New Year Storylines

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the new calendar year upon us, let's talk about what storylines are to unfold in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Who Wins the Battle in Class 5?</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The class with a handful of high quality teams is Class 5. Lutheran St. Charles has been polled as the top team but it's extremely close. The Cougars are dynamic because of their high octane duo of [player_tooltip player_id='302779' first='Jordan' last='Speiser'] and [player_tooltip player_id='409880' first='Kennedy' last='Stowers']. The two provide over 36+ PPG and dominate on the boards. John Burroughs is another top team. What makes the Bombers dangerous is their well-rounded starting 5. From point guard to center, they have a solid player at each position. [player_tooltip player_id='202412' first='Allie' last='Turner'] and Breaunna Ward are upperclassmen that will play high level college basketball. Around them are very good role players who will also play at the next level. The next team to watch is Cardinal Ritter who lost to John Burroughs during the Visitation Tournament. The Lions are a tough minded, defensive style of ball club. They're athletic and will take advantage of transition opportunities. Keep an eye out for Rolla as a sleeper team.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Gatorade POY - Who's Separating?</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Through the first half of the season there are a couple players making more noise than most. [player_tooltip player_id='302779' first='Jordan' last='Speiser'], the top prospect in Missouri for 2025, is a potential frontrunner. She checks all the boxes. A player who can achieve the 20 and 10 double-double all while leading her team to wins each night. Speiser is a dynamic talent because of her size and skill on the wing. [player_tooltip player_id='351752' first='Jayda' last='Porter'] is a sophomore that will compete for the award. It's rare for an underclassmen to make this big of an impact and Porter is impossible to ignore. Her ability to reach near triple-doubles with blocks gives Rock Bridge a dominant threat. Few players can score on the low block like she can. [player_tooltip player_id='194406' first='Breona' last='Hurd'] is another player who will be in the running. The Virginia commit can do a little bit of everything on the floor and has been a great player to cover during her career.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->