Raatz Fence/O’Shea’s Classic: Underclassmen Standouts
The 12th Annual Raatz Fence/O’Shea’s Basketball Classic took place this past Friday and Saturday at Mercy Academy. Some of the top teams in the state of Kentucky faced off against some of the top teams out-of-state as well. I attended…
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Continue ReadingThe 12th Annual Raatz Fence/O’Shea’s Basketball Classic took place this past Friday and Saturday at Mercy Academy. Some of the top teams in the state of Kentucky faced off against some of the top teams out-of-state as well. I attended all of the Saturday games, where the Kentucky teams ended up winning 4 of the 10 games. Over the next few days, I will be discussing a particular group of players from the Kentucky teams within this tournament. In this article, I will be discussing the underclassmen that stood out the most.
Underclassmen Standouts
Kennedy Lee (Manual)
The sophomore forward won the Co-Player of the Game award as Manual defeated Rogers (OH), 55-36. She finished the game with 15 points and 15 rebounds. She is a fighter down-low and a big presence on the glass. She can finish with ease because of her great size and her ball control. Kennedy will only be getting better and I can’t wait to see what kind of player she’ll be as she gets older. Definitely a name to keep an eye on.
Patience Laster (Franklin County)
The sophomore forward is a big force in the post and a problem when it comes to getting rebounds or driving in the paint. Patience won the Co-Player of the Game award as she finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. She is a physical force that if she didn’t get the ball in the basket, then she would be heading to the free throw line. She knew how to draw contact and get to the line where she shot 6/10. Pickerington Central (OH) ended up beating Franklin County but Patience was fun to watch.
Brianna Byars (George Rogers Clark)
The freshman forward is long and athletic. She won the Co-Player of the Game award as she finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds. George Rogers Clark ended up losing the game to St. Joseph (WV) but I was impressed with Byars. She draws contact and gets to the line. She goes hard for rebounds and tries to out work her opponent on the inside. She is quite long for a freshman and will be getting better for years to come. A great player with even better potential.
JaKayla Thompson (Manual)
Another Manual player on the list but it is much deserved. The freshman guard is an excellent finisher when driving to the basket. She likes to attack the paint with her great speed and crafty ball-handling skills. She finished the game with 17 points while shooting 7/14 from the field. She is also a good rebound for her size as she grabbed 5 of them. A fast paced player with the ball but very calm and controlled. High basketball IQ for the freshman guard.