New Names on My Radar

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When I go to games, a kid or two stands out that I haven't heard of going into the game. Today, I want to highlight a few kids who've stood out to me this season that I didn't know much about before the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Addison Schmidt</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm cheating slightly here. I'd known who Addison Schmidt was before attending a Rice Lake game this season, but I never really knew what her game was heading into that BRC game against Chippewa Falls. The 6-1 post plays with more physicality than some kids who'll play scholarship-level basketball at her size over the next few seasons, and this is Schmidt's first season at the high school level. There is a lot that Schmidt can achieve at the high school level, and I'll be interested to see how her skill develops over time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='842226' first='Maria' last='Hilbert']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The DSHA wing is the inspiration for the articles today. The 5-11 wing showed flashes of being an all-conference level player in the Greater Metro Conference last night. She has the size, length, and athleticism that can allow her to make plays that most others can't. I haven't seen kids at 5-11 with Hilbert's first step often, and she's someone who seemed like they weren't afraid of contact and might have been looking for it around the basket. I became a massive fan of her game last night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='888860' first='Nayeli' last='Kilen']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Before an untimely injury to one of Milton's better players, the Red Hawks looked much improved from last season. Kilen is a massive part of that improvement in her sophomore season as a Red Hawk. I watched her against DeForest early in the season. I thought she excelled shooting the ball from the perimeter and helped the Red Hawks earn an extended period leading the Norskies before turnovers did them in. Kids who can make shots at the level Kilen can always require special attention from defenses to keep her from finding a rhythm.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Maricella Rivera</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I didn't know of either freshman starter in Pius' lineup until I first saw them at Kettle Moraine around Thanksgiving. From what people have told me, Rivera is a standout soccer player, but if she wants, she has a future in basketball if she ever wants to pursue it. Rivera is a ball of energy on the defensive end of the floor and makes plays as a help defender. Whether Rivera's doubling the ball or rotating to help contain a driver, Rivera has a knack for getting to the ball and making things happen. On the offensive end, she's more of a role player trying to find her footing, but her shot looks good, and she can get by almost anyone.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->