More Player Reports From The End Game

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Previously I dropped some comments on players on the outskirts of the basketball radar for most people. This article follows on that report with a look at the play of several more well-known players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='616752' first='Leah' last='Henke'], 5'7", PG, Bishop Carroll, 2025, [program_tooltip program_id='716118' first='Next' last='Level Eclipse'] Winfrey - Henke showed no reason why she should not step into the starting point guard role for the Golden Eagles. She showed handles, speed, and leadership. She also showed very good quickness defensively and a really nice step-back jumper off a couple dribbles around the arc. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='616753' first='Lillian' last='Martin'], 5'7", CG, Bishop Carroll, 2025, [program_tooltip program_id='716118' first='Next' last='Level Eclipse'] Winfrey - Martin continued to show more of what I was familiar with, speed and passing lane jumping ability. What I also liked this time was her physical strength on both ends of the floor. She was not an easy player to muscle nor beat off the bounce from the wing. lane jumping ability.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='349450' first='Valerie' last='Norwood'], 5'8", CG, Wellington, 2025, Kansas United Soyez - Time and time again I saw Norwood do some things she does best, use her quick hands and ball skills to force turnovers and beat defenders off the bounce and finish through contact. A walking three point play, she generates opportunities because she is so quick and physical offensively. What I would like to see more of though is work that prevents opponents from gaining position quickly off movement into the upper land to mid-key areas. It puts her in tough situations against players who can pull-up quickly and body her off the up-fake to get to the hoop. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='675830' first='Kaia' last='Smith'], 6'1", SF/PF, Hutchinson, 2025, [program_tooltip program_id='716118' first='Next' last='Level Eclipse'] Winfrey - Smith has come a long way since I saw her last high school season. She continued to show her perimeter shooting strength but the rest of her game has grown very well. Athletic and fast Smith showed ball skills to create off the dribble and off the slash and catch. She finished with extension and a shot solidly from the line. Her length was very disruptive defensively. An easy starter to pencil in this winter for the Salthawks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='349459' first='Amelya' last='Vance'], 5'4", PG, Andover, 2025, Kansas United Soyez - Vance continues to show good quickness but what really made me happy was seeing how well she made a variety of entry passes into her bigs. Quick, soft high passes as well as strong bounce bounces. All to where the post can either hold position or to go and get. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='616757' first='Laynie' last='Winfrey'], 5'11", PF, Eureka, 2025, [program_tooltip program_id='716118' first='Next' last='Level Eclipse'] Winfrey - From what I saw out of Winfrey this weekend I expect her to be a versatile impact player for the Tornadoes this winter. The transfer from Bishop Carroll has a solid frame and she used it to advantage on both ends of the floor. She has good quickness and athleticism with an ability to score in the mid-range to the block while facing up or with her back to the basket. I liked her using her peripheral vision to see her defender. She then worked for her shot using the power dribble. Winfrey has good north-south speed and boxed out well defensively. I expect to see her play some on the wing and will be looking at her ball skills and perimeter shooting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->