Katy United Classic #7 – Liberos Who Controlled The Backcourt
Last weekend was a big one in the current club season and all eyes (or actually, most of them) were justifiably turned to the 2022 USA Volleyball Girls 18s Junior National Championship in Phoenix, Arizona. There were, however, tournaments happening…
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Continue ReadingLast weekend was a big one in the current club season and all eyes (or actually, most of them) were justifiably turned to the 2022 USA Volleyball Girls 18s Junior National Championship in Phoenix, Arizona.
There were, however, tournaments happening elsewhere and one of them was the Katy United Classic #7, held at the club of the same name in the Katy area, which reunited 17 teams from the Houston region in the 16s age groups for a day of competition.
We were there, closely following the action and are reporting on some of the most promising players we saw on the court during the week. Today we’ll present some of the liberos that took great care of their defensive duties.
Anahi Alvarado – Texas Legacy 16 Elite – HS: Tomball Memorial – 2024
Anahi Alvarado rotated between the libero and defensive specialist spots with her Texas Legacy 16 Elite team and performed really well in both roles. The 5’4” prospect thrives for her excellent positioning on the backcourt and made the lives of opposing outsides who hit angle hard with her ability to dig balls. Alvarado is also a solid passer and steps up to set in transition when her team needs her to. She’s also a good server and had some long runs from the service line.
Ashten Parra – Texas Diamonds 16 Black – HS: College Park – 2024
Ashten Parra stood out in her Texas Diamonds 16 Black team due to her excellent command of the backcourt. Extremely technical and quick, she covered a lot of ground on the backcourt and showed an interesting ability to react fast to balls that were deflected by the block and changed directions. Parra was also very precise with her ball control, be it when digging or passing.
Clara Belcher – Katy United 16 Molten – HS: Seven Lakes – 2024
Clara Belcher showed to be a very influential player despite her obvious limitations as a libero. The 5’6” defender controlled the backcourt in a very natural and fluid way and made very few mistakes during matches, proving to be a reliable asset. Belcher showed great proficiency in one-handed digs and used her left arm really well from the service line, having some long serving runs that helped her team score points.
Avri Miles – Sporting Edge – 16 Armour – HS: Santa Fe – 2024
When it comes to pure ball control, not many players did better than Avri Miles in the Katy United Classic #7. The Sporting Edge – 16 Armour libero impressed with her ability to control hard-driven hits and generated several scoring opportunities for her team. Very communicative, Miles has an interesting combination of technique and quickness on the backcourt.
Cassandra Stevens – Texas Boom 16 Elite – 2024
Cassandra Stevens was the defensive cornerstone of a solid Texas Boom 16 Elite team in the tournament. With her great technique and excellent movement, she was always one step ahead and in a position to make plays. Stevens plays the game with great confidence and that makes of her a very consistent and reliable player.
Sydnie Scalise – Texas Legacy 16 National – HS: Klein Oak – 2024
A 5’4” libero with excellent ball control, Sydnie Scalise made a very positive impact on Texas Legacy 16 National’s backcourt game. She benefited tremendously from her ability to read plays and anticipate moves and was always ready to get on the ball and make a simple play. Scalise also seemed to always be calm and relaxed on the court, something that makes anyone play better.