State Farm Holiday Classic Standouts: Part Two
Last Thursday I had the opportunity to check out the State Farm Holiday Classic tournament in Bloomington-Normal. I spent the day at Bloomington High School watching the Large School Girls division, which showcased several talented teams from all over the…
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Continue ReadingLast Thursday I had the opportunity to check out the State Farm Holiday Classic tournament in Bloomington-Normal. I spent the day at Bloomington High School watching the Large School Girls division, which showcased several talented teams from all over the state. Here are some standouts from Thursdays games:
Ambranette Storr from Kankakee is one of the top scorers in the state so far this season, and she showed why and how in her opening round game. The 5’10” Guard and Drake commit put up 35 points, most of which came in the lane attacking the basket. Storr has a nice shot from deep, but her ability to create open looks for herself in the lane makes her so dynamic.
Storr’s Sophomore teammate Avery Jackson did a tremendous job running the point on both ends for Kankakee. The 5’5” PG is quick and runs the offense well. Jackson was at the top of the Kankakee press and zone defense and made things difficult for opposing guards throughout the game.
Kankakee Senior Imani Williams rounds out a trio of Lady Kays that stood out in Game One. The 5’11”Guard can play all five spots with her size/strength and ability to handle the ball and lead an offense. Williams is a tough rebounding match-up with her high motor and relentless energy.
Normal Community’s Mallory Oloffson had a nice game on the glass and scoring inside. The 6′ Junior Forward has a nice combination of length and athleticism to create clean looks for herself in the paint.
Zoe Belcher from Kenwood was on her game early against Canton. Her athleticism and strength couldn’t be matched, which allowed her to collect several rebounds and second chance points. The 5’10” Junior also displayed her nice mid-range jump shot.
Kenwood Sophomore Whitney Dunn continues to watch her stock rise throughout the season. The 5’8” Shooting Guard can light it up from beyond the three-point line on any given night. Dunn also showed the ability to make plays in the lane consistently.
High-level Sophomore Brianna McDaniel from Kenwood had yet another solid outing on Thursday night. The 5’11” Guard can play on or off the ball and find ways to dominate. McDaniel is tough to stop when she attacks the lane with her strength and ability to beat defenders one-on-one. She also knocked down a couple threes in the game.
Senior Tori Oaks from Canton High School had an impressive performance against Kenwood. The 5’8” Small Forward and Lincoln Land Community College commit shot the ball well, connecting on a few three-pointers throughout the game.
Marist Junior Sydney Affolter once again showed why she’s one of the top players in the state. The 6′ Guard is strong and crafty with the ball and knows how to use her body to get open looks in the paint.
Kira Chivers from Marist is a speedy Point Guard who is extremely difficult to stay in front of. The 5’2” Sophomore has a nice runner in the lane and plays excellent on-ball defense, giving opposing PG’s fits throughout the game.