Alburnett vs. Edco: Energy Givers

In a tightly-contested game between Alburnett and Edgewood-Colesburg on Tuesday, buckets were at a premium and both teams relied heavily on energy and hustle to capture momentum. A few players from each side made these momentum-building plays for their squads when they really needed them — from tough buckets, to diving for steals, to hitting deep threes. Who was an energy giver on Tuesday? Continue reading to find out.    [player_tooltip player_id='1143223' first='McKenna' last='Hoefer'] was all over the floor on Tuesday and brought a lot of energy to her team. She's a tough-nosed kid who gives 100% effort, has solid intuition on defense, and isn't afraid to dive on any loose ball that comes her way. One of Hoefer's best assets is her ability to track down steals and immediately find teammates in transition. One of my favorite plays of the night was Hoefer diving on a 50-50 ball in the paint, gaining possession, and throwing it from the ground over a defender's head for an assist. She also had a handful of steals in Alburnett's backcourt that led to buckets. Hoefer finished the night with 5 points, 6 boards, 5 assists, and 3 steals overall.     Just as she does on the softball diamond for Edgewood-Coelesburg, junior [player_tooltip player_id='1143225' first='Rachel' last='Eglseder'] delivered for her team on the court on Tuesday. The 5'9" forward stepped up and flashed a balanced, smooth jumper while going 100% from behind the arc in the process (4/4, in case you were wondering). When Alburnett was threatening in the second half or when the shot clock was running low, Eglseder pulled up with confidence and hit big-time shots. Her poise and range brought serious energy to her team and helped push the Vikings to the finish line. In addition to scoring 14 total points in the game, Rachel finished a well-rounded game with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block.     [player_tooltip player_id='1044948' first='Kylie' last='Cushman'] stuck out to me from tipoff by bringing consistent hustle to her team all game. Cushman is quick on her feet and tested EdCo's ball handlers early, and started the game with a steal in the back court for a layup. She followed that steal up with an early block and stepped up against EdCo's zone for a deep three pointer. I really liked that no matter the situation in the game, Cushman was looking to be aggressive, bring energy on the defensive end, and make plays for her team. Leading the team in scoring as a freshman (9.3PPG) is not an easy task, and I applaud Cushman for stepping up and making plays for her Pirates squad.     [player_tooltip player_id='1143221' first='Ava' last='Hoefer'] is an improving role player for Alburnett that made solid plays on Tuesday night, and showed glimpses of what will come for the starting freshman. Hoefer brought energy to her team in a number of ways, including a few great reads against EdCo's zone and with her discipline on defense. While some of her teammates were getting EdCo's attention defensively, Ava did well to flash to open spots against the zone for open drives and to dish to open teammates. She also did well to stay vertical and wall up strong in transition when EdCo was looking to go on a run in the first half. I think there is plenty more high-IQ play to come from Hoefer as she gains experience this season.

In a tightly-contested game between Alburnett and Edgewood-Colesburg on Tuesday, buckets were at a premium and both teams relied heavily on energy and hustle to capture momentum. A few players from each side made these momentum-building plays for their squads when they really needed them — from tough buckets, to diving for steals, to hitting deep threes. Who was an energy giver on Tuesday? Continue reading to find out.