Section 2 Class C Final Four Recap

There were no surprises in the Section 2 Class C tournament. Basketball fans were anticipating a rematch between Greenwich and Stillwater for weeks, and that's exactly what they got. The Witches and the Warriors met in last year's title game, with Stillwater pulling the upset. The two perennial powers came into sectional play ranked No. 4 and No. 5 in the state, having split a pair of regular-season games. Both teams had their collection of standouts on full display, and semifinalist Mayfield got a stellar performance from one of their key players as well. Here is a recap of the Class C Final Four.    Abigail Powers helped lead her Mayfield team to its first sectional semifinal appearance in 37 years, and she did it by having to change her role in the middle of the game. Powers normally plays on the wing, but with the loss of her team's point guard in the quarterfinals, she took command of the Panther controls. Powers was comfortable right away. She sacrificed her offense to break down the defense, distribute the ball, and get her teammates easy baskets. Powers finished that contest with eight assists and 13 rebounds. Despite her team falling to Greenwich in the semifinals, Powers scored 12 points and collected five rebounds. Powers is an excellent ballhandler with outstanding court vision. She can step out and hit a trey on occasion, but her strength is scoring inside and getting to the hoop off the dribble. Powers is also a fierce defender.     Only a sophomore, Maddie Chatt is already one of the best outside shooters in Section 2. And she was red hot in the Class C Final Four. In Stillwater's semifinal win over Berne-Knox, Chatt poured in 21 points to lead the Warriors. In the loss to Greenwich in the championship contest, Chatt also paced S18 points. Chatt does most of her damage from behind the 3-point arc, where she is a lethal shooter. Chatt is especially good off the catch. She can also score by beating defenders off the dribble, can pull up to hit midrange jumpers, or score in transition. Chatt is a rising prospect who got stronger and stronger as the season went on. Chatt was named to the Class C All-Tournament team.     I don't know how much more can be said about [player_tooltip player_id='878886' first='Brooke' last='Kuzmich'] of Greenwich. She is simply one of the most polished small school guards in the state. Even when Kuzmich doesn't score much, which is a rare occurrence, she still impacts winning in a variety of ways. Kuzmich was held to four points in the title game, but was still awarded the Class C Most Valuable Player, which speaks to how much of a role she has in games. She led her team with 12 rebounds and used her high basketball IQ to find her teammates for open shots. She scored 21 points in the semifinal round. Kuzmich can score at every level and is a tremendous outside shooter, especially from 3-point range. She is outstanding off the dribble and a superior ballhandler.     [player_tooltip player_id='866546' first='Jordan' last='Wolfe'] had a relatively quiet game for three quarters in the Section 2 Class C championship matchup with rival Stillwater, but when the game was on the line, Jordan was at her best. Jordan nailed a clutch 3-pointer with the score tied 35-35 that fueled a 6-0 spurt to seal the deal for Greenwich. Eight of Jordan's 11 points came in the decisive fourth quarter. She netted 16 points in Greenwich's semifinal win over Mayfield and was named to the all-tournament team. Jordan is a force under the basket and very difficult to contain on the block because of her outstanding footwork. Jordan can shoot from behind the arc and must be respected by the defense when she steps outside. She is a sound post defender and a very good rebounder as well.     Like her twin sister, Bailee is also a solid defender and rebounder. Bailee can score at all three levels and has been the second leading scorer behind Brooks Kuzmich most of the season. She can step out and hit the 3-point shot, connect in the midrange, or score off the dribble. Wolfe scored 13 points in the championship game, with one of her shots coming from 3-point range. She contributed nine points in the title game with a 3-pointer. With Greenwich advancing to the state semifinals, where teams will be locked in defensively on Kuzmich, Bailee will play a vital role in the state title chances of the Witches.     Addison Thornton is a player who can dominate a game at both ends of the floor. When called upon, she doesn't have to score to be successful, but when her team needs her, Thonrton rises to the occasion. In the Class C semifinals, her team was in a tight battle with Berne-Knox Westerlo, but Thornton took control. She scored 11 of her 13 points in the stanza as Stillwater pulled away. Thornton scored eight points in the championship game loss to Greenwich and was named to the All-Tournament team. Thorton has a smooth shooting touch, whether beyond the arc or from the midrange. She is strong, getting to the bucket and finishing. Thorton's long arms allow her to be an outstanding on-the-ball defender.

There were no surprises in the Section 2 Class C tournament. Basketball fans were anticipating a rematch between Greenwich and Stillwater for weeks, and that's exactly what they got. The Witches and the Warriors met in last year's title game, with Stillwater pulling the upset. The two perennial powers came into sectional play ranked No. 4 and No. 5 in the state, having split a pair of regular-season games. Both teams had their collection of standouts on full display, and semifinalist Mayfield got a stellar performance from one of their key players as well. Here is a recap of the Class C Final Four.