Class of 2023: Getting to the Free-Throw Line

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today, I want to talk about some juniors with a knack for getting to the free-throw line. I've talked about how important free throws are in a game and the benefits they bring to generate offense with the clock stopped and to put points on the board when things aren't going well. Let's talk about some uncommitted juniors who get to the line at will.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Paige Klocke</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most influential players in 1A a year ago is one of the best players at getting to the line in the state. Getting to the line over ten times per game is something that few people can do in one game, let alone consistently over a season. Klocke is a solid shooter but can alter a game based on her ability to draw fouls and get to the line. Assuming none of those free-throw attempts are and-ones, she's drawn at least five fouls per game, and that's on the low end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Abbey Bence</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even though I've only seen film of the West Burlington product, there's a lot to like in her game. Bence plays hard and responsibly uses her aggression. The Falcon does everything with 100% effort. She is one of the best rebounding guards I've seen because she fights for position and has a passion for it. That translates to the other end. Bence attacks the basket with force and gets rewarded for that aggression. An 82% free-throw shooter is helpful at any level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='63061' first='Carlee' last='Rochford']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 5-foot-10 wing was third in free throws made as a junior last season. The Chickasaw scored over 24 points per game last season, and a quarter of those came from the free throw line on average. Rochford's team wasn't as competitive, but Rochford's ability to get to the free-throw line and convert those attempts stood out. Finding ways to succeed when the conditions aren't ideal is more impressive than people think.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='342197' first='Hattie' last='Aanestad']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The best way to get to the free-throw line is to beat your initial defender off the dribble, and Aanested does that well. The guard has a great handle on the ball on the ball. Aanestad is comfortable running an offense and playing under pressure. When she beats her initial defender, she doesn't have tunnel vision. Although she does attack more than she kicks the ball out, she's not single-minded. Aanestad has plenty of ability, and I expect her to have an exceptional senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->