Cross Court Classic – 16 Open – The All-Tournament Team
Some of the best club volleyball teams in the state of Texas were elsewhere this past weekend, with several of them earning bids to the Nationals at either the Salt Lake City Showdown or the Northeast Qualifier in Philadelphia. The…
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Continue ReadingSome of the best club volleyball teams in the state of Texas were elsewhere this past weekend, with several of them earning bids to the Nationals at either the Salt Lake City Showdown or the Northeast Qualifier in Philadelphia.
The Lone Star State, however, has hosted an important tournament too with the George Brown Convention Center in Houston staging the 2022 Nike Cross Court Classic, a mammoth of an event with 645 teams, 88 courts and 19 divisions.
We were there on Saturday and focused our efforts on the 15 Open and 16 Open divisions, paying close attention to the 20 teams that competed across them. We’ve already completed our positional breakdowns, so now we’ll share our All-Tournament team selection for the 16 Open division.
Madeline Stuesser – Roots 16 UA Green – HS: Anderson – 2024
Madeline Stuesser checks every box when it comes to having the potential to become an elite setter. She has great size at 5’10” and is very technical on the ball. More than that, Stuesser runs a very efficient system with division second-place Roots UA 16 Green, moving the ball around intelligently to her hitters. She also plays good defense and can be used as s hitter at the net.
Taylor Helms Taylor Helms 6'2" | RS Navarro | 2024 State TX – Right Side – United VBA 16 Purple – HS: Navarro – 2024
Taylor Helms Taylor Helms 6'2" | RS Navarro | 2024 State TX is already an excellent player but has the potential to be even better. The United VBA 16 Purple right side played a pivotal role in her team’s victory in the division with her physical game at the net and indicated she could have a bright future. Helms stands at 6’2” but is considerably mobile and can play either on the right or the middle thanks to her proficiency on offense and blocking.
Lusia Langi – Middle Blocker – United VBA 16 Purple – HS: Hays – 2024
The extremely dynamic Lusia Langi also played a central role in United VBA 16 Purple’s victorious campaign in the tournament. The 5’11” middle blocker dominated the net with tremendous athleticism and high energy. Langi jumps well and has an excellent reading of the game, two key factors in her great blocking performance. She’s also very explosive on offense and was frequently used by her setter.
Giana Brown – Middle Blocker – Impact 161 – HS: Brennan – 2025
When it comes to physical tools, Giana Brown was probably the one that stood out the most. The 6’1” middle blocker did extremely well for her Impact 161 team with her excellent offense, which is predicated on her leaping ability, and good blocking presence, a result of her athleticism and tremendous footwork.
Ally Tribe – Outside Hitter – Texstar 16 – HS: Columbus – 2024
If the tournament had an MVP award, Ally Tribe would a strong candidate to take. The Texstar 16 outside hitter was a joy to watch at the net with her powerful and efficient game. Standing at 6’1” and with tremendous leaping skills, Tribe was towering over opposing blockers most of the time and caused some ‘wows’ with her bounces. She’s also an efficient server and holds her own on the backcourt.
Tatum Busch Tatum Busch 5'11" | OH Deer Park | 2024 State TX – Outside Hitter – Houston Stellar 16 Elite – HS: Deer Park – 2024
Tatum Busch Tatum Busch 5'11" | OH Deer Park | 2024 State TX was probably the most complete player to hit the court this past weekend. The Houston Stellar 16 Elite outside hitter helped her team in a number of different ways and stood out for her excellent all-around game. Busch is a force at the net with her 5’11” frame and heavy right arm, but was also instrumental to her team’s success on the backcourt, playing a central role in their defensive and serve-receive systems. She’s also very intelligent with her decision-making on the court.
Taylor Crain – Libero – Houston Stellar 16 Elite – HS: Lutheran South Academy – 2024
A phenomenal passer, Taylor Crain provided Houston Stellar 16 Elite with the stability the team needed to make a deep run in the tournament. Her positioning and reading of the game are second-to-none and the 5’5” Crain is also very clean on the ball when she makes contact with it. Another thing that makes of her a player to watch on the backcourt is her attention to detail as Crain is always in a position to cover her hitters at the net or to set in transition when needed.