As the season ramps up some local talent and SportsForce athletes are gaining recognition on a large stage. ESPN’s HoopGurlz section took at look at a few of the top girls.
Malina and Maya Hood: There are two big reasons why you likely will see La Jolla Country Day emerge next year among the high-school powers even though it is missing a major presence in the middle — the Hood twins. They both may be only 5-10, but they have oodles of athleticism and Maya has the thickness and strength to neutralize players several inches taller. Malina is rangier and has more of a wing-guard game with better handles and a little more range on her shot. Maya gets a lot of her offense by mining the passing lanes on defense for breakaway layups, though she otherwise has a tendency you don’t often see — jogging back on offense — and has the gait of someone with painful knees. The two often feed off each other’s energy and get into athletic feeding frenzies that give the Torreys a dimension that’s difficult to prepare for.
Briteesha Solomon: At one point during La Jolla Country Day’s victory over a talented and certainly more-seasoned Villa Park team, Solomon rumbled into the lane and cupped the ball as if she meant to flush it. She is just 5-8, but hers is a convincing act because she explodes off the floor like a bottle rocket. As it was, Solomon laid the ball in, then slapped the glass for good measure.
For Briteesha’s full SportsForce profile visit: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/bsolomon
Kelsey Plum: She can get lost amongst her pogo-stick teammates flying all over the court, but Plum, while just a freshman, could be La Jolla Country Day’s foundation player. At 5-9, she has good size and skills through which to run an offense and, with length and fluidity, is no athletic slouch herself. Her best move off the bounce is a nice, quick crossover, which can lead her to the rim, where she can be a creative finisher, or into a pull-up jumper. She has good body leverage, strength and form to be lethal from long distance. Plum also has a good sense of timing, as well as being in the right place, which portends well for her development at the point.
