Young Middles Impress at the NorCal Exposure

Finding superb middles is like finding a needle in a haystack. Ask any coach and they will tell you one of the rarest gems is finding middles who are both agile and effective on both sides of the net. Some middles naturally gravitate towards defensive but struggle to be an offensive weapon while others can attack well, but are slow to read and play defense effectively. An all around middle that is great on both offense and defense is a game changer for any team. The following are some young middles that showcased their stuff in NorCal and impressed for many reasons. Some already have a strong defensive game, others have a strong offensive presence, and some already have both.   Remember to follow me on Instagram @Prepdigamy and Facebook @PrepDig Amy for up to date event coverage, stories, and more.    Davis is a long, lean middle with an excellent reach, making her a dominate presence at the net. She displayed hard work in every drill and competition, never giving up and consistently pushing and elevating the play of herself and her teammates. Her quick swing and quick reactions let her not score several points on the day but stop opponents as well. She is a hard working middle that will make an impact on both offense and defense for any team.     While slightly undersized, Hicks is a middle that makes up for it with versatility. At the exposure tour, she demonstrated an impressive range by working hard to create hitting angles, using the opposing blockers hands to score, and by sending over off speed shots that found the floor. Her ability to read, coupled with her speed, allowed her to be an effective blocker as she demonstrated consistency in closing the block and getting solid block touches. Her court awareness and the knowledge she has of her position will allow her to be an effective middle on any team.     At 5'7”, Dunham is considered to be an undersized middle, however, she doesn't play like it. She has the determination, strength, and desire to go up against 6'0”+ middles and will not back down. Dunham showcased tremendous grit and a strong desire to compete as she consistently took big swings on the day and didn't shy away from the defense. She used her speed and solid vertical to be an effective presence at the net.     Lawler is a 6'3” middle with a huge presence at the net. She showcased a ton of physicality and versatility on the court. She has a heavy swing that launches attacks that defenders find difficult to handle. She further complicates things defenders in that she can hit not only from the middle, but also from the pins and has a wide array of shots to go with it from cross court, to line, to off speed. Lawler's height, range, and versatility make her a middle with a ton of potential as she continues to grow her game.     Fong is an impressive young middle that caught my attention from the first swing. She showcased a wicked swing with a super quick snap, which gave her attack lots of power and unpredictability that defenders found difficult to handle. Combine these skills along with her fluid footwork which allowed her to transition effortlessly and remain involved in every play. Fong is definitely has a dynamic and impactful middle at the net that we can't wait to see more of.

Finding superb middles is like finding a needle in a haystack. Ask any coach and they will tell you one of the rarest gems is finding middles who are both agile and effective on both sides of the net. Some middles naturally gravitate towards defensive but struggle to be an offensive weapon while others can attack well, but are slow to read and play defense effectively. An all around middle that is great on both offense and defense is a game changer for any team. The following are some young middles that showcased their stuff in NorCal and impressed for many reasons. Some already have a strong defensive game, others have a strong offensive presence, and some already have both.