Boo's Key Matchups I

First of a two-part story that examines some of the top individual player matchups at the 2007 Boo Williams Invitational.

HAMPTON, Va. - Part I of our look at some of the key players and head-to-head matchups at the 2007 Boo Williams Invitational:

Nneka Ogwumike, Cy-Fair,
vs. Alyssia Brewer, Cal Storm

Alyssia Brewer

A great matchup between two of the classes top big forwards. Both are amazing athletes and showed that, albeit in very different ways. Ogwumike is a high riser with lots of hang time and balance, while Brewer is long and smooth in her movements. Both are supremely gifted athletes. The strategy of fronting Ogwumike was not a good one, even with Brewer’s length. The Cal Storm learned, as did every other team that played in front, that even a bad lob pass will probably be converted into a bucket by Ogwumike. Both also looked good on the perimeter with Brewer showing the ability to take the ball coast to coast and Ogwumike showing she can step out and knock down the three. The two understood the magnitude of the matchup and went right after each other. Ogwumike did a good job of taking away Brewer’s left hand, and that slowed her down enough that Cy-Fair could pull away.

Chiney Ogwumike, Cy-Fair,
vs. Michelle Jenkins, Cal Storm

Chiney Ogwumike

Chiney Ogwumike is Nneka’s younger sister and she is also a great athlete. Jenkins is a very fundamental post who knows where to be on the floor. This matchup didn’t have the pizzazz that the Nneka-Alyssia clash did, but it was interesting because of the contrasting styles of play. Ogwumike was a little more active on the defensive end in bothering shots and flying around the paint. Jenkins is a smart player who gets herself in the right position and showed that. You want a player like Jenkins on your squad because she does all the little things, such as never missing a boxout and setting solid screens on top of her interior post play, which is solid. No real edge in this battle as both are not forced to be the focal point for their teams and do a great job of filling their role.

Amber Stokes, All-Ohio Black,
vs. Alicia Manning, Georgia Metros

Alicia Manning

Stokes was a flash of lightning for All-Ohio who did a great job of energizing her team with scoring and by taking her turn defending the Metros' key wing player, Manning. On the other hand, Manning is assuming the role of leader for the Metros and this was her first outing on the national scene, post-Maya Moore. The life after Maya thing is a little overrated, but by the end of the game she started taking things into her own hands and creating for herself. She had a size advantage but went to her pull-up jumper a little too often instead of using her size and creating contact. It’s a hard thing to do when you have a pull-up as sweet as hers, but as she learns to take advantage of the mismatches she poses she’ll only get better. Stokes showed she can get to the cup even against tough defenders such as Manning and several other Metros players.

Taylor Turnbow and Charenee Stephens, Metros,
vs. Ayana Dunning, All-Ohio Black

Ayana Dunning

The two starting post players for the Metros are Turnbow and Stephens and, in their first game, they had to take on the nation’s top ranked post player in Dunning. The 2008 class's No. 3 player has been slowed early this spring with a flu-like bug, according to her coach, and wasn’t in top form, yet still garnered the attention of the Metros defense. Turnbow showed her ultra-smooth pivots and mobility and Stephens is a rebounding machine. This matchup deserves Round Two and may come Memorial Weekend in Ohio. There was lots of top shelf interior play going on even though the All-Ohio guards stole the show.

Caroline Doty, Philly Belles,
vs. Latia McGee, KC Selects

Caroline Doty

Doty is in her first year with the Belles and she is the leader. She has a presence and confidence that is infectious. I’ve watched it emerge over the last year whereas this was my first time seeing McGee. Both are high-energy players who are at there best in the open court and attacking the basket. Both have nice go-to moves, Doty has a filthy hesitation move that is flat-out textbook going to the left and McGee has an equally impressive marquee move with a right-to-left spin move that she can finish with. McGee is bigger and guards forwards as well as guards. Both can attack the rim with reckless abandon; McGee can extend over the defense and Doty plays the game in the air, jumping in and over the trees. Doty had the edge in the matchup with her floor command and her sweet jumper. If McGee can prove she can knock down the jumper when people back off her, she may be the steal of the recruiting class.

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