Kids Who’ve Been Getting to the Charity Stripe
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One of the best barometers of how a team is how many times a team gets to the free-throw line. When offenses can get to the charity stripe consistently and make their free throws, it drastically changes how the score…
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Continue ReadingOne of the best barometers of how a team is how many times a team gets to the free-throw line. When offenses can get to the charity stripe consistently and make their free throws, it drastically changes how the score looks at the end of the game. Let’s talk about a few kids who’ve been near the top of the list of free-throw attempts this season.
Abbey Bence
The West Burlington wing/forward can play inside and out but does her best work around the basket. Her ability to play through contact is one of the things she does to swing the outcome of games. I love how she seeks out contact and forces officials to make the call in her favor. She doesn’t foul bait or anything like that. Her mindset helps her to attack and go through people. That level of aggression is why she’s taken the second most free throws in the state this season, with 133.
Laney Pilcher
The term jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none gets overused, but I think it’s a good way of describing Pilcher’s game. Pilcher is an efficient scorer from every area of the floor and does an excellent job of using her dribble to get by her defender and put pressure on the rim. Pilcher is also a scrappy kid when she gets two feet in the paint. She’s a solid rebounding guard and isn’t afraid to shoot through contact. Pilcher also has the strength to power through some of that contact and earn some and-ones.
Carlee Rochford Carlee Rochford 5'10" | PG New Hampton | 2023 State IA
The forward from New Hampton is a forceful kid who defenders have issues with because Rochford uses her strength and footwork to put defenders in challenging positions to defend her. When kids get put in rough spots, they have to foul her or let her have a layup, and most of the time, defenders foul her. Rochford can dominate the area around a basket and earns a handful of trips to the free-throw line per contest. Even as the first name on the scouting report, teams haven’t had an easy time taking Rochford out of her game.
Kelsey Joens Kelsey Joens 5'10" | SG West Liberty | 2023 State IA
The Iowa State commit has had an excellent season with West Liberty. Joens’ ability to create off the dribble causes issues for teams in the River Valley South. Joens’ length and ability to score from all three levels could lead the Comets to the Wells Fargo Center this season.