Efficient Scorers in Wisconsin: Guards

Brady Peterson December 16, 2021 @ 01:04 PM

When it comes to scoring, being able to score efficiently is crucial. If you give kids 30 shots, most can get 20 points in a given game. Kids who score efficiently have a quality that’s hard to teach. Being able to shoot standing still alone in a gym is one thing. Being able to get a shot off in a timely fashion with defenders closing you down is a skill that’s hard to learn. These are four players who have scored efficiently and have done it all season. [player_tooltip player_id="338942" first="Madison" last="Fitzgibbon"]-5’6 G-’25-Homestead: I’m a bit unlucky in terms of seeing a Fitzgibbon scoring masterclass. When I saw the Highlanders play at Kettle Moraine Lutheran, they looked like a young team. They made some simple mistakes, but the individual talent of the young players was painfully obvious. Fitzgibbon may be the best of the young talent the Highlanders possess. At her best, Fitzgibbon is in the conversation as one of the best scorers in the state. In my opinion, most of the variance of her scoring is due to the volume of shots she takes. The positive side to her volume shooting is that sometimes she makes all of her jumpers, making her impossible to defend. That kind of upside could lead the Highlanders to be a surprise in the postseason this year. [player_tooltip player_id="264943" first="Tieryn" last="Plasch"]-5’7 G-’23-Northwestern: The level of efficiency that Plasch has reached is almost comical. She is putting up over 23 points per game, but she doesn’t even take ten shots in a game. Usually, kids tend to shoot too much, and they have to refrain from taking bad shots. Some kids shoot high percentages because other players create open looks for them. The craziest part about Plasch is she creates for everyone, including herself. This season Plasch may be the most important player on any team in Wisconsin. The junior is an enigma because she’s away from most of the population in the state. Even though I may not get to see her play in person, her numbers speak for themself. Addy Verhagen-5’4 G-’25-Sheboygan Lutheran: Verhagen has been consistent since she stepped on the floor for Sheboygan Lutheran. In eight games. Verhagen has done everything the freshman has scored, created, and made winning plays. There just hasn’t been much of a hiccup for the freshman. The only hiccup was against Hilbert, where Verhagen didn’t score efficiently. In the other seven games, she’s been excellent. In those games, she’s shot 56% and 44% from behind the 3-point line. [player_tooltip player_id="156073" first="Sammi" last="Beyer"]-5’7 G-’23-Appleton East: Beyer is the best shooter in the state. The junior can get a shot off almost anywhere on the court. Every jumper she takes feels like it’s not even going to touch the rim. The way the ball comes off her hand is special, and the numbers back it up. She is shooting above 50% from the field and behind the 3-point line. Any offensive sequence that ends with an open look for Beyer is one of the most dangerous situations for any defense.