Players with pace and poise — Solon vs. Marion

The Solon vs. Marion matchup was one of the most fun games I've been to in a while. With back-and-forth runs, drama, and overtime to top it off, 4A 9th-ranked Solon completed a big comeback to steal a win at Marion, 60-53. With both teams looking to push in transition and move the ball quickly in the half court offense, pace was the focus through the first four quarters of the game, and poise was the factor to end it. A few players stood out to me with their ability to push / handle pace at a high level, make plays down the stretch, and show poise late in the game. Check them out below.    [player_tooltip player_id='766449' first='Delainey' last='Durr'] seems to thrive when the pressure is at its highest. She has a nonstop motor and almost singlehandedly spearheaded Solon's second-half charge with her combination of high-pressure defense (5 steals), aggression at the rim, and willingness to step up and take big shots. Though jumpers didn't fall early for Durr, she persevered and rose to the occasion through regulation and overtime. Delainey will score from anywhere on the floor and flashed that ability late game, including off of a pop from a down screen, on a back cut for an and-1, and flushing both free-throws with 55 seconds left in the game. Shoutout to [player_tooltip player_id='766449' first='Delainey' last='Durr'] for her all-out effort last night.     When Solon struggled in the first half last night, [player_tooltip player_id='951657' first='Tenley' last='Levin'] was a reliable presence to convert tough shots at the rim. She's long, athletic, and super quick — her back cuts and cuts to post led to lots of lay-ins and trips to the foul line against the Red Wolves' defense. Levin converted at the basket at a high level (going 6/11 inside the arc) and was a menace on the boards, especially late game — she made sure to secure much-needed possessions for her team after missed shots. When Solon was surging, Levin hit a huge and-1 three pointer late to complete the comeback and help push the game to OT. Her energy, ability to play big minutes, and composure played a huge factor in Solon's win.     Solon needed a player last night to step up and do the little things well — I believe that player was Jerzey Haluska. She played big minutes and didn't show any sign of fatigue, and her second half effort was particularly impactful. She locked in on a corner three to kickstart the comeback and her persistence on the offensive boards was a critical piece of Solon's puzzle. On the defensive end Jerzey was solid on wall-ups, tough on the boards, and disruptive on hard hedges off of ball screens. Haluska finished the night with 3 points, 7 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals all while playing big minutes and not committing any turnovers. Lots of poise and effort out of this kid.     [player_tooltip player_id='863283' first='Harlow' last='Griffin'] was a Swiss Army Knife for Marion last night. She does most of her work in the paint and did well to finish in a handful of different ways to pace the Red Wolves. She consistently ducked in for dump down passes from teammates, short-rolled when the paint was congested for touch shots in the paint, and flashed a number of different finishes when her back was to the basket. I also loved her toughness on the O boards — when Griffin got a rebound last night, she finished with a soft touch. Harlow was another player who played big minutes and didn't let it deter her play. She also stepped up with a clutch turnaround jumper to tie it with a dwindling game clock in the fourth.     [player_tooltip player_id='908318' first='Rylee' last='Boggess'] had one of the best games of her sophomore season last night. With a Marion starter in early foul trouble, Boggess slotted into the lineup and immediately influenced the game. She brought a spark offensively with a strong pick and roll finish and continued to bring energy with her effort on the offensive boards. Boggess looked controlled and confident after two putback buckets (including an and-1) in the fourth quarter to bring some momentum to Marion's side. She also showed patience with the ball — she probed with her dribble and when she wasn't cut off, she took advantage with strong downhill finishes at the rim.     Another energizer bunny for a young Marion squad was [player_tooltip player_id='1098694' first='Kendyl' last='Aarhus']. The combo guard did a good job reading the game. When she was in the point guard spot, she pushed in transition when the fast break was on and slowed the game down when the Red Wolves needed structure. When Solon started trapping ball screens in the second half Aarhus did well to find release passes to keep the ball out of Solon's reach. She was also knockdown from deep — if Aarhus is unguarded in the half court, her shot will probably find the bottom of the net. She flexed a quick release last night and poise in the fourth quarter when Marion needed a bucket.

The Solon vs. Marion matchup was one of the most fun games I've been to in a while. With back-and-forth runs, drama, and overtime to top it off, 4A 9th-ranked Solon completed a big comeback to steal a win at Marion, 60-53. With both teams looking to push in transition and move the ball quickly in the half court offense, pace was the focus through the first four quarters of the game, and poise was the factor to end it. A few players stood out to me with their ability to push / handle pace at a high level, make plays down the stretch, and show poise late in the game. Check them out below.