Friday Fab 5: Peggy Whitley Classic

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As I zigzag and criss-cross through the <strong>Peggy Whitley Classic</strong> standouts, I caught on Friday of the event, I was thinking <strong>"what 5 separated themselves" </strong>in front of me, so here ya go</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1226644"],"_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-6926fb1855bd5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Roberson put on one of her best performances I have personally seen, as it fell into the<strong> "it's not what you do, it's who you do it against"</strong> category. She scored off the dribble, deceptive first step played a part in that, but her pull-up jumper while being defended also looked good. One of the keys was that she made plays in the clutch, including defensive stops and playing the passing lane</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["855743"],"_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-6926fb1855c37"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Okeke continues to elevate her game, becoming more than a player standing above <strong>"the magic number" </strong>who was a back-to-the-basket decoy with potential. Well, let me also add that she was<strong> "long and athletic</strong><span style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px"><strong>,"</strong> which is the base, and seeing her put in the work to show signs of dominance</span> on both ends consistently was a treat for me. She blocked shots, she altered and deflected them, plus she hit the boards on both ends, yet her scoring around the basket and defense were also impressive</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["840759"],"_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-6926fb1855cac"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Cloud keeps flying and floating and seeing her operate over the years and show me<strong> "on the court" </strong>progression keeps me smiling. After all, she too is <strong>"long and athletic"</strong> and yep, that's still the base, but she can play all 5 positions on the court, and that ain't common. She slices by defenders to score off the dribble, with solid body control on her finishes, which at times are acrobatic. Her<strong> "stop and pop"</strong> jumper is a problem; she plays the passing lane, and her baseline-to-baseline pressure also looks good</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1447420"],"_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-6926fb1855cf7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Luke is a <strong>"long and athletic"</strong> guard, and that too falls under the base of players that I not only love to profile but so do many next-level coaches. She's heady, and her decision-making with the ball stood out, but here's the deal: I love <strong>#THROWBACK</strong> stuff and seeing her<strong> "follow her shot" </strong>took me back to another era. She played the passing lane, her <strong>"on the ball" </strong>pressure helped create turnovers, she created her shot and dropped it from outside, plus she scored off the dribble</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["692430"],"_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-6926fb1855d77"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Carroll is one of those players I caught early and knew that she was going to be special. Her first <strong>Tip Sheet</strong> from me was when she was in the<strong> 3rd </strong>grade, and her doing things instinctively against older players and not being afraid sold me. She's also a<strong> "long and athletic"</strong> guard, and seeing her read the court and come from out of nowhere to play the passing lane helped change the momentum several times. Well, her jumper did the same thing, so did her acrobatic finishes, yet her defensive pressure was also a huge plus </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->