Lone Star Regional Champ: The Setters Who Called the Shots
Some of the top Texas club players in the 18’s division competed in Houston this past weekend with FAST Complex and the Houston Skyline facilities hosting the Lone Star Regional Championship for the age-group. Several players impressed among the 55…
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Continue ReadingSome of the top Texas club players in the 18’s division competed in Houston this past weekend with FAST Complex and the Houston Skyline facilities hosting the Lone Star Regional Championship for the age-group.
Several players impressed among the 55 teams that appeared in the tournament and during this week we’ll take some time to highlight some of them. We start with the setters, who are the brains and hearts of their teams.
Ruby O’Brien – Setter – SA Magic 18 Elite – HS: Alamo Heights – 2021
Ruby O’Brien passed the eye test while leading SA Magic 18 Elite in the tournament for two main reasons – she plays fast and is extremely consistent. Setters who can combine those two things are of great value for their teams and the 5’7” O’Brien was no exception. Her great hands, which handed out more than 2,300 assists during her high school career with Alamo Heights, can place the ball anywhere on the court and she’s not shy of trying to deceive opponents to put her hitters in the best possible spot. O’Brien is wise and mature beyond her age and also brings value from the service line with a nasty floating serve. She has committed to the Texas Wesleyan University.
Erin Jones Erin Jones 6'0" | S NB Canyon | 2021 State TX – Right Sider – Alamo 18 Premier – HS: New Braunfels Canyon – 2021
Ranked 61st on our 2021 Prep Dig State Ranking, Erin Jones Erin Jones 6'0" | S NB Canyon | 2021 State TX is a very interesting prospect. Standing at six feet, the Alamo 18 Premier player can be used as a setter or an opposite and her game has the best of both worlds. When playing as a setter, she stands out for her technique and great size for the position. When asked to hit, she can do it too and brings the understanding of the game that only setters have to always make the right decisions. Jones is very versatile and her high school stats with New Braunfels Canyon, which include more than 3,000 assists, 1,000 dig and nearly 600 kills, highlight that. She’ll continue evolving at the collegiate level as she will join Angelo State University in the summer.
Emerson Sykes – Setter – Texas Tornados 18 Adidas – HS: Bridgeland – 2021
Emerson Sykes’ game impressed in quite a few different ways this past weekend. The 5’9” ran a very fast and efficient offense with Texas Tornados and proved to be a key piece in the team’s system during the tournament. Sykes used all her hitters pretty well and tried to make her team difficult to predict at the net with fast and accurate sets across the net. She’s also very aggressive and won’t shy away from dumping on two if she has an opportunity. Sykes is long and athletic and her outstanding coordination and body control made her win most of the 50-50 balls at the net, even when faced with taller opponents. She’ll play at the collegiate level for the University of St. Thomas.
Setter Emerson Sykes runs a fast-paced offense for @TexasTornadosVB @PrepDigTX pic.twitter.com/3yfVjC6MQu
— grtorres (@grtorres) March 13, 2021
Cali Nims – Setter – Alamo 18 Premier – HS: Flour Bluff – 2021
That Alamo team had no shortage of good setters as Cali Nims also showed some interesting skills this past weekend. The Flour Bluff High School product is very calm and collected on a volleyball court and has a good ball distribution. She was one of the most reliable and consistent setters of the tournament and her game was simple and extremely efficient for the most part. Nims, who had a stellar high school career with more than 3,200 assists, can also impact the game at the net at 5’9” and is an absolute difference-maker at the backcourt with really impressive defensive skills. Her career will continue at the collegiate level with St. Mary’s University.