Saturday Playmakers – The Smoke – Part 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Smoke, a high-level basketball tournament held this past weekend at Grand Valley, showcased top-tier talent from across the region. Saturday was especially notable for the impact made by the playmakers—athletes who consistently created opportunities and made things happen on both ends of the floor. Whether it was slicing through defenses, delivering precision passes, crashing the boards, or coming up with key steals and blocks, these versatile players were difference-makers. Their energy, creativity, and feel for the game set the tone throughout the day, proving that The Smoke is a proving ground for some of the most dynamic and game-changing talent around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1248385"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682ce367c4e4a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Amiya had an outstanding performance on Saturday at The Smoke, showcasing her ability as a true playmaker for the Mystics. She attacked the rim with craftiness, using her athleticism and strength to power through defenders. On defense, Amiya's anticipation was key, as she racked up multiple steals and disrupted plays. Her aggressive style of play also earned her numerous trips to the free-throw line, where she capitalized, including a clutch and-1 finish. Her combination of skill, physicality, and smart basketball IQ was on full display throughout the day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1248692,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1249467' first='Addison' last='Heiler']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Grand Haven","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='1226083' first='West' last='Michigan Drive']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682ce367c4f58"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Addison had a strong showing on Saturday at The Smoke, sparking [program_tooltip program_id='1226083' first='West' last='Michigan Drive'] with her high-energy play and relentless effort. She consistently made things happen on both ends, stepping up as a playmaker and bringing intensity every possession. Defensively, she was a problem—locking down her matchups and flying around the court to make hustle plays. Despite her size, Addison battled on the boards and came up with key rebounds. She also hit shots when her team needed them, proving to be a reliable and impactful presence all day long.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["992172"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682ce367c4fcf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Layla had an impressive showing on Saturday at The Smoke, making a big impact for the Goonies. The skilled guard showed off her touch around the basket, finishing smoothly with either hand and using crafty footwork to create space. One highlight play saw her score with a slick move at the rim, then immediately grab a steal on the inbound. She pushed the pace in transition and brought consistent energy, constantly creating momentum for her team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1248705,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1249470' first='Geniyah' last='Jackson']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Waverly","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='1226083' first='West' last='Michigan Drive']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682ce367c50de"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Geniyah made a strong impression on Saturday at The Smoke, standing out as a powerful and aggressive guard for [program_tooltip program_id='1226083' first='West' last='Michigan Drive']. She played with force and control, using her strength and ball-handling to push the tempo off defensive rebounds and get downhill quickly. Geniyah consistently created advantages in transition and executed the pick-and-roll with precision, connecting with her teammate for easy looks. Her ability to read the game and make plays in tight spaces made her a constant threat—she was the engine behind her team's offensive flow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["807307"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682ce367c5150"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jaeda had a standout performance on Saturday at The Smoke, making key contributions for the [program_tooltip program_id='714458' first='Michigan' last='Cobras']. A smart and active guard, she moved well off the ball, made sharp cuts, and consistently put herself in position to make plays. In transition, she delivered crisp passes to set up teammates, and her mid-range shot was on point throughout the day. Jaeda battled on the boards, grabbing several offensive rebounds, and came up clutch when it mattered most—draining a go-ahead three with under a minute left, then securing a crucial defensive rebound to help seal the win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->