MVC Conference Preview

Coach Denney and the CM Lady Eagles have had control over the Valley for the past few years. Again, he returns an outstanding nucleus.CM looks ready to try to make that yearly run towards the goal of getting to RedBird Arena. Highland and Coach Hamilton certainly won't give away the conference championship and have their own goals in mind. The previous coach at Highland, Mike Arbuthnot, has rejoined the conference with hopes of making Triad a yearly contender again. Jerseyville comes with one of the best guards in the conference and an experienced group of players hoping to surprise one of the favorites. With Mascoutah and Waterloo trying to work their way out of the bottom spots the conference should be an exciting one to watch this year. Here are some of the top players that will contend for All Conference spots and help determine who prevails at the end of the season. <strong>Anna Hall </strong>is a 5'11 2020 forward from Civic Memorial. Anna recently gave a verbal commitment to play at D2 Missouri Southern. Anna has been a major part of the program since her freshman campaign. If you were to predict an MVP for the conference Anna is likely the top candidate by being the best player on the best team. She averaged 17.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game as a junior. Anna has become a consistent threat to hit the outside shot which makes her a very challenging match-up. The bread and butter of Anna's game has always been her ability to use her strength to establish position in the lane. Once she secures the pass Anna uses excellent footwork to get off good shots. Anna shot over 50% from the field and 70% from the line last year, so, if she gets the ball in good position odds are strong there will be points put on the board. <strong>Clare Breden </strong>is a 5'5 2021 guard from Jerseyville. Clare has a special ability to score the basketball. She has deep range on her 3-point shot and has developed a very good "runner" that she uses out to 10-12 feet. Clare averaged 17.7 points per game off 67 3-pointers and over 75% free throw shooting. Clare is able to use her ball handling skills to find open space in the lane where she is able to convert over taller players. Clare is a good rebounder for her size and contributes with steals and assists too. She is not just a scorer, she is also the primary ball handler against any pressure. Clare has interest from colleges and is someone that will likely be able to excel at the D2 level or even lower level D1 with her skill set. <strong>Kourtland Tyus </strong>is a 5'6 2020 point guard from Civic Memorial. Kourtland is another player for CM that has been an integral part of the team since her freshman year. She is an excellent point guard as she can handle the ball, score the ball, pass the ball, defend and is an exceptional leader. Kourtland has given a verbal commitment to play at Johnson County Community College next year. Kourtland has worked hard to prepare for her last season and has improved her 3-point shot during the summer. She seems like a good candidate to increase her average of 10.4 points per game last year. <strong>Ellie Brown </strong>is a 5'5 2020 guard from Highland. Ellie is another 2020 player that has been at the top of the conference for most of her high school career. She averaged 7 points per game as a freshman and then 12 both her sophomore and junior campaigns. Ellie is a very good offensive player that can score inside and out. This year she will take over more of primary ball handler role with the graduation of Emmy Nyquist. Ellie is very quick and plays very good defense for Coach Hamilton. <strong>Aubrey Hubbard </strong>is a 5'8 2020 guard from Waterloo. Aubrey is a lights out 3-point shooter that cannot be left alone. She came out strong last year as a transfer and hit 11 3-pointers in her first two games. Teams caught on quick and made life a little more difficult for her after that. She did a good job adjusting and taking the ball to the hole more as the season progressed. Aubrey ended up averaging just over 10 points per game and will be looking to increase that this year. <strong>Maiah Kelly </strong>is a 5'10 2020 wing from Mascoutah. Maiah will be counted on to provide scoring and leadership on a team that is trying to make a turn towards the top half of the conference. Maiah was just short of 10 points per game as a junior. She will be the main cog in a team that looks to have some good young talent that may lead to better records in the future. She is a versatile player that can provide help to the team in many different ways. <strong>Alyssa Powell </strong>is a 5'10 2022 forward from Triad. Alyssa averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds as a freshman for a senior laden team. She has done most of her damage in the paint as she has grown up in the game, but should spend a little more time on the perimeter for Coach Arbuthnot. If Alyssa can improve her skills, shooting and ball handling, her athletic and strong body should take over. &nbsp; Others that will contend for All Conference: <ul> <li><strong>Harper Buhs </strong>is a 5'9 2021 wing from Civic Memorial</li> <li><strong>Taylor Kesner </strong>is a 5'11 2021 post from Highland</li> <li><strong>Bella LaPorta </strong>is a 6'0 2021 post from Highland</li> <li><strong>Abby Manns </strong>is a 5'7 2020 guard from Jerseyville</li> <li><strong>Megan Kronk </strong>is a 5'8 2020 guard from Highland</li> <li><strong>Tori Standefer </strong>is a 5'6 2021 guard from Civic Memorial</li> </ul> &nbsp; This conference is always one of the top Southern Illinois conferences in 3A basketball. Highland and Civic Memorial should again fight it out for the top spot while they others try to build momentum to contend going forward. There is excellent D2/NAIA/ JC level talent in the conference and should be fun to watch.