MLK Invitational: 15 Open – Top Middles
This past weekend, Houston hosted a massive national-level club tournament, the 2024 MLK Invitational, which featured more than 250 teams from several states, with two of the three days of the event taking place at the NRG Center in Downtown.…
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Continue ReadingThis past weekend, Houston hosted a massive national-level club tournament, the 2024 MLK Invitational, which featured more than 250 teams from several states, with two of the three days of the event taking place at the NRG Center in Downtown.
Texas was represented with multiple teams in every division and some of the most exciting prospects of the Lone Star State got to go on the court and battle teams from other states over three days.
On Saturday, Prep Dig was at the British International School of Houston, where the 15 Open division was played, and got to watch seven Texas teams compete. Several players caught our attention and this week we’ll feature them, this time highlighting the middles that shone the brightest:
Georgia Hornes
Georgia Hornes
One of the most physical players on the court, Hornes was one of the standouts of her Texas Legacy 15 Elite team that finished seventh with three wins and four losses. When in system, she was virtually unstoppable offensively because of her high contact point and the amount of power she was able to put into her swings. Hornes also displayed good mobility at the net and made a strong impact with her blocking, quickly getting her hands above the net to make stops.
Brooke Toliver
Brooke Toliver
Toliver was a starter in the TAV Houston 15 Adidas team that ranked second in the division with seven wins and one loss. Standing at 5’9″, she wasn’t among the tallest middles in the age group, but made up for that with an impressive jumping ability and by making the most of her long arms on both sides of the ball. Toliver was very quick to make her offensive approach and didn’t hold anything back when hitting the ball, making of her swings very difficult to handle for defenders. She also made an impact with her blocking, moving very well at the net.
Aaryn Brown
Aaryn Brown
Brown was a solid presence in the middle for Houston Stellar 15 Elite and helped the team get five wins and three losses to finish fifth in the 16-team division. Her game is still coming together, but her physical tools allow her to make an impact at the net on both sides of the ball. A tall player with long arms, Brown is very active at the net, moving well and dealing overpasses with ease. She might still need a little bit more consistency on her offense, but is very difficult to stop when everything comes together.
Kennedy Proctor
Kennedy Proctor
With Proctor in the middle, AVA TX 15 Adidas ranked seventh, with two wins and five losses. She’s not super tall, but jumps well and gets off the floor quickly, a combination that gives her the ability to battle with taller middles. Her hangtime is such a factor that allows her to make something out of bad-timely sets, often finding good locations for tips. Proctor’s blocking is also very effective as she can get well above the net and is aggressive with her hand placement.