S.T.R.O.N.G. Showcase Day 1 Game 2: ESTEM vs Hutchison (TN)

Preview   The Hutchison Lady Sting traveled to Jacksonville, Arkansas to take on a promising team out of the 4A-5 South, the ESTEM Lady Mets. Hutchison is a strong squad coming from Tennessee, but I did have some trouble tracking down a roster for them, so I am hoping this is all accurate.   Recap   The game started close between the two teams. ESTEM was down by 5 at the end of the first quarter, and it was evident that Hutchison had the height advantage, as it appeared that three of their starters were close, if not over 6-feet tall. That advantage kept the Mets at arms-length in the first half, and the out-of-state visitors led 25-17.   However, it did not take long for the guards of Hutchison to have their chances to shine. Their great shooting in addition to their control of the glass on both ends put them out in front, leading 46-25 at the end of the third.   Though ESTEM showed more fight in the fourth quarter, it still was not enough, with Hutchison heading into Day 2 of the tournament with a 55-39 victory.   Key Performances from Hutchinson    Hutchison's points guard was doing it all for her squad against the Lady Mets.   Tinsley Anderson put up 14 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 6 steals in the win. She was knocking down shots from beyond the arch with ease and she was creating plenty of offensive possessions for her team thanks to her excellent defense.     Like Anderson, [player_tooltip player_id='822329' first='Alissa' last='Carpenter'] was having her way on the defensive end.   She posted 8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. She was hitting her open shots from beyond and in transition, but she was at her best when she was crashing the glass and hounding opposing ball-handlers.     Helen Donlon propelled Hutchison to an early lead in the first quarter thanks to a couple of big triples. Though she cooled off offensively, she still found ways to contribute.   Donlon scored 8 points, but crashed the glass hard, pulling down 10 rebounds, and racking up 2 assists and 1 steal. Donlon used her length to her advantage this game, swatting shots out of bounds whenever she slid over from the help side.     [player_tooltip player_id='636393' first='Ava' last='Jones'] was outstanding in this game, showcasing her length and comfort whenever she had the ball in her hands.   Jones scored 11 points to go along with 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Her length bothered the Lady Mets, but she looked extremely versatile, finding open teammates and hitting open shots outside of the paint.   I did not know [player_tooltip player_id='636393' first='Ava' last='Jones'] was one of the best players in the state of Tennessee when I saw her play, but I can see why she is ranked #9 in her class.    <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/mikaila-evans/">Mikaila Evans</a>- Essentially, the entire starting lineup for Hutchison had a great showing. Evans finished the evening with 7 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 rejection. She added to Hutchison's versatile front court, playing well out of position on occasion. I feel bad for any team in Tennessee who has to play this group, because they are solid all the way around, especially with players like Evans standing tall for them.   Key Performances from ESTEM Lady Mets    Despite the great performances from every Hutchison starter, they had no answer for [player_tooltip player_id='1092588' first='Precious' last='Powell'], who had to step up in the absence of several absent star teammates.   Powell led all scorers in this game with 22 points on pretty efficient shooting, which is impressive considering how much she had the ball in her hands and how much the defense pressured her. She also had 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals in the contest.   Powell led the offense to the best of her ability, hitting open teammates with nice passes, but nothing was falling. So, she had to take it upon herself to score, and she was knocking down seemingly every good look she got from three and from mid-range.   Though it was a tough night, [player_tooltip player_id='1092588' first='Precious' last='Powell'] looked very comfortable as the #1 option for ESTEM. She has a good handle, a smooth shooting form, and is a tough finisher, so she will certainly move up from her spot outside the top 100 in the 2026 class.     [player_tooltip player_id='1093310' first='Simya' last='Magsby'] started off the game on the right track, despite having to deal with a constant rotation of 6-footers.   Magsby played physically all night long, posting 12 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. She was tasked with bringing the ball up the floor, even as a center, and she looked comfortable in that position. Though her natural spot is in the paint, she looked at home shooting threes, which caused the defense to scramble.   Magsby was rebounding well against a team that had every advantage height-wise. However, they could not handle her strength, and she could out-muscle and out-maneuver her matchups.   This was a tough matchup for [player_tooltip player_id='1093310' first='Simya' last='Magsby'], but I think that is good for her, as she will see plenty of talented front courts this season, and she will come into those games even scarier than before.    J'Lesia Farris- In the absence of several talented players, ESTEM had to rely upon other players to step up, like Farris. Though her numbers did not jump out, she still put up 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. She is an automatic shooter who does not hesitate to fire whenever she has a look. Though she needs to find the 3-point line and stop taking long twos, she will be able to be a contributor for this team throughout the year.

Preview