Most Intriguing Match-Up’s Of Week 4
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Each week this season I will be posting my top 2 or 3 games of the week that I can’t wait see wether it be because of a certain player matchup or team matchup. Week 4 of the season is…
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Continue ReadingEach week this season I will be posting my top 2 or 3 games of the week that I can’t wait see wether it be because of a certain player matchup or team matchup. Week 4 of the season is as follows:
#1: Clear Creek Amana VS Solon
Solon travels to Clear Creek Amana high school on Tuesday night in attempts to defend their 5-0 start to the season. The Spartans who have been trending upward as the season has progressed, just keep on winning. Competing at a high level during games and executing a great game plan night in and night out. The Clippers only have one loss riding into this game coming at the hands of a very good Iowa City-West team a few weeks ago. Other then that they haven’t skipped a beat and have really been challenging their competition. This will be the hardest contest each school has faced up until this point of their season, as both teams are ranked in the Top 10 of their respective classes. The interesting match up in this one comes not only between the two teams but between the experience of Solon and their upperclassmen in quality VS the skill of CCA and their underclassmen in quantity. Either way this one should be the most competitive game each team has played up to this point and I can’t wait to see the outcome.
Hailey Miller Hailey Miller 5’8″ | SG Solon | 2024 State IA comes into this season in a great position to be successful for herself individually and her team in the long run. Miller, being the second offensive option on their team, makes it work in her favor. The quick guard is a solid overall player with a shifty game. She can get to the hoop and finish or work anywhere inside the three point arc to see where she would like to go. As her competition usually hones in on Solon’s shooting guard Callie Levin Callie Levin 5’10” | PG Solon | 2024 State IA , she receives a decent amount of open looks because teams over-help. As time goes on and her game progresses, the hard working guard will look to expand her game past three point line to become a consistent scoring threat from all three levels. If she can make a majority of her open looks and stay aggressive, she will continue to be successful, making a big impact for her Spartans team.
Highlights
Olivia Miller
Olivia Miller
Olivia Miller will look to keep up her hot shooting from deep for the Clippers as they will really be tested in this contest on Tuesday evening. For the Clippers to come out on top in this match-up I think they really need to have everyone contribute across the board. Miller has been a great spot up shooter in transition the past few games while also not settling and getting to the hoop for a pump fake with the finish when know one else is in front of her. If she can hit open shots, Ava Locklear Ava Locklear 5’11” | SF Clear Creek Amana | 2024 State IA can control the paint and Averie Lower Averie Lower 5’11” | SG Clear Creek Amana | 2026 State IA can make good choices, this could possibly be the best game of the season up to this point between any two teams in the state. The form that Miller displays shooting the ball will be seen by many this season and I’m sure she is going to get some college interest because of it.
#2: Johnston VS Valley
Valley has started their season at 4-1 heading into week 4 while Johnston comes into this contest as the debatable #1 team in the state in the 5A class at 5-0. Valley will look to compete after having to play on the road the night prior in Cedar Rapids. The Tigers have a very tough stretch of games this week as they will play away on Monday, away at Johnston on Tuesday, and at home vs Pleasant Valley high school on Friday. In their match up against Johnston it’s going to be a tough one as it always is going against this Dragons squad. They comes on the floor with the ability to play 8-10 girls per game for any amount of minutes needed. Valley will have a shot in this one but will have to play flawless as they will need to rebound, only allowing one shot for the Dragons and they will need to slow down the pace of the game. The Dragons tend to excel as the tempo of the game speeds up. It’ll be interesting to see if Johnston just takes care of business as usual at home or if they will really have to grind this one out.
Elise Jaeger Elise Jaeger 6’1″ | PF Valley | 2024 State IA has had her hand in every category this season for the Valley Tigers. Coming into her junior season she has averaged 9.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 2.6 APG on the way to a 4-1 start. During this game I’m sure that the Dragons will be focused on slowing her down and her production, as she really is the leader of this Tigers squad. During the offseason Jaeger had a few visits to some big names colleges such as University of Northern Iowa, University of Northern Illinois, and the University of Drake, who all really love her game. She is a good size with a solid skill set. She can pull the ball out or play in the post if need be. I think that she is going to put up some good numbers and do some good things on the floor in this one but it’ll need to be a complete team effort to come out on top.
Emma Hampton Emma Hampton 5’10” | SG Johnston | 2023 State IA comes up as one of those players that you may not have featured on this team to start this season but by the end of it, you definitely will have to. Hampton, who has been the most efficient and consistent player on this Dragons team, will gear up to keep up her domination down low near the hoop. Coming off of a contest where she tallied up 23 points on 9/15 shooting along with 7 rebounds, I’m sure she is hungry to have another break out game. I love that the coaching staff of the Dragons is keeping it simple in the way that they run things over there. They have a group of players that understand it’s a good things to score the ball efficiently in the post and in Hampton’s case, it’s paying off. I think she has a real possibility to be one of the best forwards in the state when it’s all said and done by the end of this season. She has great length at 6’1, is a senior team captain, has great stamina, and is efficient attacking the rim. When you put this all together it turns into a player that any college coach is going to want in their program in the long run.