Jim’s 5 Takeaways 2/9- Dayton D2 Sectionals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A couple of big tournament games tonight saw Thurgood Marshall defeat Trotwood Madison 45-44 and Tippecanoe earned a tough 44-33 win against Bellefontaine in a pair of games I got to see tonight. I have some thoughts on things I saw tonight with these 5 takeaways:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The backcourt trifecta</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It is difficult to find a backcourt with the caliber of Thurgood Marshall with three outstanding guards they can throw at you. [player_tooltip player_id='218358' first='Morganne' last='Postell'] is a 2024 guard who has coaches looking at her for their program at the next level. Morganne is such an electric player with great quickness allowing her to get to the rim and finish. She can make plays happen for her team in a varsity of ways. A handful to defend and can push tempo. Another 2024 Samaria Gibson showed me early in the season that her game had improved. She can take control of the offense, make the impossible pass and create her shot. Great court vision and gets everyone involved. Another weapon is 2024 Ma'Kayla Williams, another player who is a playmaker, can defend and is a threat on both ends of the court. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Don't Wake Me</strong> <strong>Up</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There were some sleepers who often get overlooked by the mainstream people who cover this game, but like we do so well at PGH, we want to talk about these 3 players who I saw that get overlooked. First is a young lady who is honestly still learning the game. Raevyn McCray is a 6-2 2024 from Thurgood Marshall who returned from an injury this season and showed some promise. She is a player who does a nice job in the paint and rebounds well. She scored four points and her frame allows her to be effective at the rim. [player_tooltip player_id='422177' first='Jaylen' last='Dixon'] is a 5-5 2023 who is a skilled guard with handles, can create and is effective in the transition game. Also I really liked [player_tooltip player_id='849215' first='Tiffany' last='Boop'], a 2025 from Bellefontaine. She had a very strong game and dominated the third period of their game vs Tippecanoe. She showed range including from behind the three. Also can maneuver around the paint, sore with good body control and plays with a lot of energy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Sweet Chinn Music</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wrestling fans would appreciate that headline, but basketball fans would appreciate the play of Tippecanoe 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='270608' first='Makenzie' last='Chinn']. She is the unquestioned leader for the #6 seeded Red Devils and the future college soccer player showed out on her former court. She moved over to Tipp from Tecumseh, the site for tonight's tournament game, following her sophomore year and she put on a great display. She dropped 23 in the win. As far as returning players for next year, 2024 Laney Cleckner is a kid who can score from the perimeter while Sam Wall is a 2024 who is very mechanical and plays very fundamental, can score in the paint and defend with her athleticism.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>More Than Just Scoring</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When evaluating a player there is more than just scoring. While Bellefontaine 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='451625' first='Quinlan' last='Zedeker'] <em>(feature photo above) </em>has the capability to score in many ways, she is a strong asset to her team in a different way, as a true point guard. She can push tempo and is able to control the flow of the game. Really exciting to watch her in the open court, her game as a point guard is productive. Also a solid defender who can disrupt the opponents offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Closing out a Career</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trotwood Madison 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='93553' first='Raeven' last='Raye-Redmond'] is currently ranked #23 in the last PGH Ohio class rankings as the D1 signee closed out her career with a tough one-point loss. Her 60-foot heave at the buzzer just missed. She is a player who thrives in this kind of game, one where she can raise her game to the next level. She is so quick, can explode to the rim and finish with either hand. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->