Week 1 Recap: Teams To Know On Top
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While recapping the first week of girls high school hoops there are some programs that have started off extremely well and should be recognized going forward as their success continues. Here are some of those teams: Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Ankeny…
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Continue ReadingWhile recapping the first week of girls high school hoops there are some programs that have started off extremely well and should be recognized going forward as their success continues. Here are some of those teams:
Ankeny Centennial Jaguars
Ankeny Centennial has started off this season scorching hot with two massive wins, defeating Des Moines East High school 74-6 to start the year and following it by beating an extremely solid team in Des Moines North High school, 66-26. The Jaguars return debatably the best line-up in the state throughout all classes, having a talented class at each age group. Leading through the first two games in scoring for the Jaguars is Kennedy White and Jaeden Pratt Jaeden Pratt 5'10" | CG Ankeny Centennial | 2025 State IA , while Avery Porter, Tillie Smith Tillie Smith 5'4" | PG Ankeny Centennial | 2025 State IA , and Mya Crawford Mya Crawford 5'7" | SG Ankeny Centennial | 2025 State IA all have played significant roles to this teams success. If this group keeps on progressing off of their electric start they will have a good shot to win it all this season at the state tournament.
Kennedy White
Kennedy White
Kennedy White is averaging 12.5 PPG for the Jaguars at the start of this season for her senior year. White has been all over the place making plays, getting on the floor, and battling her opponents till the whistle, making a big difference for this group. The lengthy forward is shooting at over a 50% rate on the season, along with grabbing some rebounds on both ends of the floor. If she can keep working hard at her position and everyone else around her can do their job, it will be hard for opponents to match up with the Jaguars. The skill that they have at each position will make them favorites across the board in most matchups that they will face, up until the playoffs. I’m excited to see the success of White and how far she can take this team during the 22′-23′ year.
Tillie Smith Tillie Smith 5’4″ | PG Ankeny Centennial | 2025 State IA is coming off of a season where she played as a spot up sharp shooter at the varsity level coming off the bench. It looks like to start this year she will be asked to do the same thing while expanding her game to make it more diverse. Smith through two games is shooting 54.5% from the field and 55.6% from behind the three point line. As the year goes on she will become more confident, become more aggressive and start to really show what she can do on the floor. On the defensive end she works hard and stays on her assignment that is given to her. She doesn’t over help and is always the first one on the floor for a loose ball. She is generally a player that anyone would love to play next to on the court. As this season goes on and her team continues to dominate, Smith will show that she is one of the best shooters in the state and can contribute to a college program by not just making jump shots but being a scoring weapon from all three levels.
Highlights
Iowa City-Liberty Lightning
Iowa City-Liberty High School has one of those rosters coming into this season where there is a lot of potential but they will have to face some diversity before they find success. This team put on an impressive win in their first game of the season against North Scott High School, coming out on top 72-58. Watching their first game I thought that it was going to answer a lot of questions I had about this team coming into the season but in reality it created several more questions going forward. In a system that has several great young underclassman and some stud seniors, it appears that the seniors are going to step up and lead the Lightning to victory each game. This year they have all the tools to make a big run into the state tournament once the playoffs begin if they can seam it together. Ironically, tomorrow the Lightning will play Ankeny Centennial in a match up at Kirkwood CC. This will be a big learning experience and test as the Jaguars are debatably the best team in the state. No matter what the outcome is tomorrow, it’ll be a good experience for both teams to have under their belt.
During their first game of the year Barney lead the Lightning with 18 points on 8 of 11 shooting, 7 rebounds, and 2 block on the way to a 72-58 victory. Barney, the dominate senior, had a great game the first night, showing that she is going to be the senior leader that everyone can look up too as this season moves on. While having a ton of younger talent, you usually have a situation where that talent over takes the upperclassmen at some point but in this situation I don’t see that happening. Barney will stay in control of this squad and if the rest of her team can step up, play with a purpose, and dominate how they should, then you will see their name in the state playoff.
Dallas Center-Grimes Mustangs
DCG high school comes into this mix after starting their season at 1-1 against two very good opponents in North Polk high school and Ballard high school. Being led by one of the top player’s in her class in Vanessa Bickford Vanessa Bickford 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA , the Mustangs will aim to stay on track and keep racking up wins as the season progresses. After coming off of a year where DCG was competitive in every game and won a good amount, they will attempt to compete at the same level this season as they return a good amount of players from last winter. With Bickford in control to lead this team and being a great fundamental athlete herself, she will look to continue her progression as a player and a teammate during the 22′-23′ season. This team has all the ability to get where they want to go, they just need to put it together. As the year continues I think that they will make a big run to finish things off, coming into their own to end the regular season and into the playoffs.
Vanessa Bickford Vanessa Bickford 5’9″ | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA has had a good first two games this season for DCG but for them to be successful to a point where they are “unbeatable”, she will have to become super aggressive and dominate in all facets of the game. With the ability to do so, from a spectating point of view, Bickford just needs to understand she can be the best player on the floor every night she laces up. She possesses good ball skills, great IQ, a swift shooting stroke, and efficient ability to pass the ball to an open teammate after she creates something out of nothing off of the dribble. She is a fundamental defender with an aggressive play style, who is an unquestionable leader for her group when she is out there calling the shots. I will be intrigued to see where Bickford will lead this team at the end of the year with the possibilities being endless.