Grassroots Preview: Buckeye State Blast (Red)
A new club – but all of these players are established in the hoops scene. This is the program’s “top” team (along with the Royal 2020 team) – full of scholarship level talent. Roster: Buckeye State Blast Red #2 Liv…
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Continue ReadingA new club – but all of these players are established in the hoops scene.
This is the program’s “top” team (along with the Royal 2020 team) – full of scholarship level talent.
Roster:
Buckeye State Blast | Red | ||
#2 Liv Payne | Green | 5’8 Guard | Class of 2021 |
#3 Taylor Thomas | Chippewa | 5’9 Forward | Class of 2021 |
#34 Kelsey Swihart | Hiland | 6’0 Forward | Class of 2021 |
#15 Sydney Snyder | Loudonville | 5’8 Forward | Class of 2021 |
#24 Alayna McMullen | Jackson | 5’4 Guard | Class of 2021 |
#5 Grace Mills | Garfield | 5’7 Guard | Class of 2021 |
#21 Karli Anker | Manchester | 5’7 Guard | Class of 2021 |
#25 Brynn Mullet | Hiland | 5’7 Guard | Class of 2021 |
#33 Katie Sprang | West Holmes | 5’7 Guard | Class of 2021 |
#13 Abby Stephens | Lake | 5’10 Wing | Class of 2021 |
Their website is http://Www.buckeyestateblast.com
This team is full of guards! Although they are only sophomores, a number of them are already approaching the 1000 career mark on their HS teams. Karli Anker and Grace Mills have each been named to the All-Ohio team twice to start their careers.
Brynn Mullet and Kelsey Swihart come from one of state’s top HS programs, Berlin Hiland. There is Federal League toughness with Liv Payne, Abby Stephens and Alayna McMullen.
Sydney Snyder and Taylor Thomas also come from state ranked programs and do an oustanding job of spacing the floor and knocking down perimeter jumpshots. Katie Sprang is a state-placer in Track who brings that elite level of athleticism to the defensive end of the floor.
This red team will run-and-jump with smothering full court pressure for the entire game. A team that can play in the open floor and turn defense into easy offense.
Anker and Mills are both on pace to score nearly 2000 points in their HS careers.
Players to watch:
• Karli Anker – Karli is one of the top guards in the class of 2021. She is dynamic in pick-and-roll situations and has underrated athleticism. She is a great on-ball defender and gets a high number of rebounds from her PG spot. Also, finishes well around the rim and is a streaky three-point shooter. It will be tough to find a better passer than Karli in Northeast Ohio. She is a fringe D1/D2 kid.
• Brynn Mullet – Another great guard to come from Berlin Hiland, Mullet already has a scholarship offer. She is an elite shooter with great footwork. She projects as a combo-guard at the college level, although her more natural position is at the off-guard spot. Mullet is a tremendous defender in her own right – coming from Hiland who always plays one of the state’s top schedules, Brynn does not back down from great competition.
Abby Stephens – Stephens is power forward with skills of a guard. She is one of the team’s top playmakers and is also their leading rebounder. She is getting better on the block in post-up situations,but is more comfortable right now in the mid-range game. Also, blocks a lot of shots and is outstanding as a helpside defender. Her sister was a D1 player and if Abby grows a few more inches – she could have the same fate.
• Grace Mills – Grace and her teammate Kate Sprang are the best athletes of the bunch. She is an explosive leaper who has established herself as the mid-range queen. Her leaping ability allows her to jump over defenders and get any shot that she would like. She is also great at finishing through contact or over taller defenders at the rim. She stars in the full-court pressing defensive style that the Red team utilizes.
• Olivia Payne – Payne is another athletic off-guard who causes havoc on the defensive end of the floor. She lacks consistency right now of other shooters on the team, but she is one of the best at creating scoring opportunities off of the dribble. She is a long-lanky defender who gets a lot of deflections.
Schedule:
Ballers Bash – Canton – April 5-7
Mustang Mayhem – Massillon – April 12-14
The Clash – Cincinnati – April 26-28
Great Lakes Regionals – Akron – May 3-5
The Classic – Louisville KY, May 17-19
Run 4 Roses – Louisville KY, July 5-8
USJN Nationals – Washington DC, July 20-23