Despite not being one of the taller players, Asharia was definitely one of the best rebounders that I saw. She used strong box outs and good body control to pull down several offensive rebounds that resulted in putbacks. Crafty with the ball, she also showed the ability to get to the hoop and repeatedly finish in traffic.

I’m a sucker for kids who play like their hair is on fire, and Koch is just that. I think she plays a lot like current Truman State guard Katelyn Odem. The Beloit Memorial guard isn’t as polished as Odem offensively, but the desperation, speed, and aggression they play with are comparable. At her best, Koch is a kid who can ruin a team’s offensive game plan because Koch can feel like she’s everywhere. The Purple can and will turn defense into offense multiple times per game. At times, the ferocity Koch plays with can lead to some foul trouble, and you hope that lessens over time, but you’d rather have to try and tune a kid down than tune them up.

You can’t teach effort. The way Koch plays should be endearing to anyone who watches her. Whatever she has in the tank, she’ll make sure she finishes the game on empty. How Koch attacks the glass, defends, and launches herself after loose balls makes it hard to dislike her game. She can get a little out of control, but every coach would prefer to reign a kid in than have to rev them up. There is development she can continue to do with her finishing and her perimeter game, but she has a passion that coaches would adore.

Players like Koch, who make plays and affect games without scoring, win teams’ close games. The Beloit native flies around the defensive end and her competitiveness and grit allow her to guard more physical players because she won’t back down from anyone. Koch has a knack for finding the ball in the Purple Knights’ press and makes what they do in that aspect of the game work on her own. Her energy is contagious, and when she forces turnovers, Beloit Memorial can attack in transition with numbers.

Asharia led the way for her team when they played the DG Warriors. She got to the basket at will on offense and finished well with either hand at the rim. She wreaked havoc on defense and came up with many steals that led to fast break buckets the other way. I really liked her energy level and overall effort on the court.