Playmaking Prospects from Striking Eagle Tournament
The Striking Eagle Tournament is a great way for many teams in New Mexico to tune back up after the Christmas break. Hopefully the players are in nice spirits and are well rested from the break. Teams such as Cuba,…
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Continue ReadingThe Striking Eagle Tournament is a great way for many teams in New Mexico to tune back up after the Christmas break. Hopefully the players are in nice spirits and are well rested from the break. Teams such as Cuba, Dulce, Mescalero and many more travel hours to be at Johnson Gym located at the University of New Mexico which is easily one of the most prestigious sports venues in New Mexico. Here are some playmaking prospects I was able to watch and speak with at the tournament.
Tyler Hiles #1 – PG/SG – Mescalero Apache Chiefs
Tyler Hiles is a tall athletic guard that probably is best suited for shooting guard, but I believe she can certainly handle the rock and be a point guard as well. This young lady had seven steals in her game! She also hit some clutch free-throws and did not miss any during the whole game. Hiles is able to keep her head up on the floor with very nice speed and ball handling to go along with it. She has nice, smooth stroke with range and can definitely shoot threes. She has long arms and nice athletic build that could help with rebounds/steals. She was able to secure five rebounds when I saw her play and she had some nice passing skills in the transition game. Hiles does a little bit of everything very well.
Bailey Vigil #5 – PG – Dulce Hawks
Bailey is a calm player who plays within the flow of the game but also can race down the floor like lightning with the ball if needed. A very savvy defensive player who knows when to take a chance and when not to. I saw her consistently make smart decisions on defense on when to try and swipe for the ball and when not to. She is a good defender that can cause offenses to commit turnovers. Forcing bad passes and trapping the ball handler well are also what I saw defensively. For offensive, in my notes I wrote that she is a driver with force but also can hit some threes if tasked to do so. I saw her make a nice pump fake and finish it with a basket afterwards. Defending is what Vigil does but it isn’t the only thing she can do.
Pearl Pike #22 – PG – Mescalero Apache Chiefs
Pike is a floor general that can smile and call plays at the same time. The energetic and happy point guard was running the offense like a strong leader when I saw her play. Pike follows her shots like a hawk and I even saw her get her own rebound a few times off jump shots and put it back in the hoop. She can throw long baseball passes down the court that drew some cheers from the crowd. I saw her have some really nice steals and then run the ball in transition. When I spoke to her after the game, she said that she has the ability to push through minor injuries. She also said that she is a very active player and is very uplifting to her players which shows her leadership skills. I was impressed and joyful when I watched Pike play.
Ivonna Burgess #20 – SF/PF – Mescalero Apache Chiefs
Burgess is a forward who can certainly finish inside and gather some “And 1’s.” I saw her draw some nice fouls inside the paint and finish them off with a basket. This also a very unselfish player who is willing to pass for the open shot. I saw her draw defenses in the paint and then pass it out for a better percentage play. She is aggressive on defense and goes for blocks in the paint. In my notes, I wrote that she has very nice awareness on defense. When I spoke to her after the game, she told me that one her best attributes is that she matches physicality on defense. She certainly could be a force inside on defense and offense in my opinion. She finished with 11 points and 8 rebounds when I saw her.