Outstanding Middles in the Cross Court Classic 16 Open division

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Volleyball was all over the place at the George R. Brown Convention Center, in downtown Houston, two weekends ago, as the venue hosted the 2025 edition of the Nike Cross Court Classic, one of the most traditional club tournaments of the year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year's edition featured 710 teams from all over Texas and neighboring states, which competed for two days in one of the 29 divisions of one of the largest tournaments held in Houston in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/03/nike-cross-court-classic-16-open-photos/">Nike Cross Court Classic: 16 Open - Photos</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Dig Texas was in attendance on Saturday and we got to watch all eight teams that competed in the 16 Open division. Let's now review some of the top players in the age group and it's time we focus on the middles:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["482093"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d44da16c46f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rote was one of the middles of the San Antonio Elite 161 Navy team that finished second in Houston, with four wins and one loss. A six-footer, she used her size and length to dominate the net and was very effective on both sides of the ball. Rote was extremely productive with her blocking, reading opponents very well and using her long arms to play aggressively above the net and shut them down. The middle also had good offensive production, making contact with the ball at a high point and consistently putting it down.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["569723"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d44da16c4cf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Evans and her AP 16 Adidas team ranked third in the event, getting two wins and two losses. She played with great intensity in the middle and provided her team with a very strong presence at the net, contributing offensively and defensively. Evans was very difficult to stop on offense because of how well she used her reach and firepower to swing - she was extremely successful when hitting the slide set. The middle was very active with the blocking, displaying great mobility to get to the pins.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19008248/67ccd854da75a31fb1645379' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d44da16c662"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["578529"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d44da16c6af"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Fields was with the [program_tooltip program_id='745880' first='Houston' last='Stellar'] 16 Elite team that ended the event in sixth place with a win and four losses. Her athleticism and mobility at the net made of her a key contributor to the team and helped her get many touches with her blocking. Fields was also very active offensively, getting off the floor well and hitting different sets in the middle with power and precision. She was always very alert to handle 50-50 balls and overpasses too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/20419345/67d34259fb766e0b8bbd863d' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d44da16c6d2"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kamila Figueroa","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Pharr-San Juan-Alamo","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Valley Venom","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d44da16c769"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Figueroa played for the Valley Venom - 161 Red team that ended in eighth place with a win and four losses. Despite not being among the tallest middles in the division, she was one of the team's top offensive players. Figueroa got off the floor very well and used her quick and heavy arm to consistently beat blockers - and, at times, tool them. She was also very consistent offensively, making very few errors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->