Time To Kickoff The Season!

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>USE CODE "tinnon30" FOR 30% OFF THE FIRST PURCHASE OF ANY SUBSCRIPTION</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First day of practice is finally here! Geez, it feels like it has been such a long time. Everyone starts fresh and new today. All schools have a 0-0 record. New faces join the team. There is new energy in the building. New kids will be stepping up. New this. New that. It's just a brand new start for everything.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2024-25 season kicks off and just like you, I am excited that it is finally here. One piece of advice, if you are a true hooper, and you are excited about today and you have this fresh energy about yourself, please bring that same energy not just this week, but 6 weeks down the line. When it's cold and raining. Dark outside. Your ball club will need that energy to stack wins, get through practice, and build as a team. I know it can be tough and it may suck getting out of bed every once in a while. You just have to remember that this ball we love to bounce isn't forever and we can't take anything for granted. So attack each and every day with this same energy and enthusiasm. Deal?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last night I couldn't help myself and I had to stop by and take in a training session done by Spencer Richardson. It was good to see girls getting that final tune up before hitting the court today. The young ladies in attendance had a common theme about themselves, they could shoot the ball at a high clip. Nothing but net. Nothing but net. You can tell the popcorn needed to be poppin because these young ladies were ready to go out and put on a show. Kids drove from near and far to get that last little bit of confidence before they took the floor today. Needless to say, these young ladies will be ready to hoop for their perspective clubs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Before I say my two cents about them, I want to tell you, the hooper, a few final things.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Attack everything from practice drills to games like it's your last.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Be great communicators and solid teammates. Energy is infectious.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Take care of your body. Take your time to stretch and do necessary things after games to help your body sustain. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Make sure you create a balanced schedule. Keeping your studies up, eating right (health), and rest are important.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Go out and have fun.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As promised, I got to shout out the young ladies who got some last minute work in before hitting the court today. Here are some young ladies who were in the lab getting that work in prior to the first day of practice.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Addy Olson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'7u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12121","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Providence Christian Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6728d4e94653c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Young pup who has some game to her. Shifty guard who can score it from multiple levels, handle the rock, and create her own shot. She will be suiting up for PCA this upcoming season, giving them a guard who can come in and play some solid minutes. You can tell this young lady has some swagger about her. That “ it” factor. Not a finished product, but you can tell she has been in the weight room and has been working on her game. She will be a solid contributor for the Lady Lions and someone to keep an eye on for sure throughout her high school career.<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":[1043275],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6728d4e9465a9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A Hickman Co. Lady Bulldog. She is ready to be a productive teammate that can light up the stat sheet in multiple ways. This kid is a true gym rat. Someone who seems to get better and better. I have seen this young lady multiple times in different settings and my take on her, she is going to be a problem for her district. She does the little things right, a solid two-way player who just competes. Look for her to have a big year and be a big factor for the Lady Bulldogs ballclub.<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["822288"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6728d4e9465eb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">New coach. New energy. MJ is ready to take the season head on. A lights out shooter, you can tell she has been in the lab working on her game. Her confidence is there. She is shooting from multiple spots at a high clip. She's just a workaholic who is ready to lead the Lady Eagles of Indy. Though it may be the first year under coach Bre Jackson, MJ will be the shining star that will help propel this ball club. She has what it takes to not only fill it up, but get it done on the defensive end. Solid kid who is going to take Wilco by storm.<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Mikah Mulligane","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Independence","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6728d4e946663"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">One of the new kids that are on the Independence campus. Once this young lady gets used to the speed of the high school game, look for her to be a solid contributor for the Lady Eagles. She can spot up on the perimeter, put the ball on the floor to create. Makes good sound decisions that lead to finishes. Look for her to come carve out a role and help this ball club early and often.<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["899904"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6728d4e9466b4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I usually don't throw compliments around like this, but she may be one of the best guards or let's just say under the radar guards in the city of Nashville. A 3 level scoring threat who can create off the dribble, pull up from the arc, and has tons of shiftiness in her game. Stop and explode out. Counter move here if you try to stop her. Hesi, fake, step through, splash. Ball through the net. This kid is tough and John Overton hasn't had a solid guard like this since the late 90s when they had a trio of Lady Bobcats that could hoop. Erica is an absolute dawg and looks for her to have a breakout year.<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["513237"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6728d4e9466f0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Determined. Hard worker. Focused. This kid has a mindset of going out there and destroying the opposition. A guard who has tight handles, can shoot at all 3 levels at a high clip, deliver timely passes, and defend. She's a heady ballplayer who gets the job done. She plays the game with relentless effort, and I am talking about on both ends of the floor. I'll just go ahead and say this, she has that “Mamba Mentality” that everyone talks about the late great Kobe Bryant had. It's hard to describe her game. I will say this, if you see her compete, just know she is out there to make a statement and then some. A solid kid who is a great teammate and will have a tremendous year for the Lady Mustangs of Lipscomb Academy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->