Expo Top 250 All tournament team
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I got the chance to cover the girls at the Expo Top 250, and I saw some really talented players. In fact, it was tough to pick a player of the game in most games. One player in particular stood out above the rest most of the time she was on the court. She happens to be a freshman and a really good one. She is not the only underclassmen listed here. I believe 7 of the 10 are freshman and sophomores. I’ll start with my MVP, followed by my all l tournament selections team all tournament selections.
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MVP-
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
I was going to do a first and second term but so many of these girls are good enough to be on either, so I will just do an all tournament team in somewhat the order I would follow in ranking these girls. Bare with me, this is my first time doing this on the girls side. I am doing my top 10. I am sure that I will have missed one or two that should be here, but I do know the ones who are, deserve to be.
She was so good I mistakenly put her as the player of the game twice even though I was trying to give it to a different girl each game. She traded baskets with Roberts for a good part of the last game of the night. She was equally as impressive during those parts of the game, hitting deep threes with a hand in her face, getting them via the step back variety, getting to the basket and scoring. She’s another one with a skill set that jumps off the page with some of the things she was doing, especially during that stretch when the two of them must have had 10 points apiece in a matter of a few minutes. I was impressed by her ability to make some crafty shots when she got near the basket as well. She is quick and using that to her advantage, she got downhill in a hurry to get some easy ones as well.
Highlights
She had a really solid floor game that was highlighted with her elite skill-set. She handles the ball really well, giving her that point guard look. The one where you trust that she won’t make many mistakes and can run a team in high pressure situations. She was really good at getting to the rack, using both her quickness, and great handles. Usually if she decided she wanted to get to the bucket, she would get to the bucket. Much like many of the girls I watched, she was also adept at getting her shots off when she did get into the lane, often finishing with either hand. She can play either guard spot, and she shoots it really well too. She had one of the prettier shots in the field that night. There’s also the fact that she happens to be Roberts teammate at Newport, and she’s just a sophomore. That team is in for something special with these two for years to come.
Highlights
I really liked the way she played. She doesn’t have to score a lot in order to see that she can really play. She definitely had her points but even if she didn’t, she would still look the part. She is a natural, or at least looks like one, she has undoubtedly put in a ton of work to get that way. Really solid floor game, high basketball IQ player that I would trust with the ball in her hands at all times. She’s smooth and crafty as well, making it look easy. A good athlete who can run, she got some layups because of it, but she also was able to attack the paint under control and was another one who had some crafty finishing.
At one point she took her turn trading buckets with Rogers as well. She was hitting deep three after deep three. I had her for six. Four of which came in succession, and they were all a step or two beyond the line it seemed. I totaled 26 points for her in that game, one which she was the best player on the floor for a good portion of the game. I wish I had shooting stats, because these girls were lights out and I would bet they shot a much higher percentage from three than the boys did. I watched both tournaments, so I have a pretty good idea. Impressive display of shooting.
Highlights
Speaking of shooting, she was arguably the best shooter in the field. She’s 6’0, and that makes for a very unique skill-set in high school girls basketball. She was my game one MVP, mostly due to her knocking down shot after shot and doing so effortlessly. She mixed in threes, mid-range, if she was open or even close, it was a bucket. Shooting is a skill that every team needs, and with the height and athleticism to go with it, she should have a bright future beyond high school basketball if she so chooses.
Highlights
I had her for 14 points in the first game. My notes say that she has good quickness, handles the ball well, and runs the floor. It mentions nothing of shooting, most likely because of the clinic that the rest were putting on with their own. I see she did squeeze in a few in one game. With this group of girls, that was average. I do recall that she was skilled and maybe the threes weren’t the most impressive part of her game. I also said good passer. To get that recognition in a showcase type of event means that she is a good passer. No offense on the boys side but I don’t have to look at my notes to know this was a one time thing in my notes. She found time to share the rock and I obviously appreciated that.
She scored considerably throughout her three games. I do recall that she went on a little run of her own there at the end. Showing some good scoring ability. Some of which came in the crafty variety, using a few moves and a couple hands to score on the drive or the break. I was impressed with many of these girls and the way they were able to use both hands to convert tough, contested, often fouled layups. They were allowed to play, no doubt and they adjusted accordingly without a single complaint that I can remember.
Highlights
She was tough inside when she had the ball. She got herself there with one of the better spin moves I saw from this group. She was also well rounded enough to step out and hit the three. I really wish I had kept shooting stats for the girls, I don’t believe I have ever seen a higher percentage of threes made in any girls games I have watched lately. Bear with me, this is the first time I am covering the girls but I can’t imagine this happening nightly. She has a high skill level as well, and these teams get difficult to make at this point. So many were deserving, but the spin move was a factor here.