Kids Who Win Their Team Games

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over the past two-plus years, I've seen a lot of games played by players from all over the state in AAU and high school. Today, I want to work on a few articles highlighting some of my favorite kids to watch play during that time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='448251' first='Faith' last='Walder']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's nobody who I can compare Walder's game to well. She's a pass-first guard who loves getting to the rim and takes care of the ball, but also an ambidextrous kid who's right-handed but finishes most layups with her left. As a creator, you can't ask for much more than Walder gives you. No matter the situation, 95% of the time, Walder will get your team a good look at the basket, which is what you'd want from a ball-dominant guard.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='444787' first='Maia' last='Ellis']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She may not be a household name, but Ellis is a kid who holds everything together because she can do everything. She's a 5-11 wing who's physical, laterally quick, lengthy, can make perimeter shots, plays through contact, can attack off the dribble, and she's vocal. Watching Verona play at Beaver Dam, when things went wrong early, everyone looked to [player_tooltip player_id='444787' first='Maia' last='Ellis'], and sure enough, the senior was telling everyone where they needed to be and what they needed to do to clean up their miscues, and then they went on a run. Statistically, she may not look like one of the most significant players in the state, but sit courtside at a Verona game, and you'll see the value she brings to the Wildcat program.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='533085' first='Bella' last='Klages']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='533085' first='Bella' last='Klages'] reminds me of [player_tooltip player_id='444787' first='Maia' last='Ellis'], which shows you I love these glue-kids. Klages' ability to use her size and length as a creator is fun because nobody in the North Shore can defend her due to their physical limitations. From watching Hartford, Klages is likely their answer to talented wing scorers, and I like that idea. Klages is a taller and more physical wing who can bother those scorers with her length while keeping everything in front of her. I've said it before, but Klages is the most crucial piece for the Orioles if they want to make a postseason run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='533066' first='Audrey' last='Meudt']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Meudt is the best example of being a jack of all trades. She doesn't have any weaknesses on the skill side of her game. She's been a lead guard for Waunakee and [program_tooltip program_id='713043' first='Wisconsin' last='Impact'] since she got to both places and has had some stellar performances in both uniforms. She's a lengthy kid at 5-8 or 5-9 and can score from anywhere on the floor. Her best skill, in my opinion, is her footwork. She won't blow by many kids on the perimeter, but I love watching her pivot into space when she runs into multiple bodies in the paint. She's one of the few people who do that routinely without traveling.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->