Standout Performers From the First Few Weeks

Brady Peterson December 11, 2024 @ 02:05 PM

Players step into new roles and take more prominent positions on both ends of the floor. Today, we'll look at some players who've excelled in their time on the floor to open the season.   [player_tooltip player_id='533077' first='Adaline' last='Sheplee']   The talent, physical tools, and skillset have always been there for Sheplee. The 6'3 Rice Lake native has missed a killer instinct, and the one knock I've had on her in her first two seasons is that she was too passive for a kid of her talent. However, that's not been the case this season. Now that her sister has graduated, Sheplee has fully embraced the "win by any means necessary mentality." She's always been a team-first player who hunted the best shots for her team. Last night, against a Lakeland team that ended the Warriors' season in 23-24, she understood that her shooting whenever she had daylight was her team's best shot, and she let fly what might be the most shots in a game in her time at Rice Lake. That mentality led to a massive road win for the Warriors in what could be a special season for Rice Lake.   Aaliyah Reese   In Reese's second season as a full-time member of the Shiocton rotation, she singlehandedly won the Cheifs a conference game on the road against Amherst. Reese scored 30 of her team's 43 points, including seven triples. To close that game out, with less than a minute to go, Reese knocked down a step-back three from the right corner to cap off an unbelievable night. The junior had never scored 20 points in a game before that game against Amherst. Stories like that keep me engaged every night because hearing about new names making a name for themselves is fun.   [player_tooltip player_id='533062' first='Tay' last='Maass']   If it weren't for a Neenah standout, Maass would be the clear breakout star in the FVA this season. She controls the game around the basket and frustrates opposing guards who want to attack the basket. She defends kids attacking the rim without fouling at a high level. I've also thought she's been among the most dominant scorers around the rim. Her touch has improved tenfold since she got to Appleton North. Not many kids have averaged a double-double, but if she keeps her 17-point, 12-rebound average, she'd be the first to average a double-double in the FVA since Mallory Ott did it in the 2022-23 season.   Jaden Ciesielczyk   The latest Ciesielczyk to come through De Pere fits the current Redbirds unit. The senior may not be the most talented kid in the FRCC, but she gets the most out of herself and her teammates, which leads to wins like it did against Notre Dame. She's an athletic kid who can defend on the perimeter by moving laterally against talented guards and wings.   [player_tooltip player_id='457866' first='Teagan' last='Schoenecker']   her first season as a premier offensive option at Oregon, Schoenecker has been excellent. She's a challenging kid to defend. She's a 6'0 guard with the physicality to get downhill but shoots it well from the three-point line, so teams either go into a zone or pick their poison on the defensive end. The Panthers also move the ball well, and although they lost their first regular season game since early 2023, Schoenecker made her presence known on the road against Beaver Dam.   [player_tooltip player_id='751287' first='Tessa' last='Bryan']   Speed kills. That's been the slogan I've made up to describe [player_tooltip player_id='751287' first='Tessa' last='Bryan']. Her burst to get kids on their heels opens up multiple doors for the Waunakee offense, and when it clicks, it's a beautiful thing to watch. Because of that burst and how athletic the pieces around Bryan are, the Warriors could be a postseason sleeper.

Players step into new roles and take more prominent positions on both ends of the floor. Today, we'll look at some players who've excelled in their time on the floor to open the season.