Small School SWMO Powers Marionville and Miller. Top Five Stars

Prep Girls Hoops Missouri took in some of the action between two excellent small schools from the SWMO area who are quite familiar with each other.   Miller paid a visit to Marionville in a battle of teams that have both won at least 20 games this season. Miller came into the contest with a 22-3 record while Marionville is currently 20-5. Both teams also happen to be in the same Class 2, District 12 district tournament, which will begin next week.   In what could be just a tune up for an even bigger game coming up next week, Miller came away with a 61-54 victory. Here is a look at the Top Five Stars from the game along with a look a few talented freshmen as well.     NO. 1 STAR: [player_tooltip player_id='525601' first='Loghann' last='Leivan'] (Miller)   The 5'9" 2026 guard scored a team-high 17 points to lead the Cardinals to the victory. She is a strong two-way performer who can also score from all three levels. She works hard on the defensive end as she gets deflections and steals on the second line of the full court press. She can drive it effectively and she also hit a couple of 3-pointers from the. She is a four-year starter who excels at all facets of the game with her height and versatility.     NO. 2 STAR: [player_tooltip player_id='1752561' first='Rylie' last='Fletcher'] (Marionville)   The 5'10" 2028 forward scored a game-high 21 points as she played a strong game around the basket. She is a good athlete who plays with good strength and authority inside. She made strong catches in traffic and she finished very well. She also hit a number of jumpers from the 12 to 15-feet area. She is also an excellent rebounder who was getting out of her area on a number of occasions.     NO. 3 STAR: Layni Johnson (Miller)   A 2028 guard who scored 15 points while providing some excellent perimeter shooting throughout the game. She made four 3-pointers off the catch. She moved well without the ball and she was shot ready off the catch each time. She also scored on a steal and coast to coast layup.     NO. 4 STAR: [player_tooltip player_id='1097050' first='Lanie' last='Stokes'] (Marionville): The 5'6" 2027 guard scored 14 points while playing some serious ball-hawking defense. She is a talented offensive player who is also one of the most aggressive guards I've seen. She may not look the part, but she plays with physicality. She seeks contact whenever possible and will run through to get a bucket or a rebound. She is a good athlete who plays with excellent pace. She can also block shots well as a guard.     NO. 5 STAR: Ashlyn Helton (Miller)   The 5'8 2026 guard scored 10 points and played a solid all-around game. She is an ideal all-purpose player because she can play any position on the floor. She facilitated offense well with some smooth no-look passes off her court vision. She has a nice calm presence on the floor and she never appears to be rushed. She also rebounds and she can get a bucket when needed.     ******   FRESHMEN WATCH   There were a couple of young Class of 2029 players who are making a positive impact in their first year of varsity ball.   Madelyn Leivan (Miller): A talented guard who scored 10 points while showing a nice feel for the game for a young player. She was always in the right place on defense and she played well on the full court press. She uses ball fakes well and attacks with confidence.   [player_tooltip player_id='1616238' first='Nekalia' last='Young'] (Marionville): A young forward who scored nine points. She is an excellent athlete who plays with a strong motor. She was very good at getting to the weak side and grabbing offensive rebounds for putbacks. She was also handling the ball against pressure defense.

Prep Girls Hoops Missouri took in some of the action between two excellent small schools from the SWMO area who are quite familiar with each other.