MAYB Get Back on the Court, Wichita : Players of KS Dream Team

Robert Kelly June 1, 2020 @ 04:42 PM

The last weekend of May finally saw a tournament event happen following many days of state-level political turmoil. In Wichita Mid America Youth Basketball (MAYB) hosted its Get Back on the Court event with 94 teams. The sold out tournament consisted of boys and girls tournaments of all levels. There were to sections of high school girls action, 11th-12th grade girls and 9th-10th grade girls. Several of the 9th-10th grade KS Dream Team competed in the previous weekend’s, MAYB hosted, scrimmages. In this weekend’s tournament an extended look at team members was gained. Enjoy my comments about each player below. Anna Eldridge, 5’6", PG, Peabody-Burns, 2022 -- Eldridge is very offensive minded. She has finishing ability and is fast in transition. Showed substantial improved defensive energy over her performance during the scrimmage including with hand speed. Eldridge has good length and is a steal threat. She showed glimpses of advanced passing ability off the bounce and on the break. Alaina Eck, 5’0", PG, Little River, 2024 -- Eck too often got ahead of herself or was out of control on both ends of the floor as a handler and defending the ball. She can finish around and under the basket with athleticism. Eck has a tendency to telegraph point to wing passes. Eck reminded me of a very young, rough version of the great, 5’2", Australian guard <a href="https://sportsteamhistory.com/miami-sol">Debbie "The Pest" Black</a> (now <a href="https://gomocs.com/coaches.aspx?rc=922&path=wbb">assistant head coach</a> at University of Tennessee - Chattanooga) who I used to watch run the point for the <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2020/04/13/colorado-xplosion-womens-basketball-abl-retrospective/">Colorado Xplosion</a> of the American Basketball League (ABL). Sally Wine, 5’9", SF/PF, Berean Academy, 2022 -- Wine boxes well and battles inside on both ends. She clears rebounds well unless she brings the ball down. Wine showed strength to rip rebounds away from opponents. Offensively, Wine is a good mid-range shooter and power dribbled to create solid turnaround jumpers. [player_tooltip player_id="158592" first="Sadie" last="Beagley"], 5’8", PF, Sterling, 2022 -- Beagley is a undersized power forward with solid strength. She knows how to use her body to create shots and score inside and otherwise does a good job of playing within herself on both ends of the floor. Very consistent. Would like to see her to show perimeter game abilities. [caption id="attachment_174856" align="alignleft" width="200"] KS Dream and Sterling 2023 Kate Rowland shoots a three point jumper during a MAYB tournament game, May. 30, 2020. Photo by Robert Kelly.[/caption] Kate Rowland, 5’4", SG, Sterling, 2023 -- Rowland is a lefty who can get shots off quickly and is a three point threat from the corners. She has handles enough to weave through traffic with her head up on transition but needs to handle with more authority in the half court. [player_tooltip player_id="124989" first="Kaylee" last="Simpson"], 6’0", SF/PF Chase County, 2022 -- Simpson has serious upside stretch four potential. She runs well, is athletic, long, and has mid-range ability. Needs to be more scoring minded. [player_tooltip player_id="158582" first="Lily" last="Boughfman"], 6’1", C, Little River, 2022 -- Boughfman is box-out minded, has good size and length, and post strongly. She uses her hips to create space and moves well to get inside position. Boughfman really needs to boost her vertical. Paisley Smyth, 5’6", CG, Fairfield, 2023 -- Smith is long-limbed and has good speed with the ball. She often got tied up or had the ball knocked away because of not protecting the ball well on lay-up attempts. Smith has quickness, oddly what needs improved on the defensive end is reaction time. As Smith sharpens the edges on her game look for her to react faster, get stronger, finish better. Featured image: KS Dream Team team photo from MAYB May 23, 2020 scrimmage. Pictured, from left to right, are [player_tooltip player_id="124989" first="Kaylee" last="Simpson"], Sally Wine, Anna Eldridge, Alaina Eck, [player_tooltip player_id="158582" first="Lily" last="Boughfman"], [player_tooltip player_id="158592" first="Sadie" last="Beagley"], and Paisley Smith. Photo by Robert Kelly.