Difference Makers Come Playoff Time

Showing up during the regular season and showing up during the Playoff time is completely different. The best prospects show up to both, no matter what the circumstances might be. In this article we evaluate five prospects out of the state of Nebraska, that should all be impactful difference makers come Playoff time for their varsity program.   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    Lincoln Christian has put together a season to remember this Winter with an undefeated record of 22-0 so far. When it comes to programs that have skilled players, great coaching, a lot of support - Lincoln Christian is definitely in that conversation. For the past 3.5 years, their force in the middle has been [player_tooltip player_id='316452' first='Kena' last='Ailes']. Ailes stands at 6'0 and she seems to be a problem for most to defend. She competes with physicality, strength, and calculated movement, which has led to some impressive showings this Winter. If LC wants to run the table, Ailes needs to play the best ball of her career. Something that is definitely possible looking forward when you account for her height and the intangibles she brings to the hardwood.     The thing about Skutt Catholic is that they have several collegiate level prospects at every division level so depending on the night, anyone can beat you. This makes the Skyhawks extremely hard to defend in the grand scheme of things. Someone that could be an X-factor on this Playoff run is their senior guard, [player_tooltip player_id='1194377' first='Mia' last='McMahon']. McMahon recently had an outing to remember against Bennington High School and she might come to be the hero in some other contests down the line. We are talking about a senior, who has earned her stripes throughout her career. She understands how to win with the others on the floor around her and that will be important in their quest for another State Title.     Elkhorn Valley is one of the only other programs throughout the state that is currently undefeated. EV sits with a 21-0 record thus far in their journey and they aren't looking to slow down anytime soon. The common theme for all of these "stacked" teams is the fact that each program has several college level players on their roster currently and that doesn't change here. Someone that looks like they will be vital in this program's success over this next month is SG, [player_tooltip player_id='766590' first='Karlee' last='Broberg']. Broberg is her team's leader in PPG with 17, while also shooting everything at a high rate. She is also someone that makes quick choices and gets the ball out of her hands in a hurry off the catch. She can either shoot it or take it to the rack for an easier look, depending on how the defense is playing. For this team to continue to win, it's a total team effort but Broberg is likely to show up as one of their best when it matters the most.     Everyone's journey in the recruitment process is different. It all depends on the situation within the family and the school recruiting said player. [player_tooltip player_id='316642' first='Taryn' last='Ottemann'] of Johnson Brock High School was patient during her journey but that doesn't change the fact that she was dedicated to playing at the next level. Eventually, Ottemann signed with Grand View (NAIA) out of Des Moines to continue on her basketball path and I think she is going to be very important in her team's success over this Playoff journey. Ottemann does stand right around 6'0, she has great muscle mass to pair along with that, and she is a hard-worker. She is a post that likes to do her work early in a possession, so that things become easier later on. Johnson Brock is putting together a Winter they will never forget. They are sitting at 22-1 at the moment with their eyes on the prize. If they continue to do what they have done all season long, then this group will be a tough out for opposing programs on any given night.     This isn't the first time we have mentioned [player_tooltip player_id='758862' first='Kyra' last='Nelms'] of Southwest Public Schools and it won't b the last. Nelms is a seasoned PF that stands at 6'0. With her natural size, she is a consistent threat on the boards on either side of the ball, as well as being someone that can eat by the rim on the offensive end because of her reach and soft touch on the rock. Nelms has been showing out this Winter in all of the categories I just mentioned above. If the rest of her team can follow suit and do their thing, this is a team that could win a few more games over these next few weeks.

Showing up during the regular season and showing up during the Playoff time is completely different. The best prospects show up to both, no matter what the circumstances might be. In this article we evaluate five prospects out of the state of Nebraska, that should all be impactful difference makers come Playoff time for their varsity program.