SMC MLK Showcase: Crenshaw vs Ventura Top Standouts
In addition to this being Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, it was also time for some holiday showcases. One such showcase was at Santa Monica College. Saturday featured a matchup between two good teams in Crenshaw and Ventura. Both…
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Continue ReadingIn addition to this being Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, it was also time for some holiday showcases. One such showcase was at Santa Monica College. Saturday featured a matchup between two good teams in Crenshaw and Ventura.
Both teams were missing key players as Crenshaw was without senior guard Emoddishae Williams and Ventura was without senior guard Sammie Henley.
The game started out close with Crenshaw leading 19-12 after the first quarter. But Crenshaw outscored Ventura 21-3 in the second quarter to essentially put the game away early and pull off a 76-28 win. Here’s a look at some of the top standouts from both teams.
1. Ameerah Ali – Crenshaw 2021
Ali’s main contributions came on the defensive end of the court. She picked up the player she was guarding at midcourt and wrecked havoc on Ventura with strong on ball defense. She keeps her arms high and slides her feet well. Reads passes well and picked off a few at half court. Offensively, she can shoot from three and has a nice shot off the dribble. Good ball-handler and passer.
2. Alexis Howery – Ventura 2022
Howery looks to be Ventura’s lead guard for the next couple of years once Henley graduates at the end of the season. Only a sophomore, she showed off a nice ability to run the offense and to play both guard positions. She has good court awareness. She keeps the ball moving and doesn’t let the offense stagnate. A little bit of an offensive threat with a decent midrange game.
3. Kailyn Watkins – Crenshaw 2020
Watkins will be off to Alcorn State next season, and she’s the Cougars team leader. Her strength lies in her ability to get to the rim. She’s crafty off the dribble and she has an explosive first step. She can get to the rim with ease and finish strong. She has good body control to finish around defenders. She can absorb contact and get to the free throw-line.
4. Amaya Fuentes – Ventura 2022
Fuentes looks to be another young player who can have a big impact for the Cougars in the next couple of years as she develops. She’s a post player who already shows some good instincts in the paint. She’s clearly a work in progress, and can stand to be a little more aggressive when looking for her shot in the paint. But she’s got the skills. She can finish well when she does get good post position.
5. Deborah Powell – Crenshaw 2020
Powell was a great interior force for the Cougars. One of her key strength is being able to move without the ball. She makes great cuts and moves around the rim. She can finish strong at the rim and is always ready to catch a pass. Defensively, she acts as an interior anchor. She has good timing on her blocks and she bodies up well play man-to-man defense in the post. Very active around the rim on both ends of the court.