Southern Illinois Top Defenders

In this article we look at the top defensive players in Southern Illinois. We all know that defense becomes more important as tournament play begins. Each team needs a player that can change the game by altering the opposing teams ability to score. These girls are all difference makers on the defensive end of the floor. <ul> <li><strong>Megan Hallemann </strong>is a 6’4 2020 post from Greenville. Megan does a great job of affecting every shot taken in the paint. Her teammates will funnel any penetration towards Megan in the middle of the lane. Megan has such long arms that she can get her hands on shots that seem out of her reach. She averaged over 4 blocks per game as a junior.</li> <li><strong>Maura Niemeier </strong>is a 5’6 2022 guard from Civic Memorial. Maura has the ability to be one of the best defenders to play at CM by the time she is done. She has good instincts and special athletic ability. Maura puts pressure on the ball constantly and is also great off the ball reading the passing lanes.</li> <li><strong>Caite Knutson </strong>is a 5’11 2020 wing from Collinsville. Caite is a very versatile defender that can handle quick guards and big posts. She provides Coach Billy many different options as to how she wants to deploy their defense on any given night. Caite is strong and smart which allows her to be a terror on the ball.</li> <li><strong>Adrenna Snipes </strong>is a 5'5 2022 guard  from Alton Marquette. Adrenna has very quick hands that allow her to get steals off any wayward dribble. She is excellent on the ball but also reads passes well off the ball. Adrenna averaged 5.5 steals per game as a freshman which was easily a school record.</li> <li><strong>Aubrey Mister </strong>is a 5'5 2021 guard from O'Fallon. Aubrey is a very high level soccer player and she uses that footwork very well on the basketball court. She is extremely quick and does a great job of staying in front of the girl she is defending. Aubrey will get more minutes this year so I expect her to able to use her skill to create turnovers that will lead to easy baskets. She will definitely be a weapon for Coach Knolhoff to use in a conference that has very talented guards.</li> <li><strong>Chloe Book </strong>is a 5'6 2021 guard from Breese Central. Chloe is a very versatile defender. She always wants the challenge of shutting down the best player on the other team. She combines quickness and strength that allows her to battle anyone on the perimeter. Chloe has the right technique and will do the little things on defense. She will play defense right to the out of bounds line and right to the whistle leaving her opponent exhausted.</li> <li><strong>Rylee Luechtefeld </strong>is a 6'0 2020 forward from Nashville. Rylee is capable of guarding multiple positions on the floor. She is very long and has a wide wing span. She uses her height and long arms to cause problems in passing the ball and shooting the ball. Rylee is athletic enough to guard on the perimeter but also tall enough to guard in the post. She does a good job of trailing a quicker player and causing problems with her length. In the post Rylee does a good job of keeping a little space that allows her to use her length to block shots.</li> </ul> All of these girls enjoy the challenge of playing defense and changing the game. Defense is about desire and effort which all of these girls show. Every now and again you see someone that combines the desire and effort with a special attribute or skill that makes them special. These girls all have that.