Which Players Have Surprised Us Most?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After recapping my weekend yesterday, I want to continue reflecting by highlighting some surprises. To start, we'll talk about some teams that have been better than expected. Afterward, we'll discuss players to close the day out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='844201' first='Serenity' last='Metcalfe']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not many kids could score north of 40 points in a game if you gave them every shot their team took. Metcalfe is a kid who moved up to Shorewood from Alabama a few years ago and has been one of the most consistent scorers in the state. Some will overlook it because she's not doing it with a team that has any reputation, but she's been scoring with plenty of volume early on in the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='521879' first='Mackenzie' last='Tarman']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tarman has been one of the best small-school scorers in the past few seasons. The Turtle Lake wing has an effortless jumper and the green light to let it fly whenever she's open. She's been integral in some early season wins for the Turtles because of the 30 points per game she's added to her team's point tally each night. She'd be a steal for any small school looking for a competitive 5-11 wing who can score it at a high level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='844208' first='Princess' last='Nwachukwu']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I thought guard play would be the recipe for Vel Phillips Memorial to win games, but Nwachukwu has been the force in the Spartans' excellent start to the season. She's been outstanding at the base of the 2-3 Spartan defense and has been as good of a rim protector as you'd find in the Madison area. I've loved the tone she's been able to set for the Spartans on the end of the floor, and I'd say she's been the main reason they've been as good as they've been.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='767257' first='Kylie' last='Butler']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I saw Butler twice this summer before she transferred to Argyle. I loved her passing and ability to close out games by scoring, passing, not turning the ball over, and understanding situational basketball. She's got a high basketball IQ, and it shows when she's on the floor. Her passing range is as good as anyone in the state, and she'll throw full-court passes if she thinks the window is there. Butler can score 25 on any night but is more than happy to distribute if she's not making shots. Her presence has been the difference between this season and last for Argyle/Pecatonica.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->