Players on Lower Seeded Teams to Watch Tonight

<span data-preserver-spaces="true">Everyone loves an underdog. As tonight’s WIAA Regional Semifinal round tips off, I want to talk about some road teams with a player who can win tonight and a regional championship tomorrow. These players are some of the most talented in Wisconsin, and I want to discuss where these kids excel. The four players are in no particular order. </span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="171810" first="Aaliyah" last="Smith"]-5’5 PG-’22-Madison La Follette</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">When you talk about who the best player is in Wisconsin, I can accept a few names, but Smith’s needs to be one of the first names out of your mouth. After a career with a lot of twists and turns, she’s finally back on the floor for La Follette. Since she got back on the floor on Jan. 8 against Janesville Parker, the Lady Lancers have not lost, winning 12 straight en route to the postseason. Smith is one of the best players left without a home in America. The senior passes as well as anyone in the country. Now that she’s used to her teammates, this team is dangerous. After a few forfeits and a new computer seeding system, the No. 10 Lancers begin their postseason against No. 7 Brookfield Central. If they were to win tonight and there are no surprises, they would face No. 2 Arrowhead tomorrow. If the Lancers make it out of this regional, do not be surprised if you see this Lancers team in Green Bay in mid-march.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="209909" first="Samantha" last="Schmitt"]-5’6 PG-’24-Oregon</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">Whenever someone asks me about Schmitt, I always start with how well she dictates the pace of games. There are talented guards who never fully grasp the power they hold as a lead guard, and Schmitt has that understanding. The Panthers’ presence immediately makes any team she plays on better because of her ability to get the best out of her teammates. After defeating No. 11 Monroe on Tuesday, the No. 6 Panthers will travel to DeForest and take on the No. 3 Norskies for a spot in the Regional Final.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="266986" first="Molly" last="Janke"]-5’11 G/F-’24-Ellsworth</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">If there were a Most Improved Player award in Wisconsin, I would strongly consider Janke. Offensively, she has gotten better in every statistical category by a noticeable margin. Her athleticism jumps off the screen. When you watch her operate, you can tell that she isn’t a typical sophomore. Very few 5-foot-11 wings can do what she does. If you ever get a chance to see her, watch how laterally quick she is defending the perimeter. Very few kids can get by her in isolation because of her size and quickness. Ellsworth has a rematch of a loss they had around Christmas at the Menomonie Holiday Classic, as No. 5 Ellsworth travels north to take on No. 4 Northwestern. </span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Ameerah Grant-5’7 G-’25-Brown Deer</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">Ameerah Grant is one of the most explosive kids I’ve seen this season. The Freshman has a great feel to optimize pick and rolls, and with [player_tooltip player_id="132383" first="Jordana" last="Reisma"], that’s scary. Grant has to feel like a blur to defenders. Even if you have her corralled in a phone booth, she’s quick enough to find a way out. I watched her operate against a talented South Milwaukee team, and they didn’t have an answer for what Grant was doing. She’s still a little rough around the edges because she does try to force some things that aren’t there. That said, she has a chance to be a premier guard in Wisconsin in a few seasons. No. 6 Brown Deer begins its postseason run against No. 3 Dominican.</span>