Future Prospects: Norris and Oakland-Craig
It took a cross-class match-up to bring two intriguing teams together Saturday night. Oakland-Craig, fresh off a momentous victory Friday night over top-ranked North Bend Central and Norris, one of the most consistent programs in Class B, met in the…
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Continue ReadingIt took a cross-class match-up to bring two intriguing teams together Saturday night. Oakland-Craig, fresh off a momentous victory Friday night over top-ranked North Bend Central and Norris, one of the most consistent programs in Class B, met in the Nebraska Prep Classic at Sokol Arena on the campus of Creighton University. Lead by all-stater Kennedy Benne, a Briar Cliff commit, who finished with 26 points, the Knights consistently outscored the Class B Titans in each quarter, leading to a 49-40 win that will do nothing but help this young squad grow.
I gave a scouting report on a couple of the younger players for Norris earlier in the season, who now have the full services of their entire roster how that senior Taryn Tracy and junior Molly Ramsey have returned from injury. Here’s an update on that scouting report:
Kalli Kroeker, Norris (JR): Kroeker is a long, agile 6’0″ wing player who has a nice outside touch, and towards the end of this game showed some desire to get into the post area and attack the rim. She needs to be more physical on the boards, but she has a great upside physical. Needs to become more aggressive at both ends of the floor and use her length to her advantage.
Update: Kroeker attacked the basket much stronger last night and has progressed in her game as the season has moved forward. She hit the offensive boards really hard, she just didn’t finish around the rim, but the effort was there. Liked how she attacked last night.
Ella Waters, Norris (SO): Waters is perhaps the most intriguing prospect on the floor, as the lanky, 6’2″ sophomore has a great touch and an athletic gait that screams great upside. Waters struggled from the perimieter this game (0-5 from the three point line), but you can tell that she has a very nice stroke. Like Kroeker, she needs to be more physical and aggressive at both ends of the floor, and needs to look to attack more on the offensive end.
Update: Waters was moved to the top of a 1-3-1 zone that Norris used, and she was very disruptive to the Raider offense. She, like Kroeker, attacked the paint with much more aggression. She also hit the offensive glass hard but struggled to finish. If both Waters and Kroeker continue to play this aggressive, Norris will continue to get better.
Chaney Nelson (5’7″ Guard, Freshman, Oakland-Craig) and Sadie Nelson (5’7″ Guard, Freshman, Oakland-Craig): These two outstanding guards will be stalwarts in the Raider line-up the next four years. Chaney, (the younger sister of former all-state Dacey Nelson) is a starter for the Knights and the second leading scorer at 10.3 points a game, is a strong player who can definitely step out and shoot the three point shot, while Sadie is a dead eye shooter as well.
Syd Guzinski (5’7″ Guard, Freshman, Oakland-Craig): Guzinski has a great upside. She is very poised for a freshman and is very physically strong and developed for a player her age. Averaging eight points a game right now as a starter, Guzinski attacks the rim well and is a very good defender in the Knights’ run and jump pressure. She may have the biggest upside of these three outstanding freshman for Oakland-Craig.
Jeannina Blahak (6’1″ Post, Junior, Oakland-Craig): Blahak does a real nice job for the Knights in defending the post and post up hard on the block. She is able to move well in the full court and finishes well around the rim. Because of the skill level around her on the perimeter, she doesn’t get alot of looks on the block, but I think that there could be more skill there than what alot of people think. Keep an eye on her.