Game-changers from this week

I'm going back-to-back with even more action to discuss from the Cedar Rapids Kennedy vs. Cedar Rapids Washington matchup last night (there were so many athletes to talk about — what a good problem to have)! Yesterday I named five players that brought the grit factor, and today I'm calling out the game-changers. Players that stepped up when their team needed them, showed consistency down the stretch, and brought that "It" factor that made them stand out. Check out these ballers below.    If I could give last night's game a title I would call it the [player_tooltip player_id='1143194' first='Sira' last='Doumbia'] Game. After battling early foul trouble Doumbia exploded in the second half and was virtually unstoppable in the paint. Finishing the night with 27 points and 14 rebounds, Sira showed finesse at the rim, poise at the free-throw line and a knack for finishing tough shots. Her handles in the paint and soft touch have made huge improvements from her sophomore year — I can tell that she has put in work this off-season. The 6'3" center brings athleticism and discipline both on offense and defense. She kept the ball high on rebounds and entry passes, used a dependable drop step to finish through double-teams, and kept her hands high for a flurry of blocks. I would keep my eye on Doumbia as she continues to progress in her career — I think she has a huge upside!     I really enjoyed Lily Belle Barker's style of play and the energy she brought to her CR Washington team. She was a difference-maker on the floor with her performance as well as a game-changer as a teammate — she was constantly celebrating her teammates' successes and I can tell she is an important cog in the engine for this year's Warrior squad. Skill-wise, Barker read closeouts really well and understands when and where to attack feet with her dribble. She looks really comfortable from the three-point line as well where she stepped into a smooth jumper off the dribble early in the first half. One of her biggest assets is her ability to run the floor — she was consistently leading the way in transition and her stamina led to some big layups (including a shot fake + step through for an and-1) down the stretch.     Sam Becker is a smooth operator with a number of tools on her belt. She looks comfortable scoring at every level in the offense — through contact at the rim, with finessed floaters, and contested jumpers behind the arc. The Drury commit uses a strong handle to play with an unflappable pace and methodically looks for open teammates in the offense. Her game-changing ability was highlighted last night through her touch passes and relentless rebounding. With teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1143194' first='Sira' last='Doumbia'] on fire, Becker floated in passes that only her teammate could catch, leading Becker to 4 assists for the game. Becker also rebounds really well for a guard and finished with 9 on the night, just missing double-double. She hit all six of her free throws as well — this veteran is a season-long game-changer for Washington.     [player_tooltip player_id='920716' first='Bentley' last='Dill'] is non-stop, all gas, no breaks. The super sophomore has the handles to get past virtually any defender at will and I was thoroughly impressed by a number of her acrobatic finishes in the lane. She's got the motor and will power to play almost the entire 32 minutes, and the handles to knife through double teams with ease. Despite facing a physical Washington defense Dill was able to free herself with a lightning change of speed throughout the matchup. She also flashed a few deep threes off the dribble that wowed the crowd. Late in the game when Dill faced a hounding double-team, she showed unselfish play by finding open teammates for solid looks. I'm predicting a number of big-time post-season honors for this game-changing, crafty guard.

I'm going back-to-back with even more action to discuss from the Cedar Rapids Kennedy vs. Cedar Rapids Washington matchup last night (there were so many athletes to talk about — what a good problem to have)! Yesterday I named five players that brought the grit factor, and today I'm calling out the game-changers. Players that stepped up when their team needed them, showed consistency down the stretch, and brought that "It" factor that made them stand out. Check out these ballers below.