Nike Cross Court Classic – 16 Open – Setters
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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. These were some of the most creative and efficient setters in the 16 Open Division:
A setter with great size and a very complete skill set, Orton guided Texas Fury 16 Legacy to victory in the division. An excellent ball handler, she takes advantage of her length when setting, is very accurate with her locations and very calm and intelligent with her ball distribution. Orton is very resourceful at the net too and can score on setter dumps, besides having the size to compete with anyone on jousts. She also makes good plays on defense, mainly because of her excellent positioning.
Highlights
Houston Stellar 16 Elite’s setter duo of Dunn and Kendra Sawyer Kendra Sawyer 6’1″ | S Kingwood | 2025 State TX was one of the main strengths of the team. Dunn was particularly important for them as, besides running the team’s offense when she was at the back, she also took on hitting duties when at the net. Her playmaking was really good as Dunn accelerated the game when in system and was very precise and smart with her distribution when not. On offense, her physical strength and heavy arm made a big difference and helped her side out in big moments.
Highlights
Asaiah Littlefield
Asaiah Littlefield
Littlefield wore a lot of hats for her TCVA 16 Green Adidas team. A player with excellent physical and technical tools, she split her time between setting and hitting and had remarkable efficiency on both areas of the game. Her touch on the ball was always very clean and she made good choices with her distribution, keeping all her hitters involved. When on offense, Littlefield used her excellent vertical and her heavy arm to side out against much taller blockers. She also made an impact with her blocking, aggressively placing her hands across the net, and on defense, touching a lot of balls.
Other Positional Breakdowns:
* Liberos * Outsides * Right Sides * Middles
Ava Williams
Ava Williams
Williams called the shots on Katy United 16 Adidas’ offense. Always calm on the ball, she made good devisions with her distribution, even when under pressure. Williams’ style is not necessarily the flashiest, but she’s very efficient and reliable and likes to keep things simple. She makes very few mistakes and consistently puts her teammates in a good position to score. She’s also very productive on the backcourt, working hard on defense and serving well.
Keira Mahoney
Keira Mahoney
Mahoney had a talented group of hitters to work with in her Louisiana’s NOLA 16 Alyx/Marissa squad and made the most of it with her intelligent distribution. She displayed great variation in her combination plays and made of her team a very difficult one to defend against. Mahoney has good size and also made good plays on defense thanks to her excellent positioning.