Juniors Just Doing It (Part 2)
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Maclayn Houston IA #30 SG #5 HEIGHT 5'7" POS SG CLASS 2024 View Player Boost Profile Download Image Maclayn Houston Class 2024 Position SG Height 5'7" HS West Harrison | IA Juniors Just Doing It (Part 2) The West…
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Continue ReadingThe West Harrison Hawkeyes haven’t had the start that they would have liked coming into this season but that hasn’t stopped Maclayn Houston Maclayn Houston 5’7″ | SG West Harrison | 2024 State IA from doing her thing and shinning on the floor. Houston, a fundamental guard with a nice handle, has been putting up some solid numbers for the Hawkeyes throughout their first 16 games. She is currently averaging 23.7 PPG on just about 50% shooting from the field, snagging 11 RPG, and dishing out 1 APG, leading her team in all 3 categories. At the moment she is leading the state in free throws made out of players in the junior class as well with going 131/202. This team plays hard. They compete each game and do what they can with the talent available. They never back down from a challenge and really ride with their leader in Houston, who sets up their offense and keeps everyone in line. This group is really young and has some promise looking toward the end of this year and into next season. There is a good mix between the grades and a lot of talent that could expand this summer into something really special.
Aili Tanke Aili Tanke 6’0″ | SG Johnston | 2024 State IA returned to the Johnston Dragons starting line-up for her junior season along with a star-studded cast around her in attempts to win a state championship and so far that’s looking pretty promising. Tanke, an Iowa State women’s basketball commit, has been the overall leader for this group on the court on the way to an overall 18-1 record with an average margin of victory of 21.6 PPG. A good amount if you ask me. She is leading the team in PPG at 16.1 along with recording 9.2 RPG. A lot can be said about the specifics of her basketball skill but in general she comes in as one of the most complete players in the state. She has the ability to take over a game, completing changing the outcome at any moment. She doesn’t get sped up and plays with great pace from start to finish, usually keeping her opponent off balance with her offensive attack in the open court. The Dragons have only lost one contest this year at the hands of Dowling Catholic on the road a few weeks ago. Other then that hiccup this group has looked pristine and well put together for the majority of games. It’ll be fun to see them matchup across some real competition during the state tournament on a big stage where they can all show what they can do against the states best.
McKenna Kramer McKenna Kramer 5’7″ | SG Benton | 2024 State IA has shown out to be the three point specialist that the Benton Community Bobcats needed to show up this season to help take this team over the top, making them a real contender in the 3A class for a state championship this season. Kramer, a knock down shooter, has been the two things every coach dreams of when talking about a shooter. Efficient and Consistent. The Bobcats are led by senior star Jenna Twedt Jenna Twedt 5’8″ | SG Benton | 2023 State IA , who is a real game changer but they needed some other pieces to step up this year when things get tough against good competition and Kramer has done just that. Currently she is ranked #4 on the list for three pointers made so far by juniors this season with 50, showing the proof of how good she has been from behind the arc. On top of that she has been getting to the free throw line and knocking down her shots when the three ball isn’t falling. Next season I anticipate Kramer to be the #1 option once Twedt has graduated. She will need to diversify her offensive game as she is a great shooter who doesn’t attempt many other shots on the floor. If she can learn to create for herself, and others a tad bit more this offseason, it’ll do wonders for her.
Aaliyah Riley Aaliyah Riley 5’7″ | PG Johnston | 2024 State IA is going to be a steal for whatever college she ends up committing at the end of the day, plain and simple. Riley, a diverse and versatile guard, has been a major part of the Johnston Dragons incredible start to the season this year. She is a special talent with really good coordination. She understands what winning is and tries to make that easy as possible for everyone around her. She has a great work ethic with dedication to the game of basketball and that is something you can see from just watching her play in a single contest. She is a player that everyone else would want on their team, a player that is always diving on the floor for loose balls or picking up her teammates, a player who is always working to get better, and overall a player that just wants to succeed with everyone else around her. Up until this point this year she is averaging just over 12 PPG, and 3.5 APG on the way to a 18-1 record in their first 19 games with only 2 games remaining in their regular season schedule. These are solid numbers in and amongst itself but even more so if you know the roster surrounding her. She is playing on a team that possesses 5-7 star players that will end up playing at a high D1/D2 level within the next few sessions if they would choose to do so. When you account for that, her number’s jump off the page even more for Riley.
Aaliyah Thompson has been basically averaging a double double this season in points and rebounds for Ballard high school. Thompson, an uncommitted and highly talented forward, has been putting on a show this year. In each of her games she has made her point that she is one of the best, if not thee best, player on the floor at all times. She plays with aggression but in a calculated way that many of her opponents cannot handle over the length of a game. She has a solid offensive attack with her ability to use both hands on either side of the rim whenever called for. She is vocal enough as a leader that on defense she can help her guards move through screens and let them know what she sees unfolding from her point of view. With a 14-2 overall record I can’t wait to see this group against some tougher competition once the playoffs start. They have a lot of convincing wins this year against lesser opponents when it comes to raw basketball ability so it’ll be nice to see what Thompson and her squad can do against a team who can matchup evenly with the Bombers. I give this group a good shot to make it to Des Moines this year but everyone is going to have to step up in their big games when all their opponents eyes are on Thompson and her play making ability. If they do that, they will give themselves a shot of playing come the first week of March.
Highlights
Allison Clark
Allison Clark
Allison Clark has emerged as a surprising scorer for the Iowa City-Regina Regals on the way to being a top 10 ranked team in the state throughout this entire season so far. Clark is an odd case when you look at her from a scouting perspective but she is the type of player that everyone needs have one of on their team. She isn’t the first or second option offensively for the Regals but when she gets the ball she usually makes it. She does a great job of making GREAT choices in high pressure situation. She can go get a bucket in a number of ways on offense but usually just scores whichever is the easiest. She doesn’t press or try too hard at scoring which helps things unfold naturally for herself and the players around her running motion. On defense she can matchup with any guard position between the 1-3 depending on size. She plays help-side well and communicates when things break down. I’m not sure where her interest is in the future, if she is going to play college ball or not, but if she chooses to I think she could be an efficient piece for a successful college program somewhere out there.