FAST Pre Nationals – Middles to Watch
The month of June has arrived and that means that in just a few weeks the club volleyball season will come to an end, with the best teams in the country competing at the 2023 USAV Girls Junior National Championship,…
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Continue ReadingThe month of June has arrived and that means that in just a few weeks the club volleyball season will come to an end, with the best teams in the country competing at the 2023 USAV Girls Junior National Championship, which will take place in Chicago, from June 28-July 6.
Preparing for the GJNC is the focus for most teams in the nation now and the ones from Houston and nearby regions will have a great chance to test themselves ahead of the event this weekend at the traditional FAST Pre Nationals tournament, which will take place across the FAST Complex and the Katy United facility on Saturday and Sunday.
It’s a huge tournament, with 104 teams competing across five age divisions, and Prep Dig will be there following the action. Before the tournament begins, however, let’s list some players that will be competing with their teams who are worth your attention. Keep an eye out for these middles:
Aubrey Davis
Aubrey Davis
The long and athletic Davis will be in action in Pool 4 in the 15s division with her AJV 15 Adidas team. She has a very strong offensive game and often plays a major role in the team’s scoring efforts. Davis uses her length extremely well, making contact with the ball at a very high point and hitting it hard. She doesn’t need to make a full approach in order to be ready to unleash in the middle and that makes of her a viable option to her setters even in transition plays. Davis also has a solid and big block, which gets to interfere with opposing hitters even if she doesn’t get the stuff at the net.
Angel Debekeme
Angel Debekeme
Debekeme will provide a solid presence in the middle for her Katy United 16 Adidas team that will be in action in Power Pool 1 in the 16s division. She’s a very strong player at the net and gets to make the most impact in the game with her blocking. Debekeme is very long and athletic and moves well at the net, getting involved in basically every defensive play. She has excellent timing to get up and places her arms well across the net, taking up space from opposing hitters. The middle can also score points with her offense, but is still developing that area of her game.
O’Shay will also be in action in Power Pool 1 in the 16s division with her HJV 16 Premier team. She first appeared playing on the right, but has moved to the middle this season and has gotten even better by adding new tools to her game. Her long frame proved to be a great fit for the position as it allows her to make a huge impact at the net, especially when she uses her impressive wingspan to press opponents with her blocking above the net. O’Shay also developed into an elite offensive player and is extremely difficult to stop when hitting the slide because of her unbelievable footwork. She also plays with a lot of energy and contaminates her teammates with her positive attitude.
Highlights
Carmella Jones
Carmella Jones
Jones and her Houston Skyline BCS 17 Royal team will start their campaign in the 17s division in Pool 7. The physical middle will be a key player for the stem with her strong game at the net. Jones is not the tallest middle, but can battle players who stand a few inches above her because of her excellent athleticism. She jumps well, reads the game even better and plays with great energy on both sides of the ball. Her swings always carry a lot of power and because of her background as a right side hitter, Jones can also appear in some combination plays hitting behind the setter.
Alyssa Dinh
Alyssa Dinh
Dinh will be one of the most important players in her Renegades 17 Adidas team that will compete in the 17s division, starting in Pool 7. She uses her length to make contact with the ball at a very high point, but also hit some very quick sets, making it hard for opposing blocker to getting in her way without fully committing. She’s very efficient with her offense, always hitting around the block, and is versatile enough to score from the right too. Dinh is also a very productive blocker, using her long arms to seal her area above the net and making last-second moves to catch hitters by surprise.