33rd Highland Shootout preview

Despite being delayed by the latest in snowmageddon in Southern Illinois, the 33rd Highland girls shootout will survive. The tourney will begin on Monday 1/14 instead of the originally planned Saturday the 12th. First round games scheduled for Monday are as follows: Monday 1/14 4:00pm Salem vs Civic Memorial 5:30 Althoff vs Nashville 7:00 Okawville vs Teutopolis 8:30 Taylorville vs O'Fallon   Tuesday 1/15 4:00 Carlyle vs Highland 5:30 Belleville West vs Hillsboro 7:00 Breese Central vs Belleville East 8:30 Triad vs Mater Dei The tourney will continue through the week with the finals set for Saturday 1/19. The bracket of games played Monday will force CM to deal with the teams that have dealt them their last two losses, O;Fallon will likely face T-Town in one quarterfinal and CM should then face the winner in the semi final game. On the other side of the bracket Belleville East and Mater Dei will most likely duel for a chance to face Highland in the semi final game. It should be an exciting tourney with many good games. The following is a list of top prospects in the tourney: Sammi Matoush  -2019 Hillsboro Bryce Dowell - 2019 Belleville East Kierra Winkeler - 2019 Mater Dei Sadie Buecker -2019 T-Town B'Aunce Carter -2019 Belleville East Tiffani Sieckmann - 2019 Althoff Heather Rood - 2019 Triad Natalie Snyder -2019 Taylorville Izzy Akoro -2019 O'Fallon Libby Ahlers -2019 Nashville Anna Hall -2020 CM Kourtland Tyus -2020 CM Kayla Gordon -2020 O'Fallon Ellie Brown -2020 Highland Molly Diekemper -2020 Carlyle Shania Nunn -2020 Belleville West Bella LaPorta -2021 Highland Chloe Book - 2021 Breese Central Miah Weems-2021 Breese Central Amelia Bell -2021 O'Fallon Haylee Sagle -2021 Taylorville Alyssa Cole -2022 Nashville Alyssa Powell -2022 Triad Maura Niemeier -2022 CM Kelbie Zupan -2022 CM Matoush and Dowell are both big time scorers and unsigned seniors. They are both fun to watch. Dowell has a very quick release and Matoush will hurt you in many different ways on the court. Tyus and Gordon are true point guards that lead their teams. They are both capable of scoring but their main role is to be that coach on the floor. Bell and LaPorta are both strong post players. They are both athletic and can run the floor too. Akoro is really coming in to her own again. She is coming back from a knee injury last year and is showing signs of her old self. There is plenty of talent on display. If you can get out to Highland I would highly recommend it.