Queen of the Commonwealth: Day 1 Standouts (Part 1)
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Bullitt East is hosting one of the premier Christmas tournaments around. There are 16 teams participating and nearly every single one of those teams have found themselves in the rankings early on this season. The stage is big, but the…
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Continue ReadingBullitt East is hosting one of the premier Christmas tournaments around. There are 16 teams participating and nearly every single one of those teams have found themselves in the rankings early on this season. The stage is big, but the players came to play. Here are some of the players from the 2023 class that stood out to me on the opening day of the Queen of the Commonwealth tournament.
Shelton instantly grabbed my attention. She’s got great height and length for a point guard. She got to the rim whenever she wanted and when she wasn’t knocking then down, she was drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line. Shelton played with control offensively and was really crashing the boards well. She showed an ability to contribute in every way imaginable.
Simply put, Tisdale is a tough player. Her post defense was strong and she wasn’t allowing Bethlehem to get much around the basket. Offensively, she showed her ability to score off of post moves, but she also showed her ability to handle the ball and make great passes to her teammates.
Brittle always brings the defensive intensity and she doesn’t back down. She can really defend well and she seems to take pride in shutting down the opposing team. Honestly, she just works when she’s on the floor. Defense, rebounds, playmaking… she was really showing a lot of strengths in the Crimsons win.
Clanton was running the floor so well on both ends. It felt like she was constantly the first one up and down the floor. She was knocking down shots inside and outside of the perimeter, as well as finishing layups in transition. What really impressed me about Clanton was her defensive effort. She was applying so much pressure and not giving the offense any space.
Highlights
Reid was contributing in every way possible for the Chargers. She was creating good looks for her team, but she was also creating good looks for herself. She was scoring both inside and out. Reid was handling pressure and making the defense pay whenever they overplayed her.
Weaver showed her ability to score in a variety of ways. She can knock down outside shots, pull up jumpers, or get to the rim. She used her quick first step to go right past the defense. However, what really impressed me was Weaver’s leadership on the floor. I kept hearing her direct her teammates to the right positions both offensively and defensively.
Ford basically took over the game on her own in the 2nd half after her team struggled in the 1st half. She scored at all 3 levels, no matter what the defense tried. Despite the score, Ford stayed in control and never gave up. She threw some absolute dimes to her teammates after drawing help as well.
Kayla Grant Kayla Grant 5'10" | PF Greenwood | 2023 State KY
Kayla Grant Kayla Grant 5'10" | PF Greenwood | 2023 State KY
Grant has a lot of strength and she uses that well to finish at the rim. She can finish on both sides of the rim and she has great hands. She was taking contact and showed her ability to drive and create opportunities. Defensively, she moves her feet well and can be disruptive around the basket.