Gutsy Gamers

Hot off the heels of a cross-town showdown featuring Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Cedar Rapids Washington, I came away pleased by the passion and fight I saw on the floor. A number of players caught my eye who brought the grit — diving on loose balls, turning up the heat on defense, and bringing the hustle in a game where energy and momentum made all the difference. In back and forth affair for about three quarters of action, Washington was able to pull away and get the W on their home floor. Who stuck out as a gutsy gamer tonight? Keep reading to find out.    I was impressed from the jump with how hard [player_tooltip player_id='1500636' first='Lola' last='Sain'] plays. She is a flat-out battler — she crashes the boards hard, is a solid defender, and doesn't let the heat of the game affect her attitude or effort. One of my favorite aspects of her game is her rebounding ability. She boards much bigger than her size and snagged down a handful of boards on both ends against a much bigger Washington squad. I also liked her decision making on the offensive end. She didn't force shots, took the opportunities given to her, made extra passes and got herself to the free throw line. As Lola continues to gain experience I anticipate she'll become more aggressive off the bounce. The Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cougars definitely have a gritty gamer on their hands with [player_tooltip player_id='1500636' first='Lola' last='Sain'].     The first word that came to mind when watching [player_tooltip player_id='1058974' first='Addison' last='Stallman'] play was motor. She brought aggression and energy every time she stepped on the floor for Cedar Rapids Kennedy. She has a strong first step that she used well on the defensive end — I really liked watching her play man-to-man defense. She does a good job to cut defenders off and force pickups without reaching, and was disciplined on closeouts and contests at the basket too. She was always in the mix for loose balls to and doesn't shy away from guarding much bigger players. As a first-time starter this season, I anticipate Stallman will continue to bring this same aggression on the offensive end — I'm very excited to see her grow.     I am also really excited about [player_tooltip player_id='882670' first='Alaysia' last='Williams'] this season for Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Coming off a freshman season averaging 2.6 points per game, I can already tell the sophomore is planning to make big strides. She's a super gritty kid and carries this confidence on both sides of the basketball — she's got quick handles, attacks space with the dribble really well, and can get herself to the rim with either hand. She's also an unselfish passer and found teammates ahead of the pack on a handful of rebounds. Defensively she tipped a number of passes, tallied a few blocks, and never shied away from physicality (in fact, she encouraged it). Williams also did well to get Kennedy organized and into its sets in the half court.     [player_tooltip player_id='885848' first='Hailey' last='Becker'] is a player you just want on the floor — regardless of whether she is scoring the basketball, she does the little things right and never quits on a play. Becker is a physical defender that plays bigger than her height. She jumps out well on screens, is very capable of switching out on to guards, and has quick hands to boot, which led her to a number of steals and a breakaway finish on the other end. If there is a loose ball within a square mile of Cedar Rapids Washington High School, you can guarantee Becker will be the first player on the floor for it. Becker sealed off her strong outing by fighting for a defensive board and throwing a touchdown pass downcourt to help seal the win. Hailey does the little things that helps ninth-ranked Washington go.     [player_tooltip player_id='1092006' first='Gabriela' last='Pedroso'] brought a spark that Wash needed to gain momentum in the second half and slow down CR Kennedy's dynamo, [player_tooltip player_id='920716' first='Bentley' last='Dill']. I loved Pedroso's energy — she didn't back down from the challenge and made things difficult for Dill (and the rest of Kennedy's players) down the stretch. On the ball and as a help defender, Pedroso remained in solid position and flashed quick hands for steals and kick ahead buckets. Gabriela is a great example of a player that doesn't need to be the team's top scorer to affect the outcome of the game — her tenacity and grit on the defensive end directly led to Washington winning tonight.

Hot off the heels of a cross-town showdown featuring Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Cedar Rapids Washington, I came away pleased by the passion and fight I saw on the floor. A number of players caught my eye who brought the grit — diving on loose balls, turning up the heat on defense, and bringing the hustle in a game where energy and momentum made all the difference. In back and forth affair for about three quarters of action, Washington was able to pull away and get the W on their home floor. Who stuck out as a gutsy gamer tonight? Keep reading to find out.