Beyond the Spotlight: Family Reunion’s Unsung Heroes

Not every strong performance comes with a big scoring total or an MVP trophy. Sometimes it's the little things, a key defensive stop, an extra pass, a big rebound or simply making the right play that helps a player stand out. At the 695Hoops Family Reunion Showcase, plenty of players grabbed the spotlight, but there were others who quietly put together impressive performances that deserved some attention. Here are a few of the unsung heroes who caught my eye.    Lenora used her length well to finish around the basket and consistently found herself in the middle of the action. She chased down loose balls, attacked the glass and brought good energy on both ends of the floor. She finished with 8 points, making the most of her opportunities without needing a lot of touches to impact the game.     Offensively, Jada played well, scoring 12 points in a variety of ways. She showed a nice burst of speed turning the corner on defenders to get downhill for finishes at the basket. She also showed some versatility in the half court, knocking down a turnaround jumper with her back to the basket and using the midrange pull-up when given space. Her ability to score in different ways made her tough to defend.     Alexis showed plenty of confidence from the perimeter, knocking down a deep three-pointer at the buzzer and following it up with another three in the next quarter. She also created for her teammates, getting into the paint off the dribble and finding them for assists. At a listed 5'3”, she didn't shy away from the trees inside either, showing the ability to get all the way to the basket and finish in the paint.     Peyton has a quick first step and is shifty with her change of direction, allowing her to create space off the dribble. She doesn't force the action and plays with good patience, always looking for opportunities to find open teammates. Defensively, she was aggressive harassing the ball, getting into passing lanes and looking to create deflections and steals. Her activity on both ends allowed her to impact the game without having to dominate the scoring column.     Reagan was a sharpshooter from long range, knocking down three 3-pointers. She took advantage of her open looks and made the defense pay whenever she was given space. Her shooting eventually forced defenders to stay attached, deny her the ball and play her tighter in an effort to limit her opportunities from beyond the arc.

Not every strong performance comes with a big scoring total or an MVP trophy. Sometimes it's the little things, a key defensive stop, an extra pass, a big rebound or simply making the right play that helps a player stand out. At the 695Hoops Family Reunion Showcase, plenty of players grabbed the spotlight, but there were others who quietly put together impressive performances that deserved some attention. Here are a few of the unsung heroes who caught my eye.