18s GJNC Preview: TAV 18 Black

<p>The most important tournament of the year for the class of 2021 players is just in front of us as the 2021 USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championship is set to happen from April 23-25 in Columbus, Ohio, and as many as 280 teams from the entire country are expected to compete in the five divisions.</p> <p>Texas will, of course, be represented in the event and we will take the time between now and the start of the tournament in Ohio to present the team what will carry the Lone Star State flag in Ohio, analyzing their campaigns in the club season so far and highlighting their most important players.</p> <p>As we continue looking into the 18 Open Division, here’s all the information you need about <strong>TAV 18 Black</strong>:</p> <p><em>Part of arguably the top club program in the state at Texas Advantage, just north of Dallas, this team is arguably one of the favorites to strike gold in Ohio. TAV 18 Black is undefeated in the club season with 54 wins in as many matches under the guidance of head coach Joseph Jablonski. The team won each of the five tournaments they appeared at, most notably the Northeast Qualifier and the Tour of Texas.</em></p> <p>Here are their key players:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="87388" first="Brooke" last="Slusser"] – Setter – HS: Guyer – 2021</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="87388" first="Brooke" last="Slusser"] is considered by many the top prospect in the entire class of 2021, including us, as she ranks first on our Prep Dig State Rankings. This left-handed setter checks all the boxes and then some with a game that’s already ready to make waves at the next level. The six-foot Slusser runs such a fast-paced offense and she does it so naturally with her ability to adjust her body to any pass and turn it into an excellent set. She averaged 5.8 assists per set in her last high school season with Guyer and is so versatile that also compiled 172 kills. Slusser is the real deal as her game also includes elite-level defense and one of the toughest serves in the entire state. She will do great things at the next level with Alabama.</p> <p><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/9668989/5fa0a374c11a2c023c68bb96" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="87409" first="Charitie" last="Luper"] – Outside Hitter – HS: Bryon Nelson – 2021</strong></p> <p>Don’t let [player_tooltip player_id="87409" first="Charitie" last="Luper"]’s 5’8” frame fool you. Her off-the-charts athleticism makes her somewhat limited size just a number as when the ball is up in the air no one will fly higher than her on a volleyball court. Luper has one of the strongest approaches you will ever see and the same power she uses to jump really high is also applied on her arm, sending a true torpedo across the net. She refined her game in a powerhouse school in Bryon Nelson and developed her technique there, ending her high school career with more than 1,500 kills and dig. Ranked seventh in our 2021 Prep Dig State Rankings, Luper has committed to the prestigious UCLA.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Most dynamic player and one of the hardest hitters I’ve covered <a href="https://x.com/BNHSVBall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BNHSVBall</a> outside <a href="https://x.com/cluper11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cluper11</a> leaves with an incredible resume<br /> <br /> 1500 kills-1500 digs<br /> 58 double doubles<br /> 84 games with 10 kills<br /> School record 43 kills in a game<br /> State champ<br /> All American<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/txhsvb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#txhsvb</a> <a href="https://x.com/Jay_Pea_Views?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jay_Pea_Views</a> <a href="https://t.co/J2espgKgJX">pic.x.com/J2espgKgJX</a></p> — Brian Gosset (@Gosset41) <a href="https://x.com/Gosset41/status/1347284839020589057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="87400" first="Callie" last="Kemohah"] – Libero – HS: Lovejoy – 2021</strong></p> <p>As a libero, [player_tooltip player_id="87400" first="Callie" last="Kemohah"] is a star for both her high school team Lovejoy and her club team TAV 18 Black, both among the best in the country. She’s the top libero on our 2021 Prep Dig State Rankings, been listed at ninth overall. But probably any of that makes justice to the 5’6” libero’s fantastic game. Kemohah’s backcourt skills are flawless as she has just the perfect technique for passing and receiving. She’s very focused and plays with a high energy level, infecting her teammates with her positive attitude. Her ball control is fascinating and even the hardest-driven hits don’t look as powerful when she’s on the end of it. Her career will continue in Oklahoma, where she’ll make a lot of success too.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iZ3gqz54VyM" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>