Sandra Meadows Classic 2023 Day 1 Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I caught over <strong>75%</strong> of the teams on opening day, well the only day I attended the Sandra Meadows Classic but it doesn't take me forever to know what I'm looking at. I've already dropped the <strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2022/12/sandra-meadows-classic-opening-day-top-performers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top Performers</a></strong> from the opening day as well as the <strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2022/12/2026-watch-sandra-meadows-classic-mansfield-invitational/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">top freshmen</a></strong>, so I'm dropping Simmie's Standouts from 2023, 2024, and 2025. Here are the seniors </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='134051' first='Kadia' last='Ward']-5'8 G (Midlothian)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ward threw a no-look through traffic when I arrived at the gym and that immediately pumped me up. She used her athleticism well on both ends, the on the ball defense and playing the passing lane were nice, yet she also showed she could drop the pull-up with a hand in her face, from mid to DEEP</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Elise Jones-5'10 G (Midlothian)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jones goes after EVERYTHING off the rim which gives her the #THROWBACK hashtag. I love seeing this because it takes me back to yesteryear but her acrobatic finishes after contact were nice, and so was her understanding of how to create contact off the dribble. She showed good timing to not only block shots but to anticipate the pass, aka playing the passing lane</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bailey Davis-5'8 G (Midlothian)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Davis understands the game and when you're heady, good things happen. She plays within herself yet understands how to get hers in the flow and watching her score off the dribble and finish strongly, after contact was nice but so was her court vision and decision-making. She also did, guess what played the passing lane </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Natalie Cardenas-5'10 G/F (Bishop Lynch)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cardenas understands something very valuable and that's how to create her shot under pressure. Her deceptive first step enabled her to score off the dribble yet that same creativity created spacing for her to knock down her jumper. She also hit the boards, on both ends, and did a good job defending as well as playing the passing lane </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Za'Naiha Hensley-6'3 C (Frisco Liberty)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hensley stands 75 inches tall, she has a college-ready frame, and watching her BATTLE for rebounds, wherever they came off the rim, was a very good sign. I love her upside because she understands how to use her body inside the paint, she finishes around the rim, after contact and she runs the floor, on both ends </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jada Pleasant-5'9 SF (Hardin Jefferson)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pleasant was more than a pleasant surprise the first time I caught her what seems like eons ago yet her smothering defense coupled with her athleticism were nice even back then. Her first step is powerful and she uses good body control on her finishes. She too plays the passing lane and she did a good job of rebounding, on both ends, and handling the ball in the open court</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='267348' first='Molly' last='Beavers']-6'1 PF/C (Hardin Jefferson) </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Beavers was one of the most underrated players at "the magic number" in Texas, that number is 6'0 and above. I have always enjoyed her inside-outside game, yeah she faces the basket and scores from midrange and in front of the rim yet she also has the "hands and footwork" thing down to score in the paint. She showed good timing to block shots and she rebounded strongly </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='96156' first='Taylor' last='Haggan']-5'10 PF (John Paul II)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Haggan has been one of my "can't miss" players from day 1. I remember her taking games over in middle school yet her poise under pressure and never backing down, even when playing up, told me a lot. She scores in the paint, off the dribble, and can drop the mid to long-range jumper. She also understands positioning which enables her to rebound over taller players </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->