Basketball: Top girls show their talents at tourney
Having spent most of Tuesday watching five 5A girls basketball state tournament games, I've got some thoughts on college basketball recruiting rumbling about in my head.
Just a few odds and ends after watching several of the state's top players.
First, girls basketball in Utah has improved a bit since the last time I saw a game, about five years ago. The ball-handling, dribbling and pressure defense is much better than before. The shooting is about the same.
That said, I got a good chance to watch Skyline's two BYU-bound seniors, Jenteal Jackson and Dani Peterson, play in a blowout win over Kearns.
(After the Cougars got their butts kicked by Utah on Tuesday night, it looks like they can use any help they can get).
Anyway, Peterson and Jackson are stellar players, but they missed a lot of wide open, easy shots -- shots that Division I players simply have to make. Maybe it was unfamiliarity with the gym at SLCC, or state tournament jitters. Still, if they can't make those shots for coach Jeff Judkins, they will be riding the pine in Provo.
Two of the players who have signed with Southern Utah, Davis' Dani Hosking and Lone Peak's Amanda Farish, faced off against each other.
I was impressed with both. Hosking appears to be that rare player who can create her own shot and Farish is just plain strong and athletic. Help is on the way for coach Steve Hodson at SUU, it appears.
I also liked the play of Riverton's 6-foot-3 junior Chelsea Sorensen, who will probably be a top recruit next year. She's a little timid and seemingly unwilling to mix it up inside, but Sorensen runs well and has a nice shooting touch.
If you read my little blogs from the games on tribpreps.com, you already know I was taken back by the skills of Weber's Amie Jensen.
Didn't get a chance to talk with Jensen after the game because of deadline issues, but I went home wondering why she hasn't signed with a college program yet.
She can jump, she can run, and she has the sweetest jumper I've seen from a Utah female since Erin Thorn. She plays a little selfishly, but that's probably by design because the Warriors didn't have a lot of other weapons, outside of Kelsey Sparkman.
Just a few odds and ends after watching several of the state's top players.
First, girls basketball in Utah has improved a bit since the last time I saw a game, about five years ago. The ball-handling, dribbling and pressure defense is much better than before. The shooting is about the same.
That said, I got a good chance to watch Skyline's two BYU-bound seniors, Jenteal Jackson and Dani Peterson, play in a blowout win over Kearns.
(After the Cougars got their butts kicked by Utah on Tuesday night, it looks like they can use any help they can get).
Anyway, Peterson and Jackson are stellar players, but they missed a lot of wide open, easy shots -- shots that Division I players simply have to make. Maybe it was unfamiliarity with the gym at SLCC, or state tournament jitters. Still, if they can't make those shots for coach Jeff Judkins, they will be riding the pine in Provo.
Two of the players who have signed with Southern Utah, Davis' Dani Hosking and Lone Peak's Amanda Farish, faced off against each other.
I was impressed with both. Hosking appears to be that rare player who can create her own shot and Farish is just plain strong and athletic. Help is on the way for coach Steve Hodson at SUU, it appears.
I also liked the play of Riverton's 6-foot-3 junior Chelsea Sorensen, who will probably be a top recruit next year. She's a little timid and seemingly unwilling to mix it up inside, but Sorensen runs well and has a nice shooting touch.
If you read my little blogs from the games on tribpreps.com, you already know I was taken back by the skills of Weber's Amie Jensen.
Didn't get a chance to talk with Jensen after the game because of deadline issues, but I went home wondering why she hasn't signed with a college program yet.
She can jump, she can run, and she has the sweetest jumper I've seen from a Utah female since Erin Thorn. She plays a little selfishly, but that's probably by design because the Warriors didn't have a lot of other weapons, outside of Kelsey Sparkman.
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