Day 1 from K-Town: Apache Memorial Showcase

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>K-town was Hooptown this past weekend. Day 1 of the Apache Memorial Showcase by Insider Exposure was filled with excitement as the event came to Knoxville. This weekend saw hundreds of teams and college coaches fill the Knoxville Convention Center with basketball being the focal point. With the goal of catching the eye of collegiate coaches, recruiters, and evaluators, talent was on point as girls competed from tip-off to the final buzzer. This 3 day extravaganza was lit as girls fought hard battles. There were plenty of games that went down to the wire as young ladies displayed grit, focus, and the ability to execute. If you were in attendance&nbsp; at the KCC, you walked away impressed with what kind of talent we have in this state as well as those around us.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Big shout out to tournament director John McGraw and staff as they played host to a great tournament. There were definitely some intriguing matchups as girls duked it out. I'm talking about hard fought battles on the court where you had to be strong. Coaches saw toughness, girls who wanted it more, and girls who displayed creativity along the way to the rim. If you wanted to shine here at this tournament, getting buckets and defense were the two primary components coaches were looking for. Let me tell you, there was plenty of that plus more on the courts inside the KCC.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some Day1 standouts from the Apache Memorial&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='245361' first='Kaelyn' last='Flowers'] (TBW Black'24)</strong>- Very talented point guard who was running the show for her club. Kaelyn was slicing through defenses as she dribbled with poise as she executed their teams offense. From getting downhill and finishing in the paint, knocking down clutch 3s and playing some lock down defense, K. Flowers was getting after it on Day 1 of the event.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='409019' first='Lauren' last='Hurst'] ([program_tooltip program_id='713260' first='ETA' last='Thunder'])</strong>- This talented athlete continued her dominance against competition as she was getting it done both inside and out. Lauren is a finisher and does the little things that contribute to her team's success. From being a presence on the defensive end to coming up clutch scoring buckets offensively, she's going to tally high scores in every statistical category. Great all around player who has a high basketball IQ.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='496319' first='Mauryah' last='Jones'] ( [program_tooltip program_id='792541' first='Southeast' last='United'])</strong>- Don't let the size fool you as this girl plays with a high motor. A magician with the ball in her hands, Mauryah was getting to the cup with ease, hitting teammates in transition, and dropping dimes to bigs as they continued to pound the opposition. She was scrappy on the defensive end, where she pounced on loose balls and created jump ball opportunities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='290712' first='Annie' last='Buisson'] (TBW Red' 24)</strong>- Sharpshooting kid who was nailing the 3 ball. Her confidence was high as she unleashed the rock from beyond the arc. Vocal leader who was calling for picks, getting her teammates in sets, and hustling on D. She had some creativity to her game as she came off picks hitting the mid-range step back js. Solid contributor who is the heart and soul of her club.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='405709' first='Daisy' last='Gale'] (Team Pride ‘24 Black)</strong>- Kid is a grinder. I've said it before, she is one of the hardest working kids I've seen. Diving for loose balls, locking up the opponents best player, hitting shots from all 3 levels, this kid just gets after it. Stellar athlete who was at the forefront of creating turnovers that were leading to transitional buckets. Her leadership spearheaded her club's momentum against a tough opponent. Fearless competitor who is selfless. She plays to win the game and will do anything to help her club do so.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->