In one of the more exciting Championship games at the Lady X Tournament Millennium defeated Perry in an overtime thriller in which Tournament MVP Kassady Dixon delivered a last second assist to Sophomore Guard Mia Amundsen, who was able to drain a game winning 3 as time expired. The matchup showcased the 2018 Champion vs the 2019 Champion. While this year's tournament did not have all the perennials powers that it usually showcases, presumable due to it postponement from its June slot due to the the pandemic, it did not disappoint in terms of game play and excitement. What follows are some take a ways that we have about the teams that made the Lady X Tournament a success in 2020. Millennium (Finished #1 with an Overtime victory over Perry) is still talented. They have a D1 committ in Kassidy Dixon (GCU) and a top 5 Freshman in Ellie Guiney. However they are not still a defensive minded program. In the past the Tigers would hang their hat o...
2020 runner up went on an amazing run to even reach the final game. Their final game run included a Final Four victory over defending champ Shadow Mountain. However, in the title game they fell to perennial power Seton Catholic by a 30-point margin. If the Cougars are to return to the title game in ‘21, they will need to fill in some gaps that were left by graduation (9 Seniors). At this at this point they have not been hit by the transfer bug.
The Cougars will be led by 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year, Alyssa Brown. Her 31 points a game and ten rebounds made her the premiere guard in 4A, if not the state. In 21 she will be asked to reproduce these numbers and add to her six assists again In order to get other players on the team involved in the scoring totals. Her ability to get in the paint and score at will makes her a tough guard for most teams. One would think that she would see a lot of box this season, but that's nothing new for her, as teams have been trying to stop her from scoring her entire career.
Alongside Brown is fellow senior Alyssa Franke. Her outside shooting and ability to stretch the floor makes her an ideal partner to play alongside the Gatorade Player of the Year. She will need to add to her two steals a game, in addition to help out on the boards for the Cougars in 21. In the paint will be the post presence of Lily Watson who looks to up her rebounding totals of 6 a game for her senior year. All three seniors Brown, Franke, and Watson, will be asked to shoulder the load if Sahuaro is able to when the for a title in 2021.
Key contributors will be Alyssa Vinsik, Amyra Perry-Fultz, and Nelly Ponds. All saw minutes in ‘20 and will be asked to up their production from that season. The 2020 team was one of the most senior heavy contenders in 4A, with nine seniors on the roster. It will be a large feat to overcome the loss of these seniors.
If Prep players are excluded from the Gatorade POY voting this year, the it will be hard for anyone to beat out Brown. However, it is not truly clear how that will work in this new landscape of Prep School vs Traditional School Basketball seasons. Prep Schools players will have more games played and much more exposure, but some of them won’t even officially attend “schools” that the front of their jerseys say. Traditional Schools such as Sahuaro will undoubtingly play a lighter schedule, which could lead to “inflated numbers” on the stat sheet. This could work in favor of a player like Brown if decision makers are not able to see multiple games. In addition, Traditional Schools give more opportunities for community involvement and tougher course loads, than Basketball- centered Prep Schools can offer. All are a part of the Gatorade considerations for Player of the Year.
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