Barre Bound: D3 Gamers Showing Out - Final Four Edition

D3 Semis Night did not disappoint! It was a treat to catch numerous players I don't get to see much due to distance. We've got plenty of talent in here, so buckle up and read up on the night's top performers!   [player_tooltip player_id='649629' first='Caitlyn' last='Davison'], 5'8 G - Hazen Union H.S. Class of 2024   There was a steadiness in Davison's approach. Hazen was firing on all cylinders as a group and Caitlyn kept the rhythm rolling with her offensive orchestration, a dash of scoring, and defensive effort. She handily organized the O, navigated ball pressure, and in turn put pressure on the defense with her playmaking at all levels. Sprinkle in a bit of rebounding too for CD. At large, the physical guard displayed the unselfishness and IQ to defer to those that were rolling and took care of all the details. 12 points and eight rebounds; a savvy vet at the Aud.   Kelsie Rivard, 5'9 W - Hazen Union H.S. Class of 2027   The motor Kelsie plays with is crazy. Rivard was in high gear all night long, impacting play in every imaginable way. Rivard was all over the glass as she posted eight boards, she was snatching steals in passing lanes, getting into ballhandlers, rotating from the weak side, and once she got the rock it was go time. Kelsie made plays in transition both as finisher and as a distributor, and in the halfcourt it was bunches upon bunches of finishes around the rim en route to 33 on the night. Her frame is already solid for her age, her IQ and feel quite intuitive, and her energy unstoppable. Just relentless.   [player_tooltip player_id='446539' first='Sydney' last='Perry'], 6'0 F - Windsor H.S. Class of 2024   When you play against Perry you got to come with 110% effort because you know she is. Sydney's play was built on her tireless work ethic and physicality. Perry smothered the post all game by preventing forwards from getting to their spots, fronting to force high-difficulty feeds, and reading every move as she forced tough shots and sent three back. On the offensive end, Sydney brought a similar flavor. She hustled for 2nd chance buckets, worked the block, and consistently made space on the left side for lefty finishes, collecting 11 points on the night. High energy, physical, and dependable.   [player_tooltip player_id='496099' first='Audrey' last='Rupp'], 5'7 G - Windsor H.S. Class of 2025   Sheesh, just watching Audrey defend had me winded, but not her. The energy and stamina that Rupp displayed in this one was incredible. She played nearly a full 32 and absolutely hawked the lead guard all game with active hands and agile footwork while picking up maybe one foul on the night. That work culminated in six steals, which in turn boosted the WHS transition offense. Her operation in the halfcourt was clinical, creating O off the bounce with adept slashes and the distribution to keep the defense caught in between. Audrey was constantly in the mix and she never tires.   Sierra Derby, 5'11 F - Richford H.S. Class of 2024   Derby's another one who just kept on fighting. Sierra's game is founded around the paint with her slippery post scoring and sound rim protection. She worked the block tirelessly, navigating tough interior defense with bursts here and there of clinical footwork and sly finishes, going for a team high 15. And of course, she provided some necessary oomph inside with some shot blocking and sheer will as she matched her physical matchup with that same toughness. A hardnosed player with no quit.   Kyrielle Deuso, 5'6 G - Richford H.S. Class of 2025   I hadn't seen Deuso since the summer, but the kid can play. Kyrielle's competitive fire, ballhandling, and open court finishing had Richford hanging around and making runs throughout the game. Her nonstop defensive effort and hustle to snatch loose balls culminated in numerous open court finishes, finagling tough shots with impressive touch under duress. Moreover, Kyrielle was singlehandedly breaking the press for stretches at a time off of tight handling and smart reads to avoid the sidelines and attack space. I like KD and how she hoops.   Tanner Drury, 5'4 G - White River Valley H.S. Class of 2024   The pesky PG out of White River Valley showcased nice two-way game, especially out of the press and in the open court. Drury's speed kept her alongside ballhandlers hips, funneling them into 2nd defenders to force tough plays and TOs. In transition, Tanner snaked and displayed a solid lay-up package + good court awareness to feed teammates. In the halfcourt too, Tanner's on-ball creation generated some offense both off the pass and off the slash. Drury's will to win was clear from the outset and her fingerprints were all over this game.   Ashlyn Rhoades, 5'6 G - White River Valley H.S. Class of 2025   There were plenty of plays that Rhoades made happen. Ashlyn's defensive prowess played a key role, using good instincts out of the zone pressure to junk up ballhandlers and jump them with good timing. She created a few turnovers in doing so, which boosted that WRV transition game. When in the halfcourt, Ashlyn showed some good reads out of the 2nd layer when slashing, finishing a couple looks and making good decisions consistently. She'll be back for more next year.

D3 Semis Night did not disappoint! It was a treat to catch numerous players I don't get to see much due to distance. We've got plenty of talent in here, so buckle up and read up on the night's top performers!