Players Who’ve Caught My Attention This Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At least 738 games have wrapped up in our state of Wisconsin. Naturally, there are kids exceeding expectations I may have had for them, and I'd like to highlight a few of them today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hailie Knudtson</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Osseo-Fairchild started the season off 0-2, but Knudtson has done it all for the Thunder. She's averaging 25 points and 11 rebounds, with four assists and two steals, including a 32-point outburst against Augusta her last time out. Knudtson's a solid athlete as a lead guard and can make things happen in transition. She's kept the Thunder in games early this season and will continue throughout her senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='842229' first='Ella' last='Verbeten']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The season is still young, but Verbeten has improved steadily in her first two seasons, and her junior year has continued that trend so far. She's become a better shooter, scorer, and rebounder. Verbeten has also earned more steals. Somehow, she manages to improve and be more productive every year. That shows her dedication to improving, and the results have followed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='842210' first='Gracie' last='Clary']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lodi native's been excellent to open the season. Everything the Blue Devils do runs through her, and it's worked. Her athleticism and length create chaos in opposing backcourts when Lodi can set their full-court press up, and with Clary at the point of that press, she can force mistakes in bunches. She's shot the ball well with low volume early this season, but she's a scholarship-level kid.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='766628' first='Brynn' last='Krull']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Essentially, two full seasons out with a knee injury, and in her second game back with Xavier, against a good Catholic Memorial team, Krull goes for 26 points and nine rebounds. Forget everything I'll say about her in that game for a second because it's cool to see her excelling after everything she's been through. However, Krull attacked the offensive glass, knocked down a few jumpers, and looked comfortable for someone who hasn't gotten to put on her Xavier jersey and play much these past two seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>Kiarrah Micolichek</strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Denmark guard is shooting the leather off the ball to begin her junior season. Micolichek is pushing 50/40/90 early in the season with her 46/44/84 splits thus far, and she's not shooting from the three-point line. She's a threat from well beyond the high school line. I love watching her move away from the ball to find herself open-looks, and when she starts hitting shots, she's among the most entertaining shooters to watch in my eyes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Karina Klemz</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Early returns on Klemz's opening weeks at Arrowhead have been positive. She's shot the ball well from the perimeter, and with the talent in Arrowhead's program, Klemz will get open looks every night if she does what she's supposed to do. Her size and skillset have been valuable for a program missing three of the five starters from last season's state title win in March. Klemz is still green to Wisconsin and may not have settled in yet, so she has some leeway with stuff she'll learn in how the Warhawks operate, and as Klemz gets more comfortable, she'll get better and better.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->