Standout 2023s From the King Showcase
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We already took a look at the underclassmen from the King Showcase on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, now let’s jump into some of the key seniors who took over and made their presence felt during some tightly played games.…
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Continue ReadingWe already took a look at the underclassmen from the King Showcase on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, now let’s jump into some of the key seniors who took over and made their presence felt during some tightly played games. Some of these names you will surely know as a few of the highest-rated players in their class, however, some of the players below took to the court and showed they deserve a lot more recognition.
Dee-vyne Salu
Dee-vyne Salu
Salu caught my eye right away with her size and ability to play from the middle, attacking the glass and looking for her shot. She hit a few jumpers from the free throw area and was a factor in the paint with her toughness and ability to put the ball on the floor in some tight spaces. Even more impactful than the numbers she put up was her intimidating presence inside. Regardless of the result of the play, she was in the mix and making the opposition feel her presence.
Smith was definitely one of the more skilled and fluid players from a great game against Kentwood. She is a pure stroker from downtown and was largely unaffected by closeouts. Smith was also able to get things going to the hoop but mainly used those drives to open up shots for other players and continually made nice passes to find open shooters.
Beresford is a strong player that does not mind contact, in fact, against Sumner she was the one looking to be physical on the defensive end and wear down the Sumner players. She’s got a nice jumper, especially in the mid-range, but was a strong finisher at the rim as well and was a constant force throughout the game, managing to avoid getting too high or low.
Foai Pula
Foai Pula
Pula was one of the best players from the day at attacking the paint with her dribble. She has the strength to fend off defenders, the footwork to work through and around tight spaces, and was able to get to zero over and over. While she was aggressive getting inside, she also showed some good patience and presence of mind to mix in pump fakes and throw in a few up-and-unders. She was cutting the defense apart and had a big performance for Bethel.
Taylor Teeple
Taylor Teeple
I saw Teeple over the summer where she balled out and I was equally impressed with her at the King Showcase. She is a highly skilled player with size that affects the game across the board. First off, she’s almost automatic with the jumper from the elbows, can stretch out to 3-point, and showed some nice awareness and passing ability from the high post as well. There’s not a lot of wasted motion in her jumper and I could see her becoming an even better shooter from long-range. Teeple also has that clutch factor, sinking two free throws late in the game to cut the deficit to one, then jumping a passing lane and taking it all the way to give her squad the lead. She led the way for Bellarmine with 19 points and was eight-for-eight from the charity stripe.
It’s hard to mention senior standouts without mentioning Schmidt. She was a big factor, per usual, sending shots back on the defensive end and mixing in a blend of beautiful jump hooks inside with shots behind the arc. She floats between the paint and the arc so well and breaks defenders down with her size and skill while keeping them guessing where she’ll attack from next.