Lone Star Classic Week 3 – Texas Right Sides to Watch
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After several weeks of getting on the road to compete for a spot at the 2023 USA Girls Junior National Championship, Texas teams will have homecourt advantage this weekend, when they will play in Dallas in the third week of…
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Continue ReadingAfter several weeks of getting on the road to compete for a spot at the 2023 USA Girls Junior National Championship, Texas teams will have homecourt advantage this weekend, when they will play in Dallas in the third week of the 2023 Lone Star Classic.
One of the biggest national qualifiers there is, the Lone Star Classic has been going on for two weeks already and the third and final weekend of competition will feature as many as 11 divisions from the 15s, 16s and 17s age groups.
As expected, several teams from Texas will be on the court in Dallas this weekend and we’ve been using the days leading to the event to present some of the most exciting prospects from the Lone Star State that will be competing in the Open divisions. In our final positional piece, let’s highlight some right sides who will have big roles in their teams:
The top right side in the entire state according to our 2026 Prep Dig State Rankings, Moore is the perfect reflection of her Madfrog 15’s N Green team as a player who combines incredible athletic skills with a refined technical game. She’s not very tall, but can jump out of the gym and matchup against anyone up at the net. A lefty, Moore also has excellent resources in her offensive game and she knows when to utilize each of them, using her power to score when possible, but also bringing finesse shots to the table every now and then. Her vertical and excellent timing also make of her an excellent blocker, who’s a real challenge to outside hitters across the net.
Highlights
Also capable of playing in the middle, Hall has been mostly used in the right for Dallas Skyline 15 Royal this season. Blocking has been the main part of her game over the years as she uses her length extremely well at the net, pressing hitters and forcing them to stay away from her hans, making the lives of defenders behind her so much easier. Hall has been making great strides with her offense too, hitting quicker and higher sets on the right with great efficiency. She makes contact with the ball at a very high point and has a great arm swing, combining power and the ability to hit in different directions.
Austin Skyline 16 Royal’s Gaido is another player who was originally a middle, but moved to the right and has been finding great success. Her 6’5″ frame makes of her an exceptional blocker and her team uses that very well, matching her up with the opponents’ top scoring option. Her long arms give her excellent reach above the net and she uses it very well to press opponents. Gaido is also a strong offensive player, making a strong approach and making contact with the ball at a very high point in her swings. She’s also well-rounded from a technical standpoint and can strengthen her team’s receive on some rotations if needed.
McKenzie has emerged as a huge scoring threat for AJV 16 Adidas this season and is quickly making her way up in the rankings and lists in her age group. She’s tall and explosive, but what really makes of her an efficient hitter is her body control when in the air. McKenzie is excellent at positioning her body into the perfect spot to make a strong swing in any set she gets and that’s massively valuable when in transition, when sets tend to be less accurate. She uses that skill very well when in system too to hit a quicker set on the right that often fools the blockers. AJV’s right side is also a solid blocker.
Helms has made great progress over the last year or so and is a key piece in her United VBA 17 Purple team. She has always been a strong offensive player, who used her length to overcome opposing blockers, but has added some power and also the ability to hit sharp angles from the right, expanding her offensive arsenal. Helms’ blocking is also very solid as she uses her hands well to cover her designated area up at the net. She can also play middle and has good mobility on the court.