The Gritty List Class of 2027

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The one thing about basketball, especially in Utah, is the abundance of players who exhibit exceptional grit and determination on the court. With so many talented athletes to consider, we've curated this list into distinct segments, spotlighting some of the most tenacious players from the Class of 2027.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These names are in no specific order.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='827410' first='Savannah' last='Klodt'], Cedar Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Klodt brings a gritty, hardworking, and high-intensity style of play to the floor. She is an on-the-ball menace, and if you relax one second or take your eyes off of her defensively, she will pick your pocket. Lateral speed and recovery are great, and that allows her to pressure the ball more than most. Offensively, she keeps it simple; she takes what the defense gives her, but there is a noticeable downhill aspect to her drives. This is why she is on the Gritty List. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='805802' first='Ciara' last='De La O'], Clearfield</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>De La O does a great job of dropping into help and recovery. She has the speed to close out, lose position, and get back in front of her player before she needs help. She is a ball hawk and does a great job using active hands and anticipating moves, plays, or passes. Watch out for this year, you will see her being more aggressive than she has in the past in all aspects of her game. Nice small school player at the next level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1119391' first='Alexa' last='Vance'], Salem Hills</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Foot speed is a big-time tool for this girl as she runs the floor well, but she also uses her angles defensively, trying to funnel the offensive player into a bad angle, and that is when she uses those quick, active hands to pick the ball or make the ball handler nervous. She is not afraid to get physical inside or get on the floor for loose balls. If she shoots the ball well, she brings this all-around, gritty style of play to the floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='827421' first='Paige' last='Smith'], Jordan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith is a bruiser inside. When she can keep the ball high, she finishes at a high percentage. Smith uses her length to make it difficult for players getting in the lane to get easy looks. Fundamentally sound, using great technique, boxing out, and making things easier for her teammates when she is on the floor. Smith does a lot of the little things. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='952641' first='Sadee' last='Castagno'], Grantsville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not sure if Grantsville will play their 1-2-2 this coming season, as they have a new coach, but Castango knew her assignment, and that was to use her quickness and go all out for steals, as she double-teamed a lot and was just active all over the floor. She brings a grittiness to the floor. She could be instrumental this season as Grantsville lost a few good seniors. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->