Knox Catholic @ Bradley Central: Game Recap (12/11/23)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On a chilly Monday night in December, two state champs bringing everyone back squared off at Smiddy Arena in Bradley County. In a game that was back and forth in the early going, ultimately Bradley's size was just too much for Knox Catholic. Bradley Central ended up running away with this one. Here is how the game went down. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Knox Catholic (8-2) 42</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bradley Central (9-0) 64</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["245355"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Mains came out firing early and often...knocking down an early three which gave KC an early 5-4 lead.  Bradley play Stovall on Mains trying to showing her the longest, most athletic body they could and trying to limit Mains' touches.rnrnThe Bradley defensive game plan revolved around not letting Mains get going...and it worked for the most part.  She only had 13 points (two made 3 pointers) on the night....far below her season average.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["636390"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Flores had lead ball handling duties, and Bradley put Wilcox (a defensive menace) on her.  Flores is such a big bodied, strong guard....you mix that with her skill and she's simply hard to pester.  Flores does a great job controlling the pace.  She has a history as a scoring guard, but has done a nice job sliding into a more nuanced role at Catholic.  Did a great job at attacking the rim with either hand, trying to get two feet into the paint in order to draw help and make a play.rnrnFlores finished with 13 points (2 made 3 pointers).","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["816774"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"It's always interesting to watch the evolution of a player.  Brewer has long been know as one of the best shooters in the state.  She has a reputation as being one of the hardest working shooters in the area, and gets up hundreds of shots on the gun.  Now that she's a junior, the entire state knows that if you let Brewer catch with her feet set...she's cash.  Catholic was clearly trying to run Brewer off the line, and Brewer did a great job in the u0022in-betweenu0022, mid-range area in her decision making.  Brewer's game is evolving in front of our eyes.  Brewer finished with 8 points.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["408996"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"This was my 1st time getting a real dose of the Stovall experience.  Here is what I loved to start:  Reuter put Stovall guarding Mains.  That means, on Friday night Stovall guarded [player_tooltip player_id='409019' first='Lauren' last='Hurst'] (a power-5 post) and on Monday Stovall guarded [player_tooltip player_id='245355' first='Sydney' last='Mains'] (a high-level D1 guard).  This shows Stovall's defensive versatility!  She can literally guard any position as her combination of size and athleticism simply make her a defensive dynamo!rnrnOffensively, Catholic didn't have a good answer for Stovall.  She got downhill when she wanted to.  When she got two feet in the paint, it was a bucket.  When she caught in transition she's was super aggressive attacking the rim.  This was the Stovall I've been hoping to see!  She finished with 12 points, but it felt like she could have had much more if she was points hunting.  She had 10 at halftime.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["513228"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Saw some really impressive things from Fields in this game.  Defensively, she took Krueger out of the mix.  Offensively, Catholic didn't have a really good answer for her strength and quickness.  First possession of the game, she caught on the perimeter and attacked the rim; jump stoped on two feet and finished.  Fields is really getting comfortable playing all over the court and getting used to being a more versatile threat.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnWe also got to see Fields be the ball handler in a PnR with Stovall.  For hoop-heads, watching Bradley run inverted pick in rolls (like Cleveland just did to them), will be a fun development.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnI really enjoyed watching her taking a charge early in the game as well!  When you have a big-time D1 kid willing to sacrifice their body for the team, you've got a good thing brewing.  This was another big time game for Fields as her size and skill was just too much.rnrnShe finished with 26 points to lead all scorers. She only had 6 points at the half.  Her 20 points in the 2nd half was the nail in the coffin.  Fields is as dominant a player in the state as there is right now.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='889803' first='Malia' last='Wilcox']","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Bradley Central","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Wilcox looked every bit the part of a PG on this night.  She did a great job defensively on her matchup with Flores.  Offensively, she did her jobu002du002dshe sprayed the ball ahead.  Put the ball on time and on target to Bradley's scorers, getting them into actions quick.  Wilcox looked like the 5th starter Reuter was hoping for.  Wilcox finished with 12 points.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["290992"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Given the fact that she's had to be the big body vs a Bradley team with Ware, Stovall, and Fieldsu002du002dshe had a really nice ball game.  Was very active defensively, and on the glass.  Krueger plays with tons of grit and spirit, and it's always fun to watch a kid play with such passion.  Krueger ultimately finished with 8 points.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["290719"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Ware has done a terrific job this season simply filling a role on a power house team.  I've seen Ware play EYBL and be absolutely one of the best players on the floor.  You watch her at Bradley this season, and she simply slides in as a high level role player.  And that's why they are so dominant!  Ware had a quiet 12 points on the night.  Ware could easily average 20 points at another school....but at Bradley she doesn't have two.  I've enjoyed watching her but into the u0022we over meu0022 mentality.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":8,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6578647a01efc"} /-->