Triple Crown NIT – Texas Teams to Watch – 17’s

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most anticipated tournaments at the beginning of each club season is the Triple Crown NIT because of all of the talent that will be under one roof.&nbsp; It will be held in Kansas City, MO on February 14-17^th. &nbsp;I will be covering this tournament in person once again and can't wait for the matchups.&nbsp; There are tons of players and teams to watch out for. Let's “Dig” in to find out who they are.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>17s</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What TX Power Pool Teams Will Be Contending For a Championship?&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Power Pool B has [program_tooltip program_id='431200' first='Madfrog' last=''] 17 National Green and [program_tooltip program_id='510661' first='Houston' last='Skyline'] ready to show the nation how strong they are.&nbsp; [program_tooltip program_id='510661' first='Houston' last='Skyline'] is known for their fast and furious offense with their left sides, [player_tooltip player_id='197468' first='Jayden' last='Robinson'] and Halle Robinson.&nbsp; We talked about them in our last article.&nbsp; They have some huge weapons as teammates that will help create some problems for whoever they are matched up with.&nbsp; They are coming off of a second place finish at the Tour of Texas Austin stop a few weeks ago.&nbsp; Nadiya Shely and [player_tooltip player_id='209539' first='Lacy' last='Tinnell'] are very big targets who can be game changers if they get hot.&nbsp; They are both long and play well above the net on both sides of the ball.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='530380' first='Jenna' last='Thedford'] plays amazing defense and [player_tooltip player_id='225147' first='Caroline' last='Prihoda'] is a stud who can do it all on the court.&nbsp; This team is scary good and should not be taken lightly by anyone.&nbsp; They have the roster to contend for a title.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='431200' first='Madfrog' last=''] 17 National Green is comprised of some high-flying players who show no fear when they ball.&nbsp; With what might be one of the shortest lineups in this pool, they can use their verticals and hang time to frustrate some defenders.&nbsp; All of them are capable of going on runs of kills and it is just a matter of time to see which one gets hot at the right time.&nbsp; I know after covering a lot of them for the past few years that they are very dangerous individually.&nbsp; We just have to see if they can gel together and go on a solid run.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='226072' first='Dawn' last='Moore'] is a load to handle with her athleticism on the right side.&nbsp; She is listed as an opposite, but has tons of experience as a setter also during the school season.&nbsp; Any school who gives her an opportunity at the next level will be in love with everything she brings to the table.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='318142' first='Bella' last='Lopez'] and [player_tooltip player_id='235287' first='Kennedy' last='Crayton'] are two athletic jumpers who can throttle the ball at any time.&nbsp; Gabby Rodriguez and [player_tooltip player_id='196848' first='Aubree' last='Fernandez'] might be one of the toughest back rows in the tourney.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='431166' first='Houston' last='Juniors'] 17 Elite is the only Texas squad in Power Pool C.&nbsp; This team plays with a lot of fire and has a great group of spectators who help them keep momentum as they cheer them on each match.&nbsp; The super talented [player_tooltip player_id='269826' first='Sarah' last='Hickman'] always draws a lot of attention and for good reason.&nbsp; She is a lot to handle on the opposite position.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='268779' first='Zora' last='Bello'] might just be one of the most athletic setters in the age group.&nbsp; If you have not seen her, I strongly suggest you stop by their court.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='269795' first='Gemma' last='Hopkins'] is a stud who is super strong in the back row.&nbsp; She has ball control for days and is relentless in her pursuit of the ball.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='326514' first='Emma' last='Elsasser'] and [player_tooltip player_id='269777' first='Amaya' last='Love'] can definitely help this team see the podium at the end of the tourney.&nbsp; This team has the roster to run the table in their opening pool if they get hot.&nbsp; Do not underestimate them at all.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What Non-Power Pool Teams Could Sneak Up On People?&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Excel 17 National Red might get looked over by some, but us in Texas know exactly what their roster is capable of.&nbsp; Evelyn Potter has a cannon and is very tough to block.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='318133' first='Jordan' last='Turner'] has tons of experience and very soft hands to deliver the ball.&nbsp; Audrey St. Clair passes nails out of serve receive to help keep this team in system.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='447041' first='Emerson' last='Jones'] is another solid stud who adds a lot to this team.&nbsp; They are coming off of a great run at the Tour of Texas Austin stop by going 4-2 overall and finishing tied for third.&nbsp; They just might have what it takes to steal some more victories from those that overlook them and don't play as hard.&nbsp; Stay tuned to see more from them.&nbsp; I will definitely stop by their court to see them play.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who are the big time players who will be having a huge impact on the tournament?&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The entire tourney is filled with ballers who will go on to do some great things at the next level in a few years. &nbsp;Players like [player_tooltip player_id='269819' first='Madelynn' last='Coy'] from [program_tooltip program_id='510661' first='Houston' last='Skyline'] 17 Black scores in bunches and passes extremely well in six rotations. &nbsp;Dallas Skyline 17 Royal Paxton's talented middle [player_tooltip player_id='483354' first='Aubrey' last='Easterwood'] is a game changer for sure.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='225200' first='DaMya' last='Mann'] and [player_tooltip player_id='318144' first='Jaci' last='Hall'] from Alamo 17 Premier have been lighting it up since their freshman year.&nbsp; These are just a few more names to know who can make a solid impact.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As always stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes.&nbsp; If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at <a href="mailto:Michael@prepdig.com">Michael@prepdig.com</a>.&nbsp; Also don't forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends.&nbsp; Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook.&nbsp; Thanks for following us, Prep Dig Family!&nbsp; Don't be afraid to interact with us.&nbsp; We love the likes, shares, and quotes/comments.&nbsp; Keep them coming!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->