Mizuno Cross Court Classic: The Class of 2023 Top Performers
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There was a lot of volleyball in Houston this past weekend with the 2021 edition of the Mizuno Cross Court Classic taking place at the George R. Brown Convention Center from Saturday to Sunday. The tournament featured nearly 700 teams…
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Continue ReadingThere was a lot of volleyball in Houston this past weekend with the 2021 edition of the Mizuno Cross Court Classic taking place at the George R. Brown Convention Center from Saturday to Sunday.
The tournament featured nearly 700 teams and had divisions from the 11s to the 18s in an infrastructure that had volleyball going on in as many as 85 courts inside the building. We focused our coverage in the 15s, 16s and 17s Open division and will present the top performers during the week.
Today we’ll focus on the 16 Open division. Woodlands Revolution 16 Premier had the best overall performance with five wins in as many matches and just one set dropped along the way. Visiting side IVBA 16 Adidas also left a good impression with a single defeat in four matches while Hou Stellar 16 Elite ended the tournament with a positive 3-2 win record.
Here are the players who stood out in the event:
Brooke Bentke Brooke Bentke 6'2" | OH Brenham | 2023 State #112 Nation TX – Outside Hitter – Woodlands Revolution 16 Premier – HS: Brenham – 2023
One of the reasons why Woodlands Revolution 16 Premier dominated the tournament in such a strong fashion was Brooke Bentke Brooke Bentke 6'2" | OH Brenham | 2023 State #112 Nation TX ’s performance. The 6’2” outside hitter is a well-known prospect in the state, placing 20th at our PrepDig State Rankings, and was in great form during the weekend. Her offensive game was as reliable as usual with her impressive reach, timing, heavy arm and diversified shots making it very difficult for opponents to get her out of her rhythm. She was consistent all weekend and came up big at the end of the sets when her team most needed her. She’s been impressing for quite some time now and to see that her game continues to get better it’s very exciting.
Courtney Pope Courtney Pope 6'2" | MB Canyon | 2023 State TX – Middle-Blocker – TCVA 16 Green Adidas – HS: Canyon – 2023
Courtney Pope Courtney Pope 6'2" | MB Canyon | 2023 State TX was a strong presence at the net for her TCVA 16 Green Adidas team during the weekend. The 6’2” middle-blocker is one of the best blockers in the division and can be difficult to go around at times. Besides her great size, Pope also moves well as the net and places her hands well across the net. Her blocking secured the winning point in a close match with Katy United 16 Adidas in pool played. Ranked 90th in our PrepDig State Rankings, she’s also an important piece in the team’s offense and her great reach makes of her a very efficient hitter.
Claire Dewine – Right Sider – Woodlands Revolution 16 Premier – HS: Woodlands Christian Academy – 2023
Claire Dewine split her time with Woodlands Revolution 16 Premier between setting and hitting duties and even though she was great at both, she made the most impact in the former. She has the complete package to become an elite setter at the next level starting with her 6’2” size. Most importantly, Dewine has a great touch on the ball and likes to run a fast-paced offense. She’s very reliable and has a very creative distribution, keeping all of her hitters as involved as possible. Her touch is so clean that it looks great when she’s off-balance. She’s very calm and focused too, two great things for someone in such a central position in the game.
Kelly Swyers Kelly Swyers 5'9" | OH Round Rock | 2023 State TX – Outside Hitter – Texas Fury 16 Legacy – HS: Round Rock – 2023
Kelly Swyers Kelly Swyers 5'9" | OH Round Rock | 2023 State TX was the cornerstone of a Texas Fury 16 Legacy team that won two of their matches in the tournament. The 5’11” outside hitter was a high-usage player for her team, playing important roles in both the team’s offensive and defensive system. On the backcourt, Swyers is skilled and confident enough to deliver on passing and defense. At the net, she used her length and power to overcome blocks that were just waiting for her to get on the ball. One interesting thing she showed was the ability on sets coming from the backcourt, which is something typically difficult to do, even at the pro level. She is listed as the 53rd best prospect in our PrepDig State Rankings.