Practice Makes Perfect: St. Mark’s School Part II
After highlighting the talented players on team blue in part 1, let’s examine the athletes who represented Team White. Overall, I can’t emphasize enough how competitive these girls are and how much they push one another to be better players.…
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Continue ReadingAfter highlighting the talented players on team blue in part 1, let’s examine the athletes who represented Team White. Overall, I can’t emphasize enough how competitive these girls are and how much they push one another to be better players. It is encouraging to observe a team putting forth that kind of effort in practice and being engaged throughout. When programs show those tendencies in practice it always translates to the real game setting.
Team White:
Brianna James – G/F – 2022
James took on the challenge of guarding Tatum Forbes during the scrimmage. Watching James and Forbes go at each other and make one another work was fun to see. James showed her ability to penetrate the lane and kick out to shooters. Not necessarily a “true point guard,” but has the court awareness and unselfish nature that make her an excellent candidate to facilitate the offense. James is so patient on offense and has great shot-selection. She sells her ball fakes and has a deadly dribble pull-up from 15 feet. In transition, James showcases her ball and body control and weaves through defenders with ease on the way to the hoop.
Kerry Oblak – G – 2023
Oblak is the perfect player to have on the court with James. She moves the ball well on offense, and more importantly, after she passes, relocates on the perimeter, ready to shoot. Oblak has three-point range, and with James drawing the defense on her drives, there are endless open scoring chances for Oblak. Not just a spot-up shooter, the sophomore guard can also put the ball on the deck and create offense for herself.
Emily Svingen – F/C – 2024
Svingen is a very solid post with a high ceiling. So strong on the inside, the freshman is a force on the offensive glass. Always fighting underneath to get position, Svingen rips the ball off the rim and goes back up strong on the putback. Utilizing her strength on the defensive end, Svingen plays stout post-defense, and her aggressiveness makes it difficult for her opponent to score. She shows excellent touch around the basket but also can bury three-pointers. Opening up the floor for the team’s relentless scoring wings, Svingen is another fantastic fit for this St. Mark’s team.
Brooke Farrell – G – 2021
Farrell is one of the best all-around players on the team. Attacking the basket, the senior showed off her layup package, which included a nifty floater. Like the other guards on the team, Farrell has a reliable jump shot, but her defense stands out more than anything else. She played aggressive on-ball defense and did a good job staying in front of Forbes and cutting off angles. Her lightning-quick reflexes result in countless deflections, and off the ball, she is a hawkish weak-side defender. Her impact as a two-way player plus her experience will play a significant role for the Lions.
Judy Xie – F/G – 2023
Xie is an absolute workhorse on the court. Every time she came into the scrimmage, her energy and effort popped out at you. Relentlessly crashing the glass and going after 50/50 balls, Xie made Team Blue work for everything. The combo wing showed the ability to guard multiple positions and do all the little things that do not appear on the stat sheet. Xie is the ultimate glue player for the Lions.
Avery King – G/F – 2023
King is the best catch and shoot player on St. Marks. She was lights out from behind the arc and spaced the floor well. The sophomore has the utmost confidence in her jump shot and has unlimited range showing no fear of firing from anywhere on the court. King can be vital for St. Mark’s as a corner three specialist. The way James and Forbes can explode to the rim, especially if they are running a pick and roll set, will potentially open up a lot of perimeter shooting opportunities when the defense rotates after the screen action.