Rising To The Occasion: Standouts From The WCAC Semis and Final

Bishop McNamara cruised to another WCAC title behind two blowout wins. Here were the players who had good games in the last two rounds of the WCAC playoffs.    The last time Bishop McNamara played PVI, [player_tooltip player_id='787978' first='Qandace' last='Samuels'] had about as bad an offensive day as she'll ever have. She missed a handful of looks that you always expect her to convert. This did not happen in the semi-final. The shot creation was outstanding, and she showed the full arsenal in both games. Knocking down spot-up threes, putting defenders in the mixer, and using her length to finish over oncoming defenders. Qandace was outstanding on the glass as well and was the catalyst in Bishop McNamara getting their 3rd straight WCAC title.     I think my favorite thing about [player_tooltip player_id='864319' first='Jaylah' last='King']'s game is how she can score without needing the ball a lot. In both games and really all season, Jaylah did a great job hitting open spot-up looks. She always does a great job of leaking out and getting easy buckets. In the final, Jaylah had a couple of strong takes with both hands, and she was excellent in transition. Jaylah's effort on the glass was fun to watch, and her athleticism and tenacity were on display, out jumping Bishop Ireton players multiple times. She ended the final with a game-high 27 points and 14 rebounds.     [player_tooltip player_id='838920' first='Nyair' last='McCoy'] is the engine that drives this team in a lot of ways. All three of these backcourt players did exactly what you expect from them, and they showed why they are regarded as one of, if not the best, backcourts in the nation. Nyair is the lead ball handler and the best POA defender McNamara has. She didn't have a great shooting day in the semis, but her defense was a huge factor, especially early against PVI. She had a better shooting day in the final, but in a lot of ways, her making shots is just a cherry on top of what she provides to this number-one-ranked McNamara squad.     [player_tooltip player_id='983664' first='Nina' last='Mceldon'] had a strong couple of games for Bishop Ireton. Nina's jump shot looks great, and she is almost automatic from the mid-range. She scores effectively at all 3 levels, and even though at times she gets affected by length, she still does good work using her size in the paint. Nina does a good job using her body to carve out space on the glass, and she has glue for hands. On the other end, she uses her hands really well to get her hands on shots and swipe at the ball. She had 18 points and 20 rebounds in the semis and was really solid in the final.     [player_tooltip player_id='946891' first='Mackenzi' last='Jackson'] was Bishop Ireton's best offense in the final. In both games, Mackenzi handle looked great. She drove the ball at a high level, and she drove with real purpose every time down. She had a few moves where she would cradle the ball and use her strength to get space for an easy finish. I loved the physicality she displayed on her drives, and she put in a tough and 1. She did most of her work as a slasher, but she did knock down a long two after being left open.     PVI fell behind early in this game, and they struggled to score in the opening frame as a collective. Lyla knocked down a handful of threes, and her ability as a floor spacer and back-to-the-basket game makes her a really solid offensive threat. She finished with a team-high 12 points.

Bishop McNamara cruised to another WCAC title behind two blowout wins. Here were the players who had good games in the last two rounds of the WCAC playoffs.