Change of the Tides: D1 BHS vs D1 Rice

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Burlington High came out on top in a cross-town matchup that had been lopsided for years, likely decades. Check out who made waves and reversed the tide in this freshman/sophomore-heavy list!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='450194' first='Bree' last='McDonald'], 5'6 G - Burlington High School Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Once Bree gets it going, she's an utter handful. McDonald led all scorers with 25 points in large part because of a 3-point onslaught in the second and third quarters. Bree's range extended out beyond the collegiate three-line in this one, knocking down three-ball after three-ball to open the game up. Her scoring forced the defense to extend, and she got others involved with her playmaking and a few hockey assists. Lastly, she choked ballhandlers up, forced turnovers, and got out in transition for a few buckets at the cup. Bree steered the ship in this one. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dieuna Beynnon, 5'3 G - Burlington High School Class 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dieuna's ability to affect the game is multifaceted to say the least. First, she got into ballhandlers air space and used active hands to trace the ball, forcing tough shots and errant passes. She also rotated with textbook close outs; quick, choppy steps and a well-positioned stance. On the offensive end, Dieuna made quick and simple basketball plays. She moved the ball with snappy passes and drove to the cup when lanes opened up. She's a natural two-way PG yet she's fitting nicely as a combo guard alongside Bree.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='645616' first='Nylah' last='Mitchell'], 5'9 W/F - Burlington High School Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>BHS' swiss army knife, Nylah did a little of everything in this one. She's Burlington's top rebounder and put in a solid effort on the glass. Moreover, her quick reads off of boards got BHS in transition and put pressure on Rice early in their possessions. Nylah also took on a couple tough defensive assignments throughout the contest, matching up with Rice's savvy guards and wings. Offensively, Mitchell chipped in 10 points, largely off of second chance points and interior finishes. Yet, she also made quick reads amid pressure and hit shooters + cutters for clean looks. Nylah's versatility was on full display. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='645785' first='Hawa' last='Mubarak'], 5'8 W - Burlington High School Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hawa was the x-factor for Burlington. She made it a point to attack the rim against a rather small Rice squad and it paid dividends. Mubarak made a number of quick and decisive moves to get past her defender, and once in the second layer she made simple decisions. Against single coverage she finished strongly at the rim or drew fouls. When help came, she gathered herself and moved the ball easefully. Her work on the defensive end was crucial as well. She defended with great energy and attacked the glass alongside Nylah. Hawa has a great mentality on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='496147' first='Kelli' last='Cieplicki'], 5'9 G - Rice Memorial High School Class of 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rice trotted onto the floor shorthanded with two crucial players sidelined due to injury. Nonetheless, Kelli showcased her capabilities as the first option and offensive orchestrator. Cieplicki took on ballhandling duties and got Rice into sets with savvy reads of defense. She showed an aptitude for utilizing ball screens, reading BHS' coverage quickly and effectively. Cieplicki denied screens and crossed over to get to the cup. She attacked switches and hit side-step jumpers in the mid-range and hit a couple threes to lead Rice with 18. Of course, she also got her hands dirty defensively and cleaned the glass. Kelli's usage is skyrocketing but her efficiency is still there.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='645653' first='Atika' last='Haji'], 5'10 G/W - Rice Memorial High School Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Atika's usage has also been boosted as Rice manages injuries and she made a splash because of it. She provided 16 points for RMHS, getting after it inside and out. On occasion, Haji used her length and athleticism to get to the rim and she's quite efficient in the interior with her package of two-foot finishes. Yet she occupied the perimeter for much of the game, knocking down a couple threes, navigating ball screens, and moving the ball as the defense collapsed on her. Atika's defense was solid, but energy wavered at times. Nonetheless, she showed flashes of her defensive prowess and rebounding might. She's got the tools. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='579538' first='Rosa' last='Kori'], 5'9 W - Rice Memorial High School Class of 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It looks like Rosa is becoming more and more comfortable playing alongside some of the 802's best offensive players on the perimeter. Kori showed a little more aggressiveness scoring wise as she made a couple solid drives to the iron for finishes in traffic. Moreover, she provides some needed grit and muscle on the defensive end. Kori is a physical defender who matched up 2-4 in this one, and at times played the forward slots in Rice's 3-2. She showed tenacity on the boards and ran the floor hard going both directions. Her abundance of minutes is doing wonders for her development.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->