Under the Radar Prospects to Follow the Second Half

As the coverage of the Christmas Invitational comes to a close, we turn the attention to several under-the-radar players who made enough of an impression to keep their names on the watch list. These players didn't entered the event with a buzz, but their performances stood out. Each prospect showed flashes that warrant close attention during the second half of the season. Their play at the Invitational opened the door and we will track their progress as the second half unfolds.    Materia continues to be an under-the-radar player worth tracking as the season moves into the second half. At the Christmas Invitational, she played with toughness and confidence, showed a bounce in her step along with good speed and quickness. Materia was also impressive inthe passing lanes. She made one steal and went coast to coast with a head fake short range jumper. Marteria, a reliable ball handler, was a trusted outlet when defenses applied pressure on Cremen. Her ability to handle the ball and to knock down shots—particularly clutch three-pointers in pressure moments is what makes her a player to follow moving forward.     [player_tooltip player_id='1232629' first='Abigail' last='Philistin'] is making her way back to the form she had from summer and she showed the flashes in Wesley Chapel, FL. Philistin is solid on defense and rebounds well. She has averaged over 5 rebounds per game for the season and is returning to form after an injury. Philistin can score on the blocks and has a good midrange shot. Philistin is a workhorse player who impacts her team by her effort.     [player_tooltip player_id='1236611' first='Cici' last='Hsieh'] left an impression with her play at the Christmas Invitational. Hisieh displayed quickness and speed and play making abilities. Her ability to get pass the defender allowed her to draw help-side defense and kick to her shooters. For an 8th grader, Hsieh is making plays to help her team. She will be a player to watch the second half of the season as well as the next 4 years.     KImora Green showed glimpses of the athleticism and versatility that she displayed at the Florida Expo. She showed a lot of versatility with the ability to score on the perimeter and in the mid-range area. Green is that energy player who makes an impact in a lot of areas: blocked shots, rebounds, steals, assists, free throws, etc. Green was under the radar during the Invitational, but will be a player to watch in the second half of the season. With teams concentrating heavily on Sharpe and Knox, Green is an important part of the team's future and goals. she will be a player to watch going forward     [player_tooltip player_id='1379508' first='Kayla' last='Simon'] showed great flashes at the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational. What stood out was Simon's speed. Simon handled the ball well and succeeded during press break. She did a nice job of attacking rim and getting to the goal. Simon will be a player to follow the second half of the season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1609651' first='Madelyn' last='Buccilli'] made a few plays in succession, showing her ability to impact the game in a lot of ways. Buccilli defended well in the passing lanes - getting steals and initiating the fast break. She got to the middle on a break, maneuvered to the middle of the paint, and drew the feel for free-throws. Buccilli also showed her ability to shoot from the outside with fluidity and accuracy. She was impressive with her ability to shoot the three off the catch and also get to the rim, creating her own shots.     [player_tooltip player_id='1609666' first='Isabella' last='Murray'] provided energy on the court and loose balls seemed to find her all over the court. Murray rebounded well on both ends of the court. She allowed her team to get extra possessions on the offensive end and on defense she battle for the ball and initiated the transition game. Murray also used her length to defend on the perimeter and in the paint.

As the coverage of the Christmas Invitational comes to a close, we turn the attention to several under-the-radar players who made enough of an impression to keep their names on the watch list. These players didn't entered the event with a buzz, but their performances stood out. Each prospect showed flashes that warrant close attention during the second half of the season. Their play at the Invitational opened the door and we will track their progress as the second half unfolds.