Battle in the Big Friendly: Swing Players

Swing Players are athletes that can guard multiple positions effectively. At Battle in the Big Friendly, I saw many athletes that fit that description, respectfully. The players highlighted below showed their versatility and impressed me with their production on the court. These players bring a lot of value and are a big component to the success of their team. <strong>Norah Clark | 6-1 / SF | Nixa HS | Shock 2023 Diaz<img class=" wp-image-421492 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/IMG_6430-2-254x300.jpg" alt="" width="167" height="198" /></strong> Norah is a player who impressed me with her footwork and her ability to get to the basket. Seems like she can always find a way to score the ball because of her skilled footwork.  She has a consistent mid-range game and has the ability to draw two players and is a willing passer to open teammates. She is always in the right spots and is pretty savvy with her body movements on the defensive end.  She is a good size and can guard multiple positions. She works her tail-off on the glass and brings that spark for her team on both ends. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="315233" first="Vanessa" last="Coleman"] | 5-9 / SF | Union HS | Expose your Game 2024<img class=" wp-image-421486 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/IMG_6423-2-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="148" height="198" /></strong> Vanessa is a player that has the tools to be a great contributor for any team she is on. She is strong and can use her strength to finish through contact. She has active hands on defense and is a smart player. What separates Vanessa from a lot of players at her position is her ability to knock down shots from behind the three-point line. She has a high-arching shot that looks like it’s going in every time, and when it does, it brings so much energy for her team. Another energy booster for her team is when she is aggressive to the basket. When she adopts the mentality of attacking down-hill to the basket, Vanessa will be unstoppable. <strong><img class=" wp-image-293139 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/06/Kalayia-Johnson1-scaled-e1651292250128-221x300.jpg" alt="" width="139" height="188" />[player_tooltip player_id="197969" first="Kalayia" last="Johnson"] | 5-9 / SF | Holland Hall Academy | Team Griffin Elite 2023 Wernli</strong> Kalayia is an athlete that can give you production in almost every aspect of the game. She is a worker on defense and can practically guard all positions. She presents as a mismatch problem for the other team on the offensive end due to her size and strength. She has handles, can run the offense well, and has the ability to shoot the mid-range. She is good at attacking and gets to the basket with ease. Kalayia is a player that will transition well to the next level because of her size, strength and good decision-making. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="402861" first="Anna" last="Trusty"] | 6-0 / CG | Greenwood HS | Shock 2024 Diaz</strong> Anna is a player that stood out to me because of her quick hands and quick feet. She was always in the right spot to make a play on the ball. She has the perfect build for her position, at 6-foot, she gets the job done. The next thing that stood out was her shot. Anna had the most consistent mid-range shot I saw all weekend, it’s her bread and butter. Her ability to catch and shoot it inside the 3-point line seems to be a lost art. She is willing to give you 100% on every play and has a confidence about herself because of her work-ethic. It’s a joy seeing Anna go to work because she plays the game the right way. <strong>Mia Adams | 5-9 / CG | Union HS | Tulsa Lady Hawks 2025</strong> Mia has a motor that separates her from a lot of players. She can guard all positions, can jump out the gym and is a rebounding machine. Her mentality is “get to the bucket” but has shown that she can hit the outside shot. When she drives strong, she is hard to stop. I saw her battle two players for a rebound, weave through traffic and go coast to coast for a basket. I was pretty impressed but Mia did things like that all weekend. <strong><img class=" wp-image-314178 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/08/DSC_0068-e1651291107104-197x300.jpg" alt="" width="178" height="271" />[player_tooltip player_id="197946" first="Elle" last="Papahronis"] | 6-0 / CG | Edmond North HS | Team Trae Young 17U 2023</strong> Elle is a player that made an impression on me almost immediately. Not only is she a 6A State Champion, but she is a fierce competitor. Defensively, she is solid, playing the passing lane, getting steals and intimidating ball handlers with her on-ball pressure. When the ball is in her hands, Elle is super-aggressive and ready to make things happen. I say she is aggressive but she is totally under control, with the main objective of getting to the basket. In the paint she showed she has good body control and knows how to get the defense in the air, can finish around them, or draw the foul. Elle can shoot it from the outside and is pretty consistent in the mid-range. She will be a great contributor at the Division 1 level and she has committed to the University of San Francisco in the Fall of 2023. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="261723" first="Aubrey" last="Hishaw"] | 5-10 / SF | Union HS | Team Griffin Select 2023 Cobbins<img class=" wp-image-421491 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/IMG_6435-2-1-250x300.jpg" alt="" width="181" height="217" /></strong> Aubrey is a strong, athletic player that can really change the trajectory of a team. Her ability to rebound the ball, push it in transition, and finish at the rim is exciting to see. Her motor gives her an advantage over other players at her position. She can match-up with guards due to her quick feet and on-ball presence, and her size and strength allow her to match up with post players. She is at her best attacking the basket and pushing the ball in transition, but she has shown that she can hit the outside shot too.