MLK Weekend Basketball Notes

There were some quality basketball games and open gyms on the First Coast this MLK weekend. In this article, we look at some of the prospects who were standouts at the recent “Duel” in Duval Showcase.    [player_tooltip player_id='751625' first='Terrell' last='McCoy'] was dominant in the paint and scored when the defense fronted her or played behind her. McCoy displayed the hands of a tight end and effectively scored on the inside and created scoring opportunities for herself and teammates. She was also equally impressive on the defensive end, deterring opponents from scoring in the middle. There were some points scored, bur McCoy was a defensive presence all game long. Considering the teams were playing on a college court, McCoy ran the floor well on offensive fast breaks and also transitioned back well on the defensive end.     [player_tooltip player_id='346820' first='Abby' last='Knauff'] was a standout and shooting the three from the college distance may be a premonition for next season in college. Knauff shot the “long” ball well, and also showed other aspects to her game. Realizing that opponents are going to play up on her and run her off of the three point line, Knauff showed that she can put the ball down on the floor and get to the rim. The drives showed Knauff's playmaking ability as she had a beautiful assist to the big on the inside. Knauff also got the ball on the inside and used her athleticism to score on smaller guards. She showed strength and athleticism and won those battles close to the rim.     [player_tooltip player_id='514608' first='Evelyn' last='Freeman'] (AKA “Evie” ) really played well and had some great takes and finishes at the rim. Freeman showcased the speed and the passing was on point (in the paint and to her perimeter players). Her speed on the court caused a lot of problems on the court and as a result Freeman got 10 freethrow attempts and connected on 9 of them. Freeman's defense was also very good - on and off the ball. Freeman is a high IQ player and her decision making was on point all game long.     [player_tooltip player_id='248551' first='Alanna' last='Tatum'] handled the ball well all day long and put a lot of pressure on the defense. She had the attention of everyone on Bolles. Tatum's defense was good and she was very good in the transition game. Her leadership came through on the floor and she is the one her teammates put the trust in. Tatum handles the pressure and the responsibility of the leader, and always puts her teammates in position to succeed. As usual Tatum's defense was on point. She defended the point, the shooting guard, and the small forward. Tatum is an elite guard and the respect the opponent showed was an indication of it.     [player_tooltip player_id='844873' first='Sara' last='Dagba'] continued to show why she is one of the top players in her class. Her performance was very good and she was probably the most versatile offensive player on the court. Dagba connected on a few shots from the college three point line and also scored in the paint against the bigs down low. She finished with a game high 17 points. Her versatility as scorer was impressive, but also her ability to handle the ball and play multiple positions on the defensive end , including playing the 5 position several times during the game.     [player_tooltip player_id='823463' first='Presley' last='Norman'] also played her part and just continues to be steady and efficient on the basketball court. Norman finished with a three, several midrange shots, and connected from the freethrow line. Norman handled the ball and was very good at making plays with the ball in her hands.

There were some quality basketball games and open gyms on the First Coast this MLK weekend. In this article, we look at some of the prospects who were standouts at the recent “Duel” in Duval Showcase.