AAU Houston Grand Prix – 17s – Setters

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All eyes in club volleyball this past weekend were turned to the Triple Crown NIT, one of the most anticipated tournaments of the entire calendar, which is reuniting the very best teams of the country in Kansas City, MO. Prep Dig is having and will continue to have for the next several days extensive coverage of the event, but we've also continued to follow very closely all the local tournaments that took place during President's Day weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of these for the state of Texas was the AAU Houston Grand Prix, a massive event that reunited 170 teams in seven different age groups across three venues in the Houston area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I was at the Katy United facility on Saturday, checking out the 17s division, which featured 19 teams from Texas, Louisiana and Utah. During the week, I'll bring my positional articles, highlighting the players that shone the brightest in their position. We start with the setter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/02/aau-houston-grand-prix-17s-photo-gallery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CHECK OUT OUR PHOTO GALLERY OF THE EVENT</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["186231"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Blaine led the offense of the strong TX Legacy 17 Elite team that was among the best in the division. A tall setter with excellent hands, she continues to improve every year, adding new tools to her game. On Saturday, Blaine was calm as usual and did an excellent job with her ball distribution, making good choices and using all of her hitters. She seems to be more confident on the court now, going more with setter dumps and being more talkative during matches and timeouts.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63f1aa7b860e6"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/grtorres/status/1627082026406010885?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/grtorres/status/1627082026406010885?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Bromli Watson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cuero","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Texstar","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The starting setter of the strong Texstar 17 team, Watson did a great job of using the excellent offensive pieces she had at her disposal. She runs a somewhat simple offense, but thrives by being consistently accurate with her locations and putting her hitters in a good position to score. Watson is also mentally very strong as she remains calm even if the team is struggling. She uses her size really well too, putting up good blocks and eventually hitting on the right when at the net.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63f1aa7b861c5"} /--> <!-- wp:image {"align":"center","id":322721,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":"is-style-default"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-style-default"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/02/IMG_1066.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-322721" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Other Positional Standouts:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>* <a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/02/aau-houston-grand-prix-17s-middles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Middles</a> * <a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/02/aau-houston-grand-prix-17s-outsides/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Outside Hitters</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ryland Pledger","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Robinson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Waco VBC","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Pledger was a key cog in her Waco VBC 17 UA Red team that had its ups and downs in the division. She split her time between setting and hitting duties and was very good in both roles, making big plays for her team. Pledger is listed at 5'11u0022 but certainly looks taller than that, especially on offense. Despite her size, she moves really well on the court and is very accurate with her sets. Pledger also has a strong leadership role with her team.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63f1aa7b8627f"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/grtorres/status/1627107215189442561?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/grtorres/status/1627107215189442561?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"McKinley Cole","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Clear Creek","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Club South","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"A talented setter from the League City area, Cole had a strong high school season with Clear Creek and continues to shine in club with her Club South 17-1 team. She's very smooth on the court and likes to run a fast-paced offense but is really good at dealing with passes off the net too as she remains impressively accurate even when she needs to set in motion. Cole is also a very good blocker because of her reach and excellent timing and is very active on defense as well.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63f1aa7b86329"} /--> <!-- wp:image {"align":"center","id":322745,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/02/IMG_1432.jpg?w=804" alt="" class="wp-image-322745" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["194131"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Rios' reliable and consistent hands guided Texas Tornados 17 National to a solid campaign in the division. She split the setting duties with Meagan Neal and the two did a fine job. Rios is also very calm on the ball and that really shows when the team is out of system as she consistently puts her hitter in a good position to score regardless. Rios likes to keep all her hitters involved with her distribution, but doesn't shy away from going with the most efficient ones when matches are on the line.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63f1aa7b8637d"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15454089/63e0d85ee97ba00c0c1e3161' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63f1b32c5c54b"} /-->