1 vs. 2 Thriller: leading playmakers from Hinton and Rock Valley

I had the pleasure of catching a potential State Championship matchup last night between 2A powerhouses Hinton (2) and Rock Valley (1). In a back-and-forth battle in the first half, Hinton benefitted from contributions across their lineup in the second half as well as control of the boards to push them to a big win at home, 62-55. Just an hour away from one another, these two schools have plenty of talent to go around. Western Iowa hoops has a lot of momentum this season and it's exciting to see more and more players put themselves on the map, including the six below. Keep reading to see who stood out in primetime!    There is a lot to like about [player_tooltip player_id='1312159' first='Caydence' last='Harmsen']'s game. The 5'9" sophomore has a great change of speed with the ball and knows how to draw defenders in the lane. Leading the team in assists per game this season at 6.2, the combo guard was strong with the ball in the paint last night and found numerous kickouts for open looks. I loved her ability to put pressure on the defense, control the pace, and show aggression at the point guard spot. She also called her own number a few times when the Rockets needed a bucket, draining two corner threes in the second half.     [player_tooltip player_id='582807' first='Haevyn' last='Ranschau'] was a massive impact player for Rock Valley tonight from the starting tip through crunch time. She got things started early with a tough hesitation + scoop finish in transition, and carried her momentum to the three point arc the rest of the night. Finishing the game with at least five made threes (I might have missed a sixth), Haevyn showed elite footwork while getting set to shoot. Her quick trigger wasn't affected by defenders either — if you're not blocking her shot, you're just not close enough. I loved her reads behind screens as well as her relocation on defenders' drives. She knows how to create her own shot within the flow of the offense, made good decisions, and showed an ability to finish through contact on multiple occasions (including a sweet euro-step in transition).      A 1-2 punch for Rock Valley, [player_tooltip player_id='582807' first='Haevyn' last='Ranschau'] lit up the first half and [player_tooltip player_id='592200' first='Hudsyn' last='Ranschau'] took over in the second. Any time she let it fly, the home crowd held its breath because every shot looked like it was going in. From coming off flare screens, to jab stepping and relocating, to deep kickouts, Hudsyn was relentless from the three point line and hit a number of big shots in the second half to keep the game within reach for Rock Valley. I loved that she didn't let a quiet first half deter her. Instead, I think it motivated her — she kept her head up, worked to get open, and made her opportunities count. Averaging over 25 points per game this season, there's no surprise this senior made big-time plays last night.     [player_tooltip player_id='1143197' first='Keely' last='Derochie']'s effort in tonight's game cannot be stressed enough. The glue player for Hinton was instrumental in keeping Rock Valley off the boards and helped create scoring opportunities for driving teammates. One bucket away from a double-double tonight, the 5'10 small forward scored in a number of different ways and was a relentless rebounder. Offensively, Derochie read the game well and was aggressive off the bounce when defenders closed out too hard. She also sunk a number of short jumpers — her consistency in the midrange made defenders have to cover her even closer, and this in turn gave her guards more space to drive and score. Hats off to Keely for her stellar performance.     If you need a bucket, call [player_tooltip player_id='524262' first='Sydney' last='Doeschot']. The 5'8" guard was simply superb tonight in this primetime matchup, and earned my vote for Player of the Game. While her bread and butter is taking players 1on1 off the dribble, she showed composure with the ball down the stretch, range with her jumper, and leadership and she converted finish after finish in the fourth quarter to carry Hinton to victory. I think she's the full package — her moves and counter moves with the ball combined with high-level communication makes her a must-have on the floor and one of my favorite players to watch so far this season. One of the best aspects of Doeschot's game was her finishing package — every time she scored, it seemed like it was with a different move at the rim. If the rest of her season is anything like her performance last night, I'm predicting big post-season accolades for this senior.     I really enjoyed [player_tooltip player_id='582808' first='Bailey' last='Boeve']'s performance last night. The senior forward's game is a breath of fresh air — she knows her strengths and was a force in the paint. She made an impact on the block with strong seals, and from the elbow where she was able to shot fake / rip and go for multiple tough buckets. It takes a lot to slow Boeve down — she has high-level body positioning on the floor and scores through contact. Included in her bag of tricks last night was a nice up and under between two defenders, a strong spin move to free up her shot, and a drop step + spin for an and-1. She also made a difference on the defensive end where she was the head of the snake in Hinton's stingy zone defense. There's lots to like from the 6'0" senior and she should be proud of her effort against top talent.

I had the pleasure of catching a potential State Championship matchup last night between 2A powerhouses Hinton (2) and Rock Valley (1). In a back-and-forth battle in the first half, Hinton benefitted from contributions across their lineup in the second half as well as control of the boards to push them to a big win at home, 62-55. Just an hour away from one another, these two schools have plenty of talent to go around. Western Iowa hoops has a lot of momentum this season and it's exciting to see more and more players put themselves on the map, including the six below. Keep reading to see who stood out in primetime!