Big Minutes, Big Performers

I took a trip south to Iowa City West last night to watch the Women of Troy take on Dubuque Senior, and I was not disappointed. Despite having limited numbers on their varsity rosters (a majority of both teams' benches were made up of players from the sophomore game), both squads featured players that have clearly been able to adapt to a shorthanded lineup. West took the big-time win last night but there were standouts from both teams who played a majority of the game and continued to produce. Continue reading to see who made the cut.    [player_tooltip player_id='833955' first='Sasha' last='Baldwin'] showed last night that she can play long stretches and continue to make good decisions for her team. From scoring at all levels to making good reads, I really like what I've seen of Baldwin's game and her basketball IQ. Baldwin made plays on both sides of the floor with a calm demeanor and looks to be a solid floor general in the making — she can shoot off the jab or the dribble, doesn't need much space to get her shot off, and has a number of moves to finish at the rim (including a nifty side step). She's crafty, knows when to call her own number, and will find the open teammate. I'm looking forward to watching Sasha's progress throughout her career.     [player_tooltip player_id='981151' first='Abby' last='Neumiller'] caught fire in the first half and continued her hot streak through the second. Despite playing big minutes Neumiller didn't show signs of fatigue and displayed a polished jumpshot that led her to a game-high 17 points. Going 5/9 from the three point line last night, Neumiller is deadly off the catch and doesn't need much room to let it fly. She also displayed a solid ability to catch and shoot off of the cut — she's balanced and fundamental on the move. At 6," Neumiller can shoot over just about anyone and is a long, athletic performer on both sides of the ball for IC West.     On a balanced Iowa City West squad Ava Frese has proven all season that she can do a bit of everything for her team. She did just that last night as well, finishing the night with 10 points, 2 boards, 4 assists and 4 steals. I really liked Ava's decision making all game — she knew when to call her own number while still looking to distribute. She was also pesky defensively and did her job well in help defense by shooting into passing lanes and digging down on Senior's post players. As the cherry on top, Frese is also shooting the three at a notable 47.5% this season. If I were a coach, I would be lucky to have an Ava Frese on my team.     Kate Van Waning has a lot to offer the Women of Troy, and stepped up while playing big minutes last night. The 5'10" glue player has a Kate Martin vibe to her — a good teammate, efficient, and is effective anywhere on the floor. Van Waning finished last night with 7 points (on 3/4 shooting), 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. The more I watched Van Waning play, the more I liked her — she's got court vision, is a strong rebounder at the guard spot, has size and athleticism, and knows when to make the extra pass. What's not to like?     Liz Nielsen asserted herself as the player to watch for Dubuque Senior last night. The small forward is physical in all aspects of the game — she rebounds hard and wills herself to the basket with a handful of different dribble moves. Off the dribble Nielsen showed that she can split defenders in the open court and against a zone, finishing a transition three, a soft floater, and a rip baseline all against zone defenses. Overall I really liked Nielsen's motor all game — even when things weren't going the Rams' way, she was a consisted communicator for her team and tried to make things happen with her athleticism.

I took a trip south to Iowa City West last night to watch the Women of Troy take on Dubuque Senior, and I was not disappointed. Despite having limited numbers on their varsity rosters (a majority of both teams' benches were made up of players from the sophomore game), both squads featured players that have clearly been able to adapt to a shorthanded lineup. West took the big-time win last night but there were standouts from both teams who played a majority of the game and continued to produce. Continue reading to see who made the cut.