Robert's Sterling Invitational All-Day 1 Teams

After missing it last year it was great to get back in the Sterling High School gym to catch a full day one of the 11th Annual Sterling Invitational. The usual cast of characters were in attendance - Hugoton, Hutchinson Trinity, Kingman, Lyons, Scott City, Smoky Valley, Southeast of Saline, and Sterling. And thanks to the snow and cold all games were pushed to yesterday so I could catch every game back-to-back. Just what I like! My all Day 1 Teams consist of a first, second, and a 'Shout Out!" list. Enjoy.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">First Team</h3>   Ella Beesley, 5'7", PF, Hugoton, 2025 - The Eagles trailed Sterling by double digits through most of the game but Beesley just kept punishing Sterling especially on the offensive glass. A terrific weak side rebounder she always had position when perimeter shots went up. Always. 10 rebounds alone in the first half, half offensive. She turned those into 8 points. I quit counting but I have no doubts she finished with nearly 20 boards. She has some size but what she lacks in height she uses well to out-smart opponents.   [player_tooltip player_id='539008' first='Mattie' last='Galliher'], 5'11", PF, Hutchinson Trinity, 2025 - Despite the point spread Galliher played a great game against Smoky Valley. Generally matched up with the Vikings' [player_tooltip player_id='616730' first='Katja' last='Blanchat'] she more than held her own. She boxed out well, absorbed contact well on the rebound and score, and showed very quick feet on the post up. Despite only putting up 5 points arguably she showed the best offensive post game of any player. Galliher showed an ability to go both ways out the back-to-back game with quickness. She is not as complete of a player as I would hope to see at the PF position but what Galliher did, she did very well.   [player_tooltip player_id='302141' first='Erika' last='Felker'], 5'6", SG/PG, Scott City, 2024 - Felker has a strong, physical base that she uses to repeatedly create, get fouled, and go to the line. And she's a great free throw shooter. In a dominant win over Kingman she put up 14 points in the first three quarters.   [player_tooltip player_id='231271' first='Adrian' last='Hazelwood'], 5'8", PG, Smoky Valley, 2024 - Hazelwood, a Tabor College commit, was athletic, quick, and the most consistent Viking on the floor. A tough matchup physically due to her solid build, quick hops, and scoring ability at all three levels. She finished with 11 points including a pair of threes, playing sparingly in a comfortable win over Hutchinson Trinity.   [player_tooltip player_id='265122' first='Lexi' last='Jacobson'], 5'7", CG, Southeast of Saline, 2024 - Jacobson plays a lot bigger than her listed height. Solidly built and athletic Jacobson is very aggressive and high motor on both ends of the floor. She reads transition opportunities and uses her speed well in them. On the glass she explodes to the ball. While not a gifted scorer Jacobson's overall talent and mind-set makes her very difficult to handle on both ends of the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='932976' first='Blaine' last='Locke'], 5'4", SG, Sterling, 2027 - Locke will be one to watch in the years ahead. Fast with the ball she is a coast-to-coast threat off the rebound who can score the challenged take. She can shoot quickly and with range. Canning a pair in the second quarter she was instrumental in the Black Bears opening up and maintaining a double-digit lead over Hugoton most of the game. She finished with 13 points going 3/4 from the line and canning a couple bombs.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Second Team</h3>   Saedy Arredondo, 5'8", PF, Hugoton, 2025 - Arredondo has terrific length and smartly uses it deny passing lanes, challenge shots off the wall-up, grab and clear boards, and get shots off. She showed solid hands and a nice ability to shoot the ball from up high where she catches it. Her offensive game is unpolished but she has underlying talent. Arredondo has good transition speed as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='817400' first='Abigail' last='Slocum'], 54", PG, Hugoton, 2024 - Slocum is a highly experienced floor leader who plays in control and picks her spots to use her quickness off the bounce. She hits her free throws, hit the three ball, and was instrumental in the Eagles nearly pulling out a win against Sterling after trailing by double-digits most of the game despite being in foul trouble from mid-second quarter on.   [player_tooltip player_id='994023' first='Keirah' last='Davis'], 5'4", PG, Lyons, 2026 - The solidly built point guard showed quickness and athleticism with the ball. She attacked the basket well but has a tendency to dribble too much without purpose in the half court. Very fast in transition she is able to score the challenged take. Good bounce, laterally quick. A high potential guard for the Lions.   [player_tooltip player_id='872373' first='Megan' last='Trout'], 5'10", PF, Scott City, 2026 - With size, length, and a solid lower body Trout made good use of her physical gifts to score well in traffic. If she did not score she made several trips to the line (6/10). She moved well working inside and showed very good hands. Trout also looks to box out on shots. I will be looking for her lateral quickness to get a tick or two quicker in the future.   [player_tooltip player_id='616730' first='Katja' last='Blanchat'], 6'0", PF, Smoky Valley, 2025 - Blanchat had her work cut out for her as Hutchinson Trinity's [player_tooltip player_id='539008' first='Mattie' last='Galliher'] played a terrific game against her on both ends. While I would like to see Blanchat grow into her length she showed some handling ability with quickness. Her long arms enabled her to disrupt passing lanes and get to balls most others could not. I would like to see more control inside as picked up a charge call and easily could have another pair called. When used well on the offensive end, which was not often, she showed scoring ability in a variety of mid-range situations. She got to the foul line but at 1/6 that needs to improve.   [player_tooltip player_id='665200' first='Abigail' last='Pearson'], 5'7", CG, Southeast of Saline, 2026 - Like her teammate [player_tooltip player_id='265122' first='Lexi' last='Jacobson'] Pearson is a high motor, very aggressive and physical player on both ends of the floor. With her quickness and speed she just flies around. Pearson is solidly built and athletic, making her very difficult to match up with on both ends of the floor.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Shout Out</h3>   Sarah Guerrero, 5'3", PG, Hutchinson Trinity, 2024 - The senior is essential to the team's ability to compete. She plays with poise and within herself. A solid facilitator she smartly uses the glass on short jumpers and finishes at speed.   [player_tooltip player_id='932970' first='Alex' last='Suter-Tan'], 5'7", SG, Hutchinson Trinity, 2027 - Suter-Tan showed how well she has improved from when I saw her early this season. With good size for the position she showed athleticism and scoring ability. One to watch in the future.   [player_tooltip player_id='932974' first='Kinslie' last='McDorman'], 5'8", PG, Kingman, 2027 - McDorman will be a player to watch in the years ahead. She broke the ice after being down 27-0 in the second quarter with a bit of a runner three and canned another on in the quarter on the way to finishing with 10 points. With good athleticism on takes she has finishing ability.   Laney Wood, 5'10, SG, Kingman, 2024 - Wood has good speed and quickness but struggled to handle well in fast break situations. She lit up the nets in the third quarter against Scott City with a hat-trick of threes as the Eagles cut a 27-0 deficit to 16. Shoots it quickly and from everywhere.   Sierra Belote, 5'5", CG/PF, Lyons, 2026 - While she is best playing a wing/small forward role Belote often is found inside due to the team's lack of size. She competes hard defensively but where she stood out against Southeast of Saline is with her diverse ways of scoring the ball. She put up 8 points in a lopsided loss. Stockily built she dribbles well at speed and is athletic and creative on her shots.   [player_tooltip player_id='872341' first='Kendall' last='Gentry'], 5'5", PG/SG, Scott City, 2025 - Gentry was impactful with her speed with the ball. I also liked her rebounding - jumping to the ball, grabbing with both hands. A coast-to-coast threat.   [player_tooltip player_id='817396' first='Eva' last='Malm'], 5'5", SG, Smoky Valley, 2025 - The solidly built shooting guard also ran the point from time to time. She showed sweet, bounding, defender splitting ability to drop a dime on a lane drive. Malm was also a stabilizing presence on the floor.   Tinley Scott, 5'7", SG, Smokey Valley, 2024 - Scott heated up in the middle two quarters against Hutchinson Trinity, hitting a trifecta of three pointers on the way to scoring all 16 of her team leading points. She showed solid game IQ and scoring ability off slashing takes.   [player_tooltip player_id='606243' first='Brielle' last='Ptacek'], 5'4", PG, Southeast of Saline, 2024 - The Trojans are well known for putting a great deal of full court defensive pressure on opponents all game long. And while Ptacek is big component of the cast where she really stands out is with her control with the ball. Even at speed running the break she does not get out of control and is always looking for where to go with the ball. She can score on her own but she excels at seeing the ball get to the right teammate where they can catch it. In the half court, she defends with balance, quickness, and good positioning. Not an easy player to beat off the bounce.   [player_tooltip player_id='621242' first='Chloe' last='Garrett'], 5'9", C, Sterling, 2026 - Garrett brings physical size to the team with some length and athleticism. She works well on both ends to keep opposing bigs occupied and will drive the lane from the high post.   [player_tooltip player_id='606259' first='Avery' last='Linden'], 5'4", PG, Sterling, 2024 - Linden is one of the only remaining players from the state championship years and she plays like it. What she brought to the table against Hugoton were intangibles and presence. Facilitating, defending and equally experienced [player_tooltip player_id='817400' first='Abigail' last='Slocum'], and keeping the team centered.

After missing it last year it was great to get back in the Sterling High School gym to catch a full day one of the 11th Annual Sterling Invitational. The usual cast of characters were in attendance - Hugoton, Hutchinson Trinity, Kingman, Lyons, Scott City, Smoky Valley, Southeast of Saline, and Sterling. And thanks to the snow and cold all games were pushed to yesterday so I could catch every game back-to-back. Just what I like! My all Day 1 Teams consist of a first, second, and a 'Shout Out!" list. Enjoy.