The Dream Showcase Top Performers
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I stopped off at Federal Way High School on Martin Luther King Jr Day for The Dream Showcase to see some of the top girl’s teams in the state compete. I caught the afternoon slate which included Sumner, Emerald Ridge,…
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Continue ReadingI stopped off at Federal Way High School on Martin Luther King Jr Day for The Dream Showcase to see some of the top girl’s teams in the state compete. I caught the afternoon slate which included Sumner, Emerald Ridge, Eastlake, and Lake Washington, all of which were state qualifiers, and two played for a state championship last year. Needless to say, these were highly competitive games. Here are some of the standouts from the day.
Benthin was one of many freshmen stepping up in a big way Monday. She was one of the key Kangs, leading the way to an upset win over undefeated Sumner. Benthin played with great confidence and it wasn’t just her hot shooting or superb slashing that stood out. Her hustle and nose for the ball secured crucial points and possessions in a close game, like when she followed an early miss for an o-board then finished with an and-one bucket. She was tough on both ends of the floor and played with a pace and feel that was hard to match.
Highlights
The senior guard made a ton of plays with her pressure defense that led to a couple of breakaway buckets, but she also was ready to leak out when her teammates forced turnovers and was constantly beating players down the court for layup after layup. Even when she wasn’t getting steals, she was tipping passing and disrupting the offense’s rhythm.
Raymiah Jackson
Raymiah Jackson
Jackson came out of the gates strong, ripping down a big rebound and then going to work on the other end. She’s a powerful forward but also has some smooth finishing in her game. She was able to put her head down with a solid power dribble and finish through defenders. She showed off a nice turnaround jumper from the block and whipped out a quick spin move around defenders a couple of times to get deeper in the paint. She ran the floor, blocked some shots on defense, and was really making her mark on the game in the first half. Unfortunately, she left the game with an injury partway through the third quarter, but Jackson should be a force to watch in the coming years.
Borden is a very promising prospect and she showed it again albeit in a loss, against Lake Washington. She’s already so smooth in the post, using multiple moves to score, and applies the same quick feet on the perimeter to blow by defenders. It seemed she could score any which way she tried on Monday, and she brought it defensively with a couple of big blocked shots. She’s an impact player on both ends and with her combination of toughness and skill, she has a bright future.
The lefty guard brought tons of energy to the court and set the pace for Eastlake with her ability to change direction quickly, put together multiple moves, and sellout for loose balls. She racked up steals, long rebounds, and contributed a few 3-pointers too. She was another player that ended up leaving the game early after running full speed into the front row but left a big mark on the game leading the Wolves on both ends.