UIL 5A/6A- Round 2 Win or Go Home Guard Play

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's nothing like a high school basketball state playoffs atmosphere. The "win or go" home mentality brings out another side of players. I got to see some of the <strong>top freshman guards in the state </strong>head to head in Ma'Riyah Alfred and [player_tooltip player_id='839219' first='A'zuya' last='Blair']. Pearland beat Beaumont Westbrook in a 6A area round 2 game, but I'm sure we'll be seeing that matchup for years to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a 5A area round 2 game, Manvel dominated a Fort Bend Willowridge team. Here's a recap of feisty guard play from both of those playoff games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["675503"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"This senior emptied her tank in hopes of her season seeing another day. Nixon left it all on the floor, as she hit timely three's to give her team momentum and not left the deficit get out of control. She found gaps to get to the basket and played with a lot of might for her size. I also saw her make nice entry passes to her teammates.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["849946"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Players shooting the midrange shot will catch my eye often times because this is becoming more and more rare. Hardy has an excellent mid range jumper but she will also shoot (and make) from the perimeter three. She doesn't try to do anything extra or over the top, and plays her role on a team with talented individuals on the floor. She plays with a real poise and her jump shot is of the same demeanor.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Au'Rayona Seals","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Fort Bend Willowridge","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Seals plays with a motor, and this motor was fully charged in the playoff mode. She shoots with a quick trigger and is also quick to follow her shot. The follow creates more offensive opportunities for her. She attacks the gaps and does not play selfishly. She likes the floater but is looking to get all the way to the rack if she can.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Tenia Steucy","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Fort Bend Willowridge","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Great off ball guard. She understands spacing and how to move without the ball. This level of understanding allowed her to get open looks around the perimeter. She loves the corner pocket three. 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She is a strong guard and uses muscles to power inside. I saw her find gaps and use her upper body strength to muscle in the cracks as a window to the basket. Her strength is a huge upside for her.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='858505' first='Peyton' last='Cooks']","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Manvel","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Cooks was cooking for her team!! She runs the show for Manvel. Her tight handles impressed me, but what was more impressive was the way she does not let the defense fluster her or speed her up. The ease she plays with is reflected in her shot's soft touch. She can shoot the three or get to the basket using those tight handles. Cooks is very impressive for the sophomore class, and great potential to lead her team on Monday night against Barber's Hill in the UIL 5A regional quarterfinals.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":6,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d114a7f3a28"} /-->