2A & 1A Finals Breakdown

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Merino prevailed over Burlington in a decisive 61-45 victory over Burlington for the 2A title. The victorious group was among the favorites going into this postseason going 27-0 on the season. Burlington was not too far behind all year, with a 21-5 record. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Merino</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Merino's patient passing allowed for the best possible shot attempts. Led by point guard [player_tooltip player_id='657244' first='Kya' last='Piel'], she was particularly active slinging halfcourt and full court passes up the court for transition scoring opportunities. Her accuracy and boldness making plays on the break was especially important for this team to get out in front early, notching 7 assists. [player_tooltip player_id='879146' first='Makenna' last='Sutter'] stayed active around the rim, actively scoring through various contests. Another downhill scoring threat was Jade Powell, leveraging her sneaky handle to get by defenders.  Both Brooklyn and [player_tooltip player_id='879146' first='Makenna' last='Sutter'] came down with double doubles, Brooklyn with 10 points and 10 rebounds while Makenna strung together 21 points and 10 rebounds. Merino looks to remain at the top, where 6 of their 7 scorers from this matchup will be returning next season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Burlington</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Although a difficult loss, Burlington will remain one of the top teams in all of 2A, given [player_tooltip player_id='474846' first='Kiyarra' last='Williams'] constant two-way impact. An excellent interior defender and physical rebounder, her value will ease the departure of 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='216680' first='Trinitee' last='Holmes']. 2026 guard Lynzee Neal will be a dependable three point shooter down the road, knocking down multiple timely shots throughout the first half. While guards 2027 Marilena Lee and 2026 Bethany Cure provided quite a few rebounds on both ends of the floor, displaying grit and hustle. [player_tooltip player_id='216680' first='Trinitee' last='Holmes'] finishes her last game of her high school career, although there is no doubt her basketball future will continue at the next level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>1A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Briggsdale</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Briggsdale followed up their 24-2 season with a close 41-40 victory over Stratton for the 1A state title. [player_tooltip player_id='118726' first='Jenna' last='Krise'] showed her shotmaking abilities off the dribble, she's a tall scoring guard who adds excitement to each possession. Hitting the go ahead shot for their 41-40 lead, Krise is a fast player with or without the ball, capable of changing speeds and staying on balance. She was assertive on defensive, active on contests or tipping away the ball from passing lanes.  Backcourt partner Kayl Klem adds value to this group, through her quick decisions with the ball. A willing skip passer within the halfcourt, Klem is a bold playmaker who does not mind far passes. Claire Brown stayed ready for outlets, getting out early as the recipient of a few buckets. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Stratton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='331317' first='Sedonia' last='Isenbart'] was active kickstarting fast breaks, getting out early to attack the rim and draw in a recovering defense. A particularly willing shotmaker off the bounce, she has done a great job drawing in opponents to draw fouls. There are not many guards at the 1A level with her mid-range scoring ability off the bounce.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='793046' first='Sophia' last='Isenbart'] on the other hand was the beneficiary of a large number of defensive rebounds, actively facilitating fast breaks and setting up drivers.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->