Lady X Invitational: Top Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On June 2-3, Monarch Sports presented the 11th annual<strong> Lady X Tournament.</strong> This field which consisted of two state champions and two runner ups, is as good as you'll get in the summer. In this loaded field, there was plenty of talent. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Here are some of the standout players from the event.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='205647' first='Maureen' last='Ulrich'] <strong>Xavier Prep</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Voted the top performer of the event, Ulrich scored at will during the weekend. The wing shot the ball effectively from the perimeter and wisely used her body to punish defenders in the paint. On defense, Mo displayed good hands and instincts in the passing lanes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='205640' first='Jocelyn' last='Michelle Chavez'] <strong>Valley Vista</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chavez has taken more of a leadership role at Valley and it showed. She was still getting her buckets but at the same time she was handing out some amazing passes. She was probably the best passer that I saw the entire event. Jocelyn was throwing passes that caught even her teammates off guard at times. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='558893' first='Taliyah' last='Henderson'] <strong>Salpointe Catholic</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Henderson continues to add to her growing reputation. She played with a high motor and never let up. She showed a versatile offensive skill set and an improved perimeter jump shot. What I like most is that she's a flat out competitor and she doesn't rest on being ranked nationally. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='205641' first='Elli' last='Guiney'] <strong>Millennium</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Elli led her extremely young team to a runner-up finish this weekend. She hit clutch shot after clutch shot when her team needed it. She was extremely vocal in helping teammates be in the right places all while maintaining her normal productive self. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='205638' first='Dominique' last='Nesland']<strong> Xavier Prep (Featured Image)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The floor general orchestrated a very balanced game for the Gators. Her job was to keep her talented teammates happy while also getting hers. She racked up high assist numbers due to always having her head up like a true point guard should. When it was her time she didn't disappoint. She hit three's from well beyond the line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='558895' first='Heather' last='Stedman'] <strong>Pinnacle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stedman's all-around game has progressed right before our eyes. She has a reputation as a shooter but her passing and rebounding stood out for me. There were times she could have forced shots but found teammates who were open with better looks. Heather wasn't afraid to get in and bang for rebounds from her wing position.<br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='668269' first='Maliyah' last='Alex'] <strong>Millennium</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A newcomer to the scene in AZ, Maliyah made her presence known with some crafty ball handling and change of speeds. She consistently caught defenders off balance and got to the paint. She also showed an excellent touch from the perimeter. Her presence and experience help ease the pain of Millennium losing nine seniors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->