Lone Star Classic Week 3: Five Right Sides to Watch
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One of the biggest tournaments held in Texas during this year’s club volleyball season, the 2024 Adidas Lone Star Classic continues in Dallas, entering its third and last weekend of action from Friday to Sunday. The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention…
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Continue ReadingOne of the biggest tournaments held in Texas during this year’s club volleyball season, the 2024 Adidas Lone Star Classic continues in Dallas, entering its third and last weekend of action from Friday to Sunday.
The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, in Dallas, will now host nearly 1,000 teams, which are split into ten divisions in the 15s, 16s and 17s age groups, all looking to earn a bid for the upcoming USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship, in July.
Spots in the Open division are the most coveted ones and Texas will have 60 teams battling for them across the three age groups. As the event approaches, let’s highlight some of the top talent of the Lone Star State which will be in action this week.
Keep an eye out for these right sides:
Brown plays on the right for Houston Skyline 15 Royal, being one of their main offensive weapons. A lefty with tremendous athleticism, she makes contact with the ball at a very high point and is capable of swinging with great power and precision. One of the keys to Brown’s offensive efficiency is how well she sees the blocks and hits around it, which gives her the ability to score from the right back position too. She uses her length to get stops with her blocking as well, timing her jumps well and playing aggressively above the net. She has superior ball control to a right side hitter and can contribute while playing defense.
St. Laurent switched clubs in the last offseason and is now with 1United 16N Blue. She added a new dimension to the team’s offense with her explosive game on the right and is a player they can trust to score against anyone. St. Laurent plays with great intensity, not holding anything back in her offensive approach, and that gives her the boost she needs to go up against anyone. She gets off the floor well, can hit different sets in the right or the middle and is excellent with her shot selection. The right side hitter also makes a major impact with her blocking, using her great footwork and timing to put pressure on opposing hitters.
Highlights
Crowley will be on the court with her team TAV Houston 16 Adidas this week in Dallas. Few players in her position and age group are as complete as she is, combining physical, technical and mental skills so well. A six-footer, Crowley has a lot of power in her game, and at times turns to it to put the ball down, but she’s also very smart with her decision-making and has the technical skills to beat blockers and defenders in a variety of ways. Her all-around game makes of her an even more interesting prospect as she can pass and play defense at a high level too.
Highlights
Areté 17 Navy Telos will rely a lot on Forst’s game on the right in this weekend’s event. Even playing one age group with her new team, she’s still a key player for them, especially with her ability to score points. Forst uses her size and length very well and is still able to score at a good rate in out-of-system plays or when she doesn’t have enough time to make a full offensive approach. She plays with good energy and her decisions are always intelligent and effective ones. Forst can also make an impact with her blocking.
Highlights
Potter will be heavily involved with the offensive efforts of her team Drive Nation 17-Red in this week’s event. She’s physically and technically gifted, but her main weapons when she goes up to swing are her vision and decision-making, which allow her to find the best ways to score in every situation while also limiting her errors. Potter is also a very consistent player, who can maintain her level of play elevated over the course of an entire day at events. She makes a nice impact with her blocking too, reading the game well and getting in the way of opposing hitters.