CPU vs. W-SR: Players with the Intangibles

I had the chance to visit Center Point - Urbana High School yesterday for a showdown between the Stormin' Pointers (ranked 12th in 3A) and Waverly - Shell Rock (ranked 8th in 4A). Throughout the matchup I was impressed by both squads' cohesion on defense and, on the flip side, their ability to share the ball. The game went down to the wire, with the W-SR Go-Hawks pulling out the win in enemy territory 53-46. A number of players stood out to me not with just their offensive output, but their leadership, communication, decision-making, and all-around effort — check out which players brought these intangibles to the floor last night.    I was really impressed with [player_tooltip player_id='896425' first='Grace' last='Estling']'s impact off the bench last night for CPU. Every time she checked into the game she made a play and brought the energy up for her team. In the first half that was from a back cut that drew a foul (and two made free throws), and in the second half she came in and jumped a passing lane right away for a steal. Estling also showed consistent decision-making on offense and a solid handle by finishing multiple tough left-handed finishes. I loved her defensive effort too — as an undersized guard, she held off players much taller than her to get defensive rebounds for the Stormin' Pointers. Estling was also in the mix at the end of the game, proving that you don't need to be a starter to be an impact player.     Senior [player_tooltip player_id='896455' first='Addy' last='Tupa'] is a disciplined, well-rounded guard and was one of my favorite players on the court last night. Her poise and court vision brought a sense of calm to the CPU offense — any time the ball was in her hands, I felt like something good was going to happen. Tupa has good footwork around the rim and seeks out contact, a smooth shot from deep, and has the motor to play big minutes. I think Tupa's defense is another strong suit as well — she moves laterally with ease and has a long reach to pester ball handlers. In the fourth quarter Tupa matched up on W-SR's best player, drew two defenders and hit a skip pass for an open three, and then hit a defender with a jab step and drained a three all in crunch time. You can't ask for much more from a senior leader.     After watching [player_tooltip player_id='833966' first='Lizzy' last='Frazell'] in person last night I can confidently say she is a star in the making. The 5'11" guard has a strong offensive skillset, length and athleticism, a high basketball IQ, and carries herself the right way. Despite getting a lot of attention from CPU defenders last night, Frazell kept her composure and made the Pointers pay the second they slipped up (including four three pointers that barely touched the net). She also understands her own gravity on the floor — if she is double-teamed, she knows who to find for an open shot, and consistently led her teammates to scoring opportunities with her intuitive passing.     [player_tooltip player_id='671466' first='Addie' last='Kruse'] brought a number of intangibles to the game last night — she was a difference-maker, picked her spots well offensively, and rose to the occasion when her team needed it. Shooting 35% from deep on the season, Kruse made her presence known early with a handful of three-pointers. Kruse was also cool under pressure against CPU's press by going coast to coast for a turnaround jumper to beat the buzzer at the end of the first half. When the game was close in the fourth, Kruse showed effort on both sides of the ball — she stayed disciplined on her wall-ups in the paint, leading to two missed shots, then turned around on offense and finished a blow-by layup and two free-throws.     [player_tooltip player_id='1130671' first='Brittney' last='Bodensteiner'] is the ultimate leader for her Go-Hawks team. She continually impressed me with her communication (on the floor and from the bench), her unfazed optimism for her teammates, and 100% hustle. At any given moment Bodensteiner was either diving for a loose ball or flying out of bounds to save a possession. She also had excellent reads in the paint leading to scores, including a strong seal for a lefty finish, a back cut on a denial, and a slip for two off of a ball screen. Overall I just loved her energy and the impact she had on her team — anyone would be lucky to have a [player_tooltip player_id='1130671' first='Brittney' last='Bodensteiner'] as a teammate.

I had the chance to visit Center Point - Urbana High School yesterday for a showdown between the Stormin' Pointers (ranked 12th in 3A) and Waverly - Shell Rock (ranked 8th in 4A). Throughout the matchup I was impressed by both squads' cohesion on defense and, on the flip side, their ability to share the ball. The game went down to the wire, with the W-SR Go-Hawks pulling out the win in enemy territory 53-46. A number of players stood out to me not with just their offensive output, but their leadership, communication, decision-making, and all-around effort — check out which players brought these intangibles to the floor last night.