagine some of that had to do with her attacking closeouts. Her ability to break defenses in multiple plays gives the Hawks options on the offensive end.

In a conference where two teams made it to the Wells Fargo Center with another appeared in a regional championship game: you know things are competitive. MMRCU didn't win the conference and still narrowly missed out on winning the 1A state title. Conference champion Unity Christian also won a game at the Wells Fargo Center. There are plenty of returners to talk about, so let's meet a few of the top returners.