Cinderella Teams Ready to Crash the Ball

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>USE CODE "tinnon30" FOR 30% OFF YOUR FIRST PURCHASE OF ANY SUBSCRIPTION</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we continue with the whole imagination of what I would do if I ever had a magazine, my next topic would be Cinderella teams. We all know what the term Cinderella means. You know the pretty girl who goes to the ball. This is a little different than that, more or less a team that is less likely to be there in the end. A surprise team. A squad that may have done the work and received a few lucky breaks along the way. Well, we call it lucky, but everything is done by design. If you do the work, good things tend to happen anyways. Or at least that is what I always believed. Hard work always pays off.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I wanted to take a shot at thinking of four surprise teams, Cinderella teams, that may make a run for deep postseason play this year.&nbsp; Ironically, they all come from Middle Tennessee. The thing is, a lot of teams, in my opinion, are always in the running or expecting to be near the finish line year in and year out. Don't get me wrong, some districts are stronger than others. I mean, to finish in the final four regardless is a tall task. Also, some paths are a little different than others. You need to have luck; everything needs to be done right per se; the ball has to bounce your way. Who knows who will actually be in the finals? Here are four random teams (all of whom are talented, I might add) that are not necessarily considered favorites but have the talent to make some noise and go deep this upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Battle Ground Academy- The past few years, there has always been a team in their district that has gone to or won the Division II A championship. The Middle Region is loaded in their district, and this team may not be the top dogs on paper, but they have some kids who can play. Last season, this squad finished 4th in their district and made some noise in postseason play. They return pretty much everyone; they are well-coached, and in tightly contested games, they play with a lot of poise. They do everything well. Shoot the ball well from the field, defend, and win on the glass. They anticipate and know when and where to apply pressure on a club. <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='961122' first='Khloe' last='Burton']</em></strong> is a girl to watch this upcoming season. A Draymond Green type who can score in double figures, drop some assists, defend at a high clip, and crash the boards. <strong><em>Tay Stovall and Lee Lee Fernandez</em></strong> will be running the guard spots. Getting to the paint and knocking down shots from the field are their specialty. The kid to watch out for is <strong><em>Aubrey Bates</em></strong>. A stretch ballplayer who can work inside and out. This squad has depth, and they play hard for 32 minutes. They are truly a veteran squad that has a lot of talent. This could be their year to make a deep postseason run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wilson Central- A team that will fly under the radar for sure. Their district is loaded with talent, and the ball could really bounce either way on any given night. What I like about this Central squad is that they truly have a balanced attack. They have kids who can knock down 3-point shots, guards who can get to the rim, and post play that can control the boards. They have a lot of depth on the squad and kids who will fight tooth and nail each possession. <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='821982' first='Brylee' last='Fly']</em></strong> is a name to watch in the low post. I love her ability to establish a presence inside, and if she is working the blocks and feels a double team coming, she makes the right read and gets the ball where it belongs. The guard play is solid, and this team has the tools to make noise in the postseason.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hickman Co.- This may be the year where the Lady Bulldogs put it all together and make a run for state. This squad is a solid bunch led by good guard play. <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='909030' first='Ava' last='Floyd']</em></strong>, a kid on a scoring burner, will be the leading catalyst nightly, scoring in double digits. <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='1819788' first='Karlie' last='Everette']</em></strong> is a name to watch as she too can fill it up, especially from deep. The kid to watch out for is [player_tooltip player_id='1699486' first='Bailey' last='Cramer']. The 6'2 kid who can stretch the floor and finish around the basket. These girls have the mindset and the talent to make a run for state contention this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ravenwood- Though this team may finish high on their side of the district, when it comes to region play, they probably aren't even thought of. They have some new kids in their program who will invigorate a whole new mindset. This squad is young and talented, yet scrappy, bringing athleticism, quickness, and size to the fold. Their guard play will be essential, but much will depend on how they unleash their size. <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='1306523' first='Eleanor' last='Vogus'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1249229' first='Austin' last='Strange']</em></strong> are two names to watch. Vogus will be able to go inside and stretch the floor. Strange will be the one who commands the paint. This team has the total package, but I think they will sneak up on some folks, especially as they play more and gel together.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->