Winter Series Midwest Championships - 2031s Who Impact Winning

Select Events put on another highly competitive tournament this past weekend with their Winter Series Midwest Championships in Hamilton, Ohio at Spooky Nook Champion Mill. The event featured 50 5th–8th grade AAU teams from nearly a dozen states. Teams a part of programs that compete on top circuits in the country: EYBL, UAA, 3SSB, Power 24, Select 40 and Elite 40.   Unlike many events at this level, there was no pool play to determine tournament seeding. The tournament went straight into bracket play, which raised the level of competition and made every game matter. With teams battling to advance, the environment brought out high-level performances from players who impacted winning, often in ways that do not always show up in the box score or stat sheet. Here are several players from the 2031 class who not only stood out individually but also made meaningful contributions to their teams' success.   *** Players listed in alphabetical order by last name    Ambers is a long and wiry, versatile wing forward with a very high ceiling. She is a rare player in terms of girls basketball because athletes with her physical tools and athletic ability are usually already fully committed to year-round volleyball.   She is an elite, relentless rebounder on both ends of the floor with a motor that doesn't stop. She gave her team so many extra possessions due to her pursuit to get rebounds and 50/50 balls.   Offensively, she got several drop off layups just from her great understanding of spacing the floor and relocating around her driving teammates. She showed the ability to initiate offense out of the pinch post, creating scoring opportunities for her teammates and herself. She generated easy offense for her team just from her on and off ball screening alone.   On defense, she anchored the back of her team's half court pressure. She utilized her length and speed to cover ground on the flight of the ball. She did a great job of walling up to contest and block shots at the rim without fouling.       Blosser is an extremely versatile wing with a very long and athletic build. It doesn't take long watching her to notice that she knows understands the game and knows how to play it the right way. She served as the Swiss Army Knife for her team as she played any and every position on both ends of the floor. Whatever assignment that her coach and team needed from her, she got done with great effort and attitude.   Offensively, she showed her ability to play inside/out. She attacked the basket aggressively, but also under control to make correct reads. When defenders helped, she would kick or drop off to teammates for easy shots. When defenders didn't help, she finished with a layup or floater. She shot the 3 ball very well out of her team's half court and transition offense.   Defensively, she did a great job controlling the middle of her team's 1-3-1 defense. She positioned herself to plug driving gaps. She used her long arms and athleticism to deflect several passes which led to steals for others. She rebounded at a high level and didn't shy away from physicality. She was involved in several tie ups and jump balls.     Dixon is a very athletic, smooth combo guard who can score the ball in a variety of ways. She has a really nice feel for the game. She's very poised on the court and never seems to get too sped up or rushed.   She has an impressive natural scoring ability without ever forcing things. She puts a lot of pressure on defenses with her ability to get downhill. Her tight handle and quick crossover help her create separation and keep defenders off balance as she gets into the paint. She is also a confident shooter with a smooth, quick release. Along with her scoring ability, she's a very willing passer who makes the right play when she draws multiple defenders.   Defensively, she stays in a stance on and off the ball. She uses her length and instincts to get a lot of steals that lead to easy, transition scoring opportunities.   You can tell that her teammates have a lot of trust in her on the floor and enjoy playing with her. She is one of those plug-and-play type players that can be effective and efficient in any system. Simply put, she's just a hooper.     Ellis is a lefty point guard with a very high basketball IQ. She might have been one of the smallest players out there, but she was also one of the toughest and most competitive. She never seemed to back down from a challenge on either end of the court.   She has great vision and always has her eyes up to find an open teammate. She's a natural floor general, often controlling the tempo of the game, knowing when to slow things down and when to push. She is also a confident shooter with range and has a shifty handle that allows her to create space and make plays. She played with good pace in the ball screen and consistently made the right reads.   She takes a lot of pride on the defensive end of the floor. She doesn't use her size as an excuse, instead she uses it to her advantage by getting up and under ball handlers to force a lot of pressure. She has really quick hands and feet that allow her to be disruptive.     Hyde is a smaller shooting guard that plays with the exact amount of confidence and swagger needed to be a great shooter like herself. She was arguably the best shooter in the gym this weekend. She doesn't need much time or space to get her shot off due to her low set point and quick release. Teams were forced to face guard her which gave her teammates big gaps to drive and get downhill.   Along with spacing the floor and knocking down shots, she also showcased her ability to initiate offense as a secondary ball handler. When defenders ran her off the line, she did a nice job getting to her floater in the second level. On the defensive end, she seemed to always be in the right spot at the right time to get a steal or deflect a pass.

Select Events put on another highly competitive tournament this past weekend with their Winter Series Midwest Championships in Hamilton, Ohio at Spooky Nook Champion Mill. The event featured 50 5th–8th grade AAU teams from nearly a dozen states. Teams a part of programs that compete on top circuits in the country: EYBL, UAA, 3SSB, Power 24, Select 40 and Elite 40.