Best Backcourt Returners Within Their Conference

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over the next few days we will cover some of the returning conference leaders from last season. Each of these players will take the court once again this Winter after coming off of successful seasons from individual statistical standpoints.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this piece we will specifically speak on some play from the guard position. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1376987"],"_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-691bb67ae6bbf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1376987' first='Emme' last='Wikner'] led the MFL MarMac Bulldogs Winter to 15-9 overall record while going 14-2 in the Upper Iowa conference as she averaged 11 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, &amp; 3.5 SPG. Wikner would be considered a smaller prospect at 5'3 but she makes up for it with her passing ability and her ability to know when to do what exactly. This is a prospect that was a top player for the Upper Iowa Conference as a Sophomore and I'm sure she is going to be even better this time around as a Junior. MFL MarMac will return some other interesting pieces to their puzzle so it should be fun to see how things shake out. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1376989"],"_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-691bb67ae6c36"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1376989' first='Kelsey' last='Reed'] may play off of the ball more than as her team's main PG but she still happens to put up some respectable numbers in the Assist category, along with the Rebounding, Steals, &amp; PPG sections as well. This season at Melcher-Dallas Reed will need to take over as her team's main producer on and off of the ball. She did her thing last year but their group was led by a lot of Senior leadership so now it's time for Reed to take the reins. This is something that is definitely do-able while looking at this group as a whole and who they have to compete with throughout their regular season. The went 10-0 in conference last Winter and I'm sure they could do the same this time around but it's going to take some team work and some dominance out of Reed. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["832218"],"_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-691bb67ae6c8d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='832218' first='Victoria' last='Williams'] will be Ames main weapon as a facilitator this Winter as a PG returning from last season. She will be the one called upon to make their big plays and to get their best players the ball when it matters the most. Not to mention, Williams happens to be someone with a nose for getting her hands on the ball defensively. She has quick feet and she understands the mental side of the game of basketball at a higher rate than most, which helps her record several tips and deflections throughout a ball game. Overall, there is a lot to like out of Williams in general. She helped her team lead their conference last year and I'm sure that will be their goal once again throughout the next six months as they work towards the State Playoffs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1377011"],"_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-691bc7ad071dc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ottumwa High School is going to have a chance to be really, really good within their conference over the next couple of years. They should also stack up nicely from a state wide perspective with their regular season schedule due to their personal coming in and some of the personal returning. Someone that put up respectable numbers last season while her team won a lot of games was [player_tooltip player_id='1377011' first='Alli' last='Goedken'] at the CG spot. Goedken likes to move off the ball and be her team's main producer whenever plausible. She is more of a score-first type and that should play nicely with who they will add this Winter. If everyone from the group can play with this aggressive mentality, they should be a team we talk about more and more as we get closer to the Playoffs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1060063"],"_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-691bc7ad0729b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kinley Britt has an argument for moving into the Top 100 Rankings for the 2026 Class come December because of her athletic ability, her ability to be versatile as a lead PG with other good players around her, &amp; her leadership qualities. Offensively, she is a pass-first PG with a nice shooting stroke when it's rotated back to her. She can also play off the ball and knock shots down off the catch if she needs to move to the side to let someone else bring it up. Defensively, she holds her own. At the end of the day Birt is a college level player. If herself and [player_tooltip player_id='598490' first='Ava' last='Putman'] play-off each other well this season, they should have a chance to make it to the State Tournament once again. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->