Legends Classic #3 – The All-Tournament Team
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The club volleyball season resumed in the state of Texas this past weekend after a two-week break for the holidays and there were several tournaments going on simultaneously around the Lone Star State. Most of the top teams in the…
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Continue ReadingThe club volleyball season resumed in the state of Texas this past weekend after a two-week break for the holidays and there were several tournaments going on simultaneously around the Lone Star State.
Most of the top teams in the state headed to the traditional Countdown City Classic in San Antonio, but I went to the Legends Classic #3, which was hosted by the Open Court Sports Complex in Katy, on Saturday, instead.
The event was a 16s tournament attended by 20 teams from Houston and surrounding areas, which provided me with a great opportunity to take a look at some under-the-radar prospects from the region. I’ve featured the players that stood out in their positions during the week and now it’s time we know my All-Tournament Team selections.
The setter of the HJV 16 National team that triumphed in the gold bracket, Escobar guided her teammates to victory with her consistent game. She’s very precise with her locations and can repeatedly set the ball in the same spots, providing an extra level of familiarity and confidence for her hitters. Her ball distribution is very efficient and intelligent and Escobar also gets to impact the game with her solid defense and her good serving.
Avery Clendenin
Avery Clendenin
Clendenin did a very good job with her HJV 16 Adidas team, playing on the right and the left from them. She was one of the strongest offensive players in the entire tournament as, despite having good size, she also jumps well and makes contact with the ball at a very high point. Clenedenin also proved to be a very smart player as, instead of trying to overpower opposing blockers, she would often target the final inches of the court, avoiding both them and the defenders. She also displayed good effort on defense and great efficiency with her passing.
Marks was the top player in her Texas Outlaws 16 Black team, displaying an all-around game that allowed her to be involved with everything they did on the court. A fantastic jumper, Marks also has tremendous firepower on her right arm, but is very intelligent with her shot selection as well, making very few offensive errors. She also did a very good job on the backcourt, consistently delivering accurate passes and coming up with big digs for her team.
Highlights
Bentley Sloan
Bentley Sloan
Sloan carried the offense of Houston Skyline 16 Silver, providing a reliable scoring source for her team and siding out in big moments for them. She jumps well and has excellent reach and power in her offense, but can also use finesse and smart tips to put the ball down. Sloan doesn’t feel the pressure of the big moments and always calls for the ball when the game is on the line. She’s an efficient hitter from the right too.
Sterling Lindamood
Sterling Lindamood
Lindamood was one of the top players in the entire tournament as she was a very productive player for TX Hurricanes 16 CAT 5 on both sides of the ball. A powerful hitter, Lindamood jumps well and swings hard – she is also very efficient from the right. She’s also very active with her blocking, moving around the net well and slowing opposing hitters down with her hands. She also contributes on the backcourt with her solid passing and does a very good job of covering the other hitters.
Braelynn Andrisek
Braelynn Andrisek
Andrisek formed the ‘Twin Towers’ duo with Lindamood as their team TX Hurricanes 16 CAT 5 had arguably the strongest middle blocker duo in the entire field. She plays the game with a lot of intensity and that can be seen when she goes up to swing and when she moves around the court. Andrisek is a versatile offensive player, who can also score from the left, and thrives by hitting the ball straight down and giving no chances to defenders. Her mobility also plays a big factor with her blocking, making her move very quickly from pin to pin.
Lane Binkley
Lane Binkley
Binkley contributed to HJV 16 National’s victory in the gold bracket by providing the team with a solid and reliable presence on the backcourt. She combines two things who are instrumental to liberos – great technique and outstanding mobility. Binkley is very clean on the ball, getting excellent precision with her first contact and impressive consistency in her actions. Her quickness on the backcourt is another big factor as it allows her to touch on a lot of balls on defense. Binkley is also a very good server.