Section 2 Class D Quarterfinal: Combo Guards who Shined

The Section 2 Class D Tournament is underway, and the quarterfinal games are in the books. As was anticipated, top-seeded defending champion Northville, No. 2 Saratoga Catholic, and No. 3 Hartford once again punched their tickets to the Final Four. No. 5 Duanesburg, who moved down from Class C this season, joins the top trio in the semifinals after a mild upset over No. 4 Argyle. Even though these schools are the smallest in the section, they produce some talented players. Here is a look at some of the Class D quarterfinal top performers.    Johannah Gardner is a player who has flown under the radar, but her performance in the Class D quarterfinals was impressive. Gardner is listed as 5'9" but plays much bigger. She is a strong player physically. The most impressive part of Gardner's game was how effortless she plays. Gardner is always poised, patient, and under control, despite playing with several much younger teammates. Gardner showed deep 3-point shooting range. Her ability to beat defenders off the dribble was impressive. She is also a strong defender and rebounder. Gardner's leadership qualities should not be overlooked.     [player_tooltip player_id='1276520' first='Sophia' last='Ryan'] put on an absolute scoring clinic in Saratoga Catholic's Class D quarterfinal victory over Salem. Her team jumped out to an 18-0 lead, and it seemed as though Ryan was involved in every point scored. Ryan is a three-level scorer and utilized every aspect of her game to pour in 34 points. In the first quarter alone, Ryan fired in shots from behind the arc from multiple angles. scored off of drives to the basket, pulled up in the midrange, and converted steals into easy buckets. As the game went on, Ryan showed off her passing skills. setting up optimal scoring chances for the rest of her team.     McKenzie Johnson continues to be one of the most prolific offensive weapons in Section 2. Johnson led Hartford to the Class D sectional Final Four with a win over Mekeel Christian. Despite being the focal point of her opponent's defense, Johnson still netted 22 points. She had her entire arsenal on display. Johnson knocked down long-range 3-pointers from the logo, drove by her defenders for baskets in the lane, and scored off putbacks from offensive rebounds. Johnson also used her defensive skills to collect steals and create easy scoring opportunities.     Izzy Colon is a junior combo guard who is trying to lead her team to its third straight Class D title. Colon has seen her role increase this season since her star teammate, Hailey Monroe, graduated, and she has passed the test with flying colors. She scored 19 points to lead Northville to a quarterfinal win. Colon wears many hats for her team. She often is the primary ballhandler and leads the offense. Colon is an excellent defender who causes havoc for opponents. She is a three-level. Colon can beat defenders off the dribble or score points from rebounds for putbacks. Colon can hit the elbow and other midrange shots. On occasion, she can step out and knock down 3-pointers.     Ava Cormie finished her season with a 16-point game against Duanesburg in the Class D quarterfinals. Cormie's team only scored 26 in the contest. Cormie did a lot of damage off the dribble, picking up fouls with her drives and getting to the foul line, where she is nearly automatic. A play that really demonstrated the skill of Cormie came late in the second quarter, where she stole the ball, dribbled the length of the floor, stopped at the top of the key, and knocked down a 3-pointer. Cormie loves to use a floater shot that is difficult to defend in the lane.

The Section 2 Class D Tournament is underway, and the quarterfinal games are in the books. As was anticipated, top-seeded defending champion Northville, No. 2 Saratoga Catholic, and No. 3 Hartford once again punched their tickets to the Final Four. No. 5 Duanesburg, who moved down from Class C this season, joins the top trio in the semifinals after a mild upset over No. 4 Argyle. Even though these schools are the smallest in the section, they produce some talented players. Here is a look at some of the Class D quarterfinal top performers.