Hard-Nosed Defenders

The much-anticipated matchup between the Cedar Falls Tigers and Liberty Bolts did not disappoint tonight. Across the floor I saw a number of playmakers, big shot takers, and disciplined defenders. I was really impressed with Cedar Falls' defense overall — every bucket scored by the Bolts was well-earned. These five players for the Tigers stuck out, especially on the defensive end, and despite the loss they should be proud of their effort tonight.    I thought [player_tooltip player_id='999479' first='Gabie' last='Hanks'] was an anchor defensively for Cedar Falls tonight and really helped set the tone for her team. She's a pesky defender that tipped multiple passes in the press for steals and did a solid job guarding ball handlers in the open floor. She also shot the gap for steals a few times in the half court. Offensively, Hanks is fearless attacking the rim, has a good feel for the game, needs little to no space to get her shot off, and just makes good decisions. She also has a speedy first gear and turns the corner really well to attack downhill.     Mattie Dieken showed her importance on the floor defensively down the stretch for the Tigers tonight. She's a hustle player that scrambles around the floor at an extremely high rate, and did well to get the Liberty offense scrambling at times throughout the game. Dieken's defensive stance is always exemplary — she stays low, moves her feet really well, and doesn't reach in for foul calls. She was really disciplined by beating the ball handler to the spot with her body and also read passing lanes for a few steals. Offensively, Dieken hit a big corner three and is capable of putting it on the floor.     Multi-sport athlete [player_tooltip player_id='592192' first='Grace' last='Hannam'] is a mobile, athletic forward who does a lot of things well for Cedar Falls. Guarding the Bolts' best player, [player_tooltip player_id='837358' first='Natalie' last='Ramsey'], Hannam did well to limit Ramsey's drive and forced her into contested pull-ups throughout the game. Hannam can defend anywhere on the floor — in the post or on the perimeter to take on guards, and she really moves her feet well. Offensively I was impressed with Hannam's athleticism and ability to elevate on offensive putbacks. She crashed the boards hard and finished a number of strong buckets through contact at the rim.     Sophie Stanic is yet another guard who was flying around the perimeter and making things hard for the Bolts' offense. Stanic is a smart defender that does well to position herself in front of ball handlers, has active hands in passing lanes, and overall just has a nose for the ball. Stanic chased down a defender in transition for a steal in the fourth quarter and followed it up soon after with a chase down block after an offensive rebound — this girl is all hustle. She's also a floor general who picks her spots well. She has a good handle, finished a number of tough lay-ins with both hands, and knows how to draw two defenders and kick it out to an open teammate.     I thought Jordann Oakland was a spark for her team tonight and I liked watching her play on both sides of the floor. Defensively, Oakland is interchangeable across the perimeter and can guard both shooters and drivers. She hustles hard, knows where she's supposed to be on the floor, and her communication on the floor stuck out to me (especially as an underclassman). Offensively Oakland stepped up for the Tigers with two big three pointers — both deep shots with a hand in her face. I anticipate we will hear lots more from Oakland as her career develops.

The much-anticipated matchup between the Cedar Falls Tigers and Liberty Bolts did not disappoint tonight. Across the floor I saw a number of playmakers, big shot takers, and disciplined defenders. I was really impressed with Cedar Falls' defense overall — every bucket scored by the Bolts was well-earned. These five players for the Tigers stuck out, especially on the defensive end, and despite the loss they should be proud of their effort tonight.