Sophomores Who Played Like Upperclassmen This Season

When sophomores play like upperclassman it helps their team and it helps them prepare for those next years when they will be the leaders. Check out these sophomores who are already doing it and playing like upperclassman.    Helping lead the Gators to one of their best seasons in a few years, Coronado is an all around great guard. Her handles are very good and allow her to help break presses and manage the ball through traffic. Her control with the ball gives her another boost as she is a good slasher, she is exceelent at getting to the paint with her drives where she can finish strong for her own buckets but also make some great passes, avergaing almost 4 assists per game. Rae has range. Her jumper is smooth and she can hit from mid-range and step behind the arch with ease. On defense, Coronado is all over the court. She is long for a guard and uses her length to get in the passing lanes and helpside for steals, giving her team 3 plus per game. Look for Coronado to continue to make the high energy plays for Standley Lake in the coming years.     Smith is one of those players that can change the game with her play as she helped the Skyview Wolves to a playoff appearance this season. She is a great mix of power and finesse on the court. She has the handles that pull her away from her listed PF/C position, but thats not a problem for her. On the wing, Nyree can get to the basket to finish strong and get to the free throw line. She also has the range that pulls her out from the paint as well. She can hit from the mid-range and from 3pt both, you can't give her space. In the paint, Smith uses her power to earn position and easy buckets on taller post players. Defensively, she is just a tough. She uses her body well to dominate her matchup. She can contain dribblers and shooters on the wing very well and push taller post players around with ease. Nyree will be an anchor player for Skyview into her upper years.     Amya is listed as a SF but she can play all over the court. At 6'0" she is good with the ball in her hands in the open court, she can make good decisions under pressure. She can also put the ball on the floor from the wing or the high post and get to the basket for strong points. Sparks plays well with her back to the basket, she has great footwork for battles on the block. She definitely uses her height well to get rebounds on both ends of the floor. On D, Amya is tough around the rim. She is long but also quick, keeping her matchup contained. She has the quickness at her height to be great in helpside on smaller guards. Legend will continue their long playoff runs in Sparks' future seasons.     The Tigers of Lakewood were stronger this season behind the rise up play of Last. She is a player that can do it all for her team. At just under 6'0", Iben plays big in the middle of the floor. She is a great target for her team on press breaks and in the high post and makes good decisions when passing to teammates or taking the ball for her own buckets. Iben is skilled to finish at the basket and she can also pull up for mid-range jumpers to get her points. Averaging over 6 rebounds per game, she is definitely a force on the boards. Defensively, Iben is long and can contain wing players or players in the paint. She uses her body well to maintain her position and provide help when needed. As Iben continues her growth as a player, she will continue to spark her team.     Moving to a new school and a new team is never easy but Marrujo made it look effortless in her sophomore transition to Brighton High. It will be difficult to stop this baller wherever she is playing. As a shorter guard, she shows no fear on the court. She is a confident dribbler and can get to the paint for buckets or to set up her teammates for scoring opportunities. Sophia is a smooth shooter, her jumper is efficient coming off screens or from the catch and shoot. She has range from 2pt and 3pt both. At the defensive end, Sophia is quick and uses her high basketball IQ to get sneaky steals all over the floor. Her efficiency on both ends of the floor will keep Marrujo in the top of the stats at Brighton throughout her career.     This sophomore is exciting to watch. Playing a transfer season, she didn't let that stop her from getting it done on the court. Hilliard has a wingspan that elevates her game at her SG position. She uses her length and power on offense to get around her defender for easy buckets. She is confident with the ball in her hands and can be counted on to help bring the ball up the court under pressure and keep the offense flowing for quality scores. With the ball in her hands, Rachel can score from the wing, or the high post. She has the skills to also play with her back to the basket making her a true triple threat. On defense, look for Hilliard to get in stance and defend in the full court and in half court pressure. She is agressive on the boards, using her length to snatch rebounds even over taller post players. Hilliard will be a key for Mountain Vista to continue their on court success in the future.

When sophomores play like upperclassman it helps their team and it helps them prepare for those next years when they will be the leaders. Check out these sophomores who are already doing it and playing like upperclassman.