LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Keith Baisch and the folks at Mercy Academy took on two opponents and Mother Nature as they scrambled to keep the 2016 Raatz Fence / O’Shea’s Classic from falling victim to Old Man Winter. While the schedule was pared down and some teams were limited by icy roads or school policies, there was still the same solid action you can always count on at this annual event. A contingent of college coaches braved the elements to be on hand as well as three of the top national recruiting services who were also courtside for the two day event.
While the schedule went the Jenny Craig route, there was still plenty of talent on hand. Here are some of the athletes who warmed up on a cold weekend in Louisville.
Toledo Rogers has the luxury of four division I signees to go with some promising young talent this season. Tanya Beacham, a Toledo signee, continues to offer up some consistent and reliable play at the forward spot for Coach Lamar Smith. The 6-1 senior is not flashy in her play but finishes well around the rim and is a presence on the boards. When we’ve seen Rogers, Beacham has been the constant in the lineup for a team that is just now finding their stride moving into the homestretch before tournament play. In two games she shot 10 for 16 from the floor for a combined 25 points while pulling 17 rebounds in the Rams wins over Mercy Academy and Elizabethtown.
While Elizabethtown played just single game Saturday afternoon, a 52 – 48 loss to Rogers, Erin Boley reminded folks in the gym why she was named a McDonald’s All-American last week. The Notre Dame bound forward looks to as though she’s ready to head to South Bend any day playing with more depth to her game and some refined strengths that have served her well over the course of her career. The 6-2 Boley appears to have an even quicker release on her shot this season and elevates above the crowd for some clean looks on her always effective jumper. While a natural forward she even offered up a few glimpses of some sharp passing in transition for the Lady Panthers. For the game she was 9 of 20 shooting that included a 4 of 8 effort from long range. Boley finished with a double – double of 25 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes of play.
When we last saw Grace Berger she was making some noise on the West coast in the Nike Tournament of Champions. The 5-10 sophomore appears to be maintaining the high standards she played with in Phoenix but it wasn’t enough Saturday as the Valkyries fell to Incarnate Word (Missouri) 66 – 42. Berger was still a force off the dribble looking to create options for both herself as well as her teammates. She’s reading the floor better than she was a year ago and has added depth to her skill set with the ball in her hands. Her crossover is serving her well and the step back creates plenty of separation for her jumper. In the loss Berger was 7 for 14 for 16 points while adding 7 rebounds and 3 assists to the cause.
Incarnate Word got two wins over the weekend by taking down St. Joseph (West Virginia) and Berger’s Sacred Heart team. Promising freshman forward Ricki Woltman has stirred up plenty of interest in her rookie campaign on varsity and will no doubt continue to do so as time goes by. Standing 6-2, she’s got plenty of size as well as a frame that is going to be an asset as maturity and strength come her way. Throw in the fact that there’s plenty of mobility as well and you’ve got the picture of a very promising prospect. Woltman has been well coached and has a good understanding of angles and positioning in the post and around the rim. She’s active with and without the ball plus makes herself an option in transition if she’s not making the outlet. How about a combined 12 of 13 shooting over two games for 28 points while grabbing 9 rebounds in the process.
Home Public Address announcers are notoriously biased but who can blame the one at Mercy Academy when it came to junior guard Josie Woods. With her connecting with regularity from downtown, Woods name was announced more than Donald Trump uses his own to stroke his ego. While Mercy split their two games, the 5-8 guard provided a consistent threat to open up the offense for the Jaguars. Woods is active off her cuts while understanding what she’s looking for and where her options will come from. She’s sound athletically with a somewhat slight build but these days shooters are a commodity. All she did in two games was put up 33 points on 11 for 28 shooting. Her 50 percent production behind the arch (10 of 20) was smooth, fluid and a weapon for Mercy.
St. Joseph’s took on the highways, ice and snow to make it to Louisville and got a split in their two contests. Undersized power forward Tyesha Taylor led the way for the Irish with an aggressive and consistent effort. The 5-9 junior has some ball skills and a few tools to create her own looks from the trail spot. If she gets it inside she’s willing and has the body to play with contact against opponents bringing more size to the table. In the end she’s going to have to move out to the perimeter and add some depth to those individual skills. There’s some promise there but some work to be done as well. She was 7 of 11 in each game from the floor finishing with a combined 31 points 14 rebounds in a loss to Incarnate Word and a win over Christian Academy of Louisville.
Incarnate Word also got some strong play from senior Abbey Hoff. The 6-1 wing is heading to Miami of Ohio next season and her game is well suited for the RedHawks and the MAC. While her shot is a little out front, Hoff has the versatility to spot up and force defenders to close out on the catch. The tools are there as well to get to the rim and the left hander took advantage of that option time and again both days. She’s active on both ends and makes herself an option on the break. Hoff gives you the impression that there’s much more to come. She was 11 for 24 while putting up 27 points in two contests along with grabbing 11 boards.
We’ve seen Jada Stinson in the past and our opinion of the promise of this young point guard hasn’t changed a bit. While Saturday’s loss wasn’t the best we’ve seen her play, the potential and possibilities continue to be obvious and she’s going to be a factor any time she steps on the floor. The speed and quickness are on par with anyone she’ll face and her first step acceleration leaves plenty of defenders scratching their heads. The 5-6 Stinson utilizes a strong change of speed to get deep in the paint but she’ll need to pick her spots more efficiently for greater consistency in production. The jumper and range are there to necessitate tight close outs for opponents which in turn put a smile on the face of this Lady Panther sophomore. Her 3 of 8 shooting went together with a 6 for 6 effort at the line for 13 points while also adding 5 assists in the loss.
Toledo Rogers has as much depth as any roster you’re going to look at. Point in case is Michigan signee Keasja Peace. The 6-2 forward can be a monster at times and her numbers this weekend back that up. Shooting 10 for 25 she totaled 22 points in two wins to go along with 15 rebounds and 8 blocked shots as well. Consistency has been an issue at times for Peace but the possibilities are always on display. She and her talented Ram Teammates are beginning to play better as a unit and find a higher level of performance in the process. We saw them a month ago in Florida and just a few weeks later they appear to be in a much better position to make their strongest run yet come tournament time.
The youth were out in force in Louisville. The images above are three more freshmen that are adding to their resumes each time out. While we mentioned seniors Tanaya Beacham and Keasja Peace from Toledo Rogers above they also have a standout in freshman Zia Cooke as well. We profiled her after the Naples New Year’s event and she continues to show growth and advancements in her adaptation to the varsity level and the nuances of playing against zone defenses. Lots of folks are already watching closely. Paige Shy is demonstrating some tools and a versatile backcourt game for St. Joseph’s. The 5-7 combo has solid ball skills and sharp instincts when attacking. Adding to her bag of tricks is a smooth stroke, quick release and touch from deep. In St. Joe’s win over Christian Academy of Louisville she was 6 for 7 from behind the arch. Sacred Heart’s backcourt is solid for the next two years with sophomore Grace Berger (above) and freshman Ashlee Harris. The 5-3 point guard plays with speed and quickness to spare. Even better is she loses little speed with the ball in her hands. She’s quick on the attack and can get to the rim or pull up. While she didn’t register an assist, she was 6 for 13 in the loss to Incarnate Word.
