"The Jesse" Tournament Analysis - Players on the Rise

These girls showed me that they are ready to take the next step in their basketball journey.    Paige is a girl with a solid base and impressive strength. She is a physically strong athlete and much stronger than many players in the 2028 class. I appreciate her effort on the floor. She sprints back on defense, battles for loose balls, and doesn't give up on a possession. She fights in the post against bigger girls. Her coach calls her a workhorse with a high motor. He likes her ability to get downhill and finish through contact. She has shown an initiative to continue improving and will be worth watching as she polishes up her offensive game.     MaCada is another Raider that has a lot of promise as a player. She was tough getting to her right hand and was fearless attacking the basket. She was able to draw multiple fouls and get to the free-throw line. She is a quality ball-handler and decision maker. Her coach describes her as a true point guard. She sees the floor well and can create her own scoring opportunities and draw secondary defenders and make the easy pass. She makes her teammates better, a fantastic compliment to any athlete. She is still growing and getting stronger physically, but will be a lot of fun to watch as she works her way through high school.     Harper isn't afraid to take control of the game the second she steps onto the court. She is an aggressive guard who is willing to bring the juice. The 5'7 combo-guard is an athletic playmaker. She likes to create scoring opportunities by either driving to the basket or knocking down outside shots. She has a good first step and uses it to get past primary defenders. She has a nice shot with a quick release. The All-Region Grover is taking the right steps to improve her game. She is going to be critical for Oak Grove to compete in a very competitive Region 1.     Gustavsson is a the type of player any coach will appreciate to have on their team. She is a total grinder who competes every second of every game she plays. She plays with a toughness and passion that radiates to her teammates. They feed off of her energy and as a result play just as hard. She is like an energizer bunny on the floor. She has a positive impact on both sides of the floor that is exciting to watch as a coach and fan. She creates for her teammates and makes the right reads with her shooting and passing. She is a true point guard on the floor and total floor general.     Schaefer had another productive weekend at "The Jesse." She is a smaller guard out on the floor but plays with an effectiveness of a seasoned veteran. She is going to be a lot of fun to watch as she grows throughout her high school career. She is already a speedy guard with great instincts. I was impressed with her defense this time around. She was hard to get by defensively and very disruptive in passing lanes. She dove for multiple loose balls for extra possessions for her team. Schaefer is a competitor and isn't afraid to battle older and bigger girls.     Glandt is an underrated talent for the Valley City Hi-Liners. Her presence and impact on the court might not be as extravagant as some of her teammate' scoring, but is just as critical to winning games. She doesn't need to score to positively impact winning. All Kinslee does is make winning plays. I am impressed with her steady decision making. She is a quality athlete with strong legs. She handled the ball well under pressure and wasn't fazed against full-court press defenses. Just because she doesn't need to score to impact winning doesn't mean she doesn't know how to. She is a good shooter with excellent form. She had a great rip and baseline drive from the left corner for a finish at the rim.

These girls showed me that they are ready to take the next step in their basketball journey.