Nike Cross Court Classic – 15 Open – Liberos
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One of the most traditional tournaments annually held in Houston, the Nike Cross Court Classic was played this past weekend at the George R. Brown Convention Center, in downtown, with as many as 675 teams getting on the court. The…
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Continue ReadingOne of the most traditional tournaments annually held in Houston, the Nike Cross Court Classic was played this past weekend at the George R. Brown Convention Center, in downtown, with as many as 675 teams getting on the court.
The gigantic tournament had 19 different divisions and Prep Dig was in attendance for the Saturday AM wave, paying special attention to the teams from the Lone Star State that were in action in the 15 Open and 16 Open divisions.
Several players stood out with strong performances for their teams and we’re taking the week to recognize each of them. When it comes to liberos, there were the ones that stuck out in the 15 Open Division:
Recognized as one of the best liberos in the entire state in her age group, Reece played exactly like that for her TAV Houston 15 Adidas team that dominated the division. Her presence on the backcourt was a big part of their success because of the stability and the transition plays she generated. Reece kept her team in system all day with her inch-perfect passes and quickly recovered on the rare occasions she made a mistake. Her hard work on the backcourt didn’t go unnoticed either as she made several digs and displayed excellent ball control. Reece was also very positive and supportive on the court and pushed her team forward at all times.
Highlights
Katie Falcone
Katie Falcone
Falcone was playing one age group up with United VBA 15 Purple, but was still one of the most important players in her team. She took a big leadership role from her position at the back and was constantly communicating with her teammates. Falcone’s quickness was one of her main assets as it allowed her to get to balls and improved her passing efficiency. She also displayed great reading of the game and was always on the right spot to dig hard-driven swings on the left back.
Isabella Tijerina Isabella Tijerina 5'6" | DS/L Glenda Dawson | 2026 TX
Isabella Tijerina Isabella Tijerina 5'6" | DS/L Glenda Dawson | 2026 TX
Tijerina was very strong on the back for Houston Stellar 15 Elite. Her positioning was excellent and besides helping her touch a lot of balls of defense, it also placed her on the right spots to pass the ball. Her production on both areas was very consistent and her great ball control obviously played a big role in that too. Tijerina was also very accurate and reliable when she had to set in transition. She made very few mistakes and gave her team excellent volume at the back.
Other Positional Breakdowns:
* Setters * Middles * Outsides * Right Sides
Trevino was the defensive anchor of her Valley Venon – 151 Red team. A libero with excellent reflexes and outstanding ball control, she made a big impact in the team’s defensive and passing systems. Trevino made interesting moves on the back and always seemed to go to the right spot on defense. She also displayed great accuracy and reliability when setting in transition, being very steady with her locations. The libero was also very productive from the service line with her tough floaters.
Highlights
Moriah Poe
Moriah Poe
Poe had a strong presence in the defensive system of her Katy United 15 Adidas team. She covered more court than anyone on serve-receive and consistently delivered accurate passes to her setter. Poe also displayed excellent mental strength as she would shake it off after a mistake and get immediately back at it. The libero also made some nice digs from her position at the left back and took great responsibility when dealing with free balls, getting in position for the first contact and delivering it with great precision.