New faces to watch as regional tournament approaches – Part II

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='722882' first='Niko' last='Kaufmann'], Huntington St. Joe, CG, 5-8, Jr. </strong> - Now, that is how you step up. Following the injury to new running mate [player_tooltip player_id='570279' first='Ava' last='Gallion'], Kaufmann took it upon herself to lead the Irish. Not just in a little way, mind you. Her rise could best be described as pre-ordained. She already knew how to lead thanks to playing with the Thunder, now she simply had to act as she knew how. And boy has she ever. Kaufmann kept the Irish a float and may just earn herself an all-state spot at the end of the year for her role. She's been one of the top scorers and shooters in Class A for much of the year. She's looked good on the floor. And as is a trend on this list, she's done it all from a position of leadership.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='570279' first='Ava' last='Gallion'], Huntington St. Joe, CG, 5-4, Fr. </strong>- An injury may have slowed her on the court, but it didn't short circuit her enthusiasm. Forced to make the best of the healing process, Gallion really showed her love for the nitty gritty parts of the game. She coached, she cheered, and she made sure she was ready to go when called upon once again. Kaufmann and her formed a potent 1, 2 punch when on the floor together and if the Irish don't slip into the state tournament this season, they might just next year. Gallion will help the group get to the promised land even if she is a little undersized for a combo guard. Her tenacity, thirst for learning, and love for the game really shine through when she's out on the court. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brooke Edge, Wheeling Central, PG, 5-6, Jr.</strong> - Don't underestimate Brooke Edge. Don't underestimate her intelligence. Don't underestimate her flair for the game. Don't underestimate her ability to look like one of the top PGs in the state. Don't underestimate Edge. In her first year out of Linsly, she's shown she's more than comfortable in her knew home on the arena on the hill. Seriously. The fit is cozy. The fit is right. The fit is great. Maybe there are a few things for the Knights' newcomer to work on. But, there's a lot more things she's already doing right. Take just being a point guard for example. She's all in. She sees the floor, helps her teammates, and isn't afraid to pass the ball and open up space, and all of this has the Knights back in a position they haven't been since Penn Kertz retired from coaching the Maroon Knights: They are among the top teams in the class. And a lot of it can be credited with Edge's approach and how the team has played around her. This kid is a leader, folks and she has demanded the team rise to the occasion with her out in front. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='385110' first='Kenna' last='Keener'], Grafton, F, 6-0, Fr. </strong>- It seems like only yesterday&nbsp;<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='385110' first='Kenna' last='Keener']</strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kenna-keener/"></a>&nbsp;was tagging this reporter with her AAU stats on Twitter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now, she's tagging this reporter with her high school stats, and let him tell you something, they have been doozies. They're big. They're bold. And they're daring and impressive for a freshman. There is little left disputing that No. 22 is … all right. She's doing just fine as a Bearcat. She's grasping the Class AAA game. She's picking up what Coach Hartsel Keener is putting down.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Try these ones on for size, she's got a double-double average per game, that's rebounds and points, with other stats not far behind. She's got the respect of her teammates for wasting no time in finding herself. She's going to keep getting better on the block, and she's already long and lanky. As far as developing a post-game and college attention, that's incredible. She works at it enough and she will be just fine. Coaches interested in Ms. Keener should follow her closely.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->