Catalyst Hiding In Plain Sight

Being a Catalyst for your team can mean a number of different things. In the context we are using it, it means a prospect that is a main producer in one or more aspects of the game while being the individual that starts all of the action and gets the team's momentum going as a contest pushes on.   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    There were multiple occasions during last season when Jadie Dahlquist left it all out of the floor while trying to Will her Belle Plaine's High School team to success. Offensively, Dahlquist showed up little by little, every single night. She finished the season as their leading scoring threat off the catch or dribble from the outside. At her smaller size, she was really good at blowing past opponents that might have been standing in her way, usually finishing the play at the rim in some form. Defensively, she caused a lot of chaos on that side of the ball. She always seemed to get her hands on the ball in the form of a tip or deflection and from there - her teammates would step up to finish off the play. Dahlquist has two more years at the Varsity level to make her mark. She has shown potential in the past and she should have a chance to do that again as we move into this Winter.     Whenever Clayton Ridge has success over the next three years at the Varsity level, it will be because of the play of Adelyn Helle in the middle of the lane. Helle, the 6'0 Center, stepped up last season as a Freshman to show that she could lead this team to some wins over the next couple of seasons. She possesses solid size for her position at 6'0, she has some coordination coming down the court, she is a handful for others to contain from getting rebounds on both ends, and in general - she is a force that opponents have to worry about. If not, she is going to kill you. Helle nearly averaged a double-double last Winter in Points-Rebounds. I have a feeling this Winter she will average a double-double while helping her team to more success than in year's past.     Madyson Prevail of SC North and Sanford Sports Academy AAU is a name out of the Sioux City area that everyone should get used to hear this Winter. Prevail was her SC North's main weapon and produce last season as a Junior. She demonstrated that she has a fundamental shooting stroke off the catch, she can attack off the bounce, and she can move off the ball and have success with some back-door action within open space. We have had the chance to see Prevail for a few years now and it's safe to say she is a solid produce, who doesn't get the credit she deserves. She would be a solid prospects at the college level if given the opportunity and I think she knows that as she steps into this Winter.     There is a lot to like from Addyson Cibula and the type of game she competes with. Cibula is a smaller Forward at 5'8 that has a versatile playing ability. She can move from the inside to the outside to the inside with success going back and forth to keep her opponents guessing. If she ever has someone bigger on her, she can bring them out and spread out the defense. If she has a smaller matchup, she can post and score over her with ease with her back to the basket. The same goes on defense. She can play her size or she can move up/down, depending on the situation. Cibula was a 9.9 PPG and 9.8 RPG type of hooper last season. If she can build off of that momentum - who knows what she might average this time around.     E Burkle comes in as the big dawg within her program over the next eight months. For all intents and purposes, this is going to be their go-to prospect. Over the last three years she has produced as a steady rate for Woodward-Granger and now that their Senior Class is gone - it's wide open for Burkle to take the reigns for her last few months of her high school career. The promise of Burkle has been seen by a few already as she holds some interest from the college level. I'm not sure if she will end up committing before the season takes off. If she does, great for her. If not, she might be able to bring in even more interest with the level of production she will need to come up with this Winter. She might end up touching the basketball every single play for the Hawks. If that's the case, expect some nasty stat-lines before she calls it a day at this level.

Being a Catalyst for your team can mean a number of different things. In the context we are using it, it means a prospect that is a main producer in one or more aspects of the game while being the individual that starts all of the action and gets the team's momentum going as a contest pushes on.