Recap From Day One at the Watertown Holiday Shootout

Last night, I attended the first night of Watertown's Holiday Shootout. Today, I'll go through some of the kids who stood out last night, so let's get into it.   [player_tooltip player_id='209906' first='Carly' last='Drew']   The junior had a very [player_tooltip player_id='209906' first='Carly' last='Drew']-esque game. She didn't make any plays that would captivate a crowd or draw oohs and ahhs, but she took whatever was available. Drew made some jumpers, got into the paint a handful of times, and owned her area within Westfield's zone. She's a successful kid because she does all the simple things perfectly.   [player_tooltip player_id='448289' first='Haddie' last='Showen']   Drew's backcourt mate had a solid showing as well. I don't think it was her best game last night, but now and again, she'll make a move that will be eye-catching. Last night, she spun to her left after attacking from the right wing, getting to the opposite side of the rim. She didn't make that shot, but her confidence to do that in the flow of a game is notable.   Nadia Hoffa   Another wing from Westfield, Hoffa, is an unsung hero of that Pioneer group. She's a tough kid that can do a bit of everything. She made shots last night and made an incredible baseline spin to split two Slinger defenders and finish with an awkward angle. I like how well she fits into that group and plays her role.   [player_tooltip player_id='206573' first='Mallory' last='Hoitink']   I didn't realize how good a passer Hoitink is until last night. Even in a loss, she kept a positive attitude and kept getting her teammates involved. Even though that seems trivial and non-important, if you ask her future college coaches, they'll probably love that she loves playing the game and keeping her teammates involved, even when things aren't going her way. It says a lot about her character.   [player_tooltip player_id='736760' first='Melia' last='Lemorande']   Bay Port's freshman already does winning things all the time. Sure she has room to grow, and she'll get better over the next three and a half years, but she's an aggressive rebounder and keeps the ball moving offensively. Her minutes improve the capabilities of the Pirates, and most freshmen can't say that.   [player_tooltip player_id='342105' first='Kyla' last='Hendricks']   The future St. Cloud State two-sport athlete shot the leather off the ball. She made about five 3s, and on any given night, she could make eight or nine of them. Her shot is simple and repeatable, and her athleticism defensively is incredible.    [player_tooltip player_id='209881' first='Ellie' last='McDermid']   Most kids with McDermid's size and athleticism will have room to improve skill-wise, and she's no different. However, her ability to move and impact the game in small ways will, and has, drawn college coaches attention. McDermid makes plays that few others can and improves every time she steps on the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='209604' first='Ellie' last='Demet']   The thing that makes Demet so unique is her relentlessness. It doesn't matter who's in front of her Demet will make something happen. Now that she's Watertown's defacto point guard, that's on full display. Even to send the game to overtime, she drove to pass to an open shooter in the short corner. Her ability to make things happen is fun to witness.   Drew Hinrichs   Of all the multi-sport kids who will play other sports in college, Hinrichs is near the top of the list of kids who I wonder how good they'd be if they solely focused on basketball. Hinrichs is a strong six-footer that can shoot, push people around, and defend. Her touch is excellent, and a kid who's that good at basketball can only be better on the softball field, so I know UNI is getting a top-notch kid.   Molly Martine   Martine scored most of Xavier's points in the first half. It came in different shapes and forms. The junior scored from all over the floor, and it didn't matter if Pius Xi zoned her up or stuck their best defender on her. She had her way with them.   [player_tooltip player_id='766619' first='Joy' last='Krull']   The freshman played on a talented Playmakers/Thrive team last summer, and she seems to have found a solid role with the Hawks. Krull has an incredible burst and showed her ability more so in the second half, buts when she attacks a closeout, there might as well not even be a defender there because she gets by that closeout so quickly.   [player_tooltip player_id='329558' first='Kailey' last='Wozniak']   Eau Claire is getting one of my favorite kids to watch at the high school level. There may not be a more competitive kid in the 2023 class. Wozniak is also a hard-working kid who has improved drastically since I first saw her in November 2021, and she's only going to keep improving. She's a legit two-way talent who'll help the Blugolds win games over the next four years.   [player_tooltip player_id='338941' first='Tess' last='Wiczek']   The sophomore lead guard looks like nothing makes her uncomfortable with the ball in her hands. She makes playmaking look like the easiest thing in the world, and some of the passes she makes are out of this world. Very rarely can full-court pressure faze her and get her out of her game.   [player_tooltip player_id='338944' first='Georgia' last='Acompanado']   What Acompando does for Pius can't be understated. Her ability to play taller than her height makes up for most of their deficiencies. She rebounds at an elite level and plays outstanding transition defense. She probably has sacrificed the most out of her own game to help the team.   Reenie Ganzer   The 5-foot-10 forward is an underrated kid and one of the better rebounders in Southeast Wisconsin. She has played well against scholarship-level talent and now and again scores the ball well. She quietly does a little of everything.   [player_tooltip player_id='338964' first='Addison' last='Miranda']   The biggest knock on Miranda's game has been her defense. I think she's improved from the first time I saw her, and her offensive game is gradually expanding. She puts in the work, and I have no doubt over the next two and a half seasons, she'll become one of the better guards/wings in the area.

Last night, I attended the first night of Watertown's Holiday Shootout. Today, I'll go through some of the kids who stood out last night, so let's get into it.