GJNC Previews: Alamo 16 Premier
The most important moment of the season is just around the corner for teams from the 15s, 16s and 17s age group from around the country as the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship will take place at the Las…
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Continue ReadingThe most important moment of the season is just around the corner for teams from the 15s, 16s and 17s age group from around the country as the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from June 26-July 5.
As many as 728 teams are expected to compete in the 15 divisions for these three age groups and the state of Texas will, of course, be well-represented in the tournament with more than 50 teams expected to make the trip to Nevada.
During the next few weeks, we’ll use this space to present the Lone Star state representatives in the tournament, recapping their performances during the club season and highlighting some of their top prospects.
Alamo 16 Premier
The top 16s team of the famed Alamo Volleyball Association out of San Antonio, 16 Premier will head to Las Vegas to play in the highly competitive 16 Open division. The roster led by head coach Phillip Jackson will arrive in Nevada in good form after winning 58 of their 75 matches played this year. This season alone, the team triumphed at the Force Christmas Classic, the Alamo City Warm Up, the Countdown Classic, the Tour of Texas and the Lone Star Regionals.
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Players to Watch
Nayeli Gonzalez Nayeli Gonzalez 6'2" | MB Cornerstone Christian | 2023 State #35 Nation TX – Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter – HS: Cornerstone Christian – 2023
Even though she plays for a 16s team, Nayeli Gonzalez Nayeli Gonzalez 6'2" | MB Cornerstone Christian | 2023 State #35 Nation TX looks very much like a finished product. Her game is so well-developed and shaped to the collegiate and professional levels that’s absolutely impossible to imagine her future not being there. She has a strong presence at the net with her 6’2” frame can hit either quick sets in the middle or slower ones on the pin, which has led her to be moved to the outside hitter position more often. That ability has led her to a total of 244 kills for her high school team Cornerstone Christian last season. She’s the second best-ranked prospect in our 2023 Prep Dig State Rankings.
Taylor Anderson Taylor Anderson 6'0" | S Cornerstone Christian | 2023 State #21 Nation TX – Setter/Right Sider – HS: Warren – 2023
6’1” setters in this age group deserve some attention no matter what but a quick look at Taylor Anderson Taylor Anderson 6'0" | S Cornerstone Christian | 2023 State #21 Nation TX ‘s can confirm that’s she’s totally worth a great deal of it. She doubles up for Alamo 16 Premier taking up both setting and hitting duties and excels in both areas. When setting, she has a great, clean touch on the ball, manages an excellent distribution and has an interesting ability to use the middles in transition that’s not commonly seen. When asked to hit, she causes damage with her great reach and powerful swings. Anderson ranks seventh on our 2023 Prep Dig State Rankings.
Alyssa Manitazas – Libero – HS: Cornerstone Christian – 2023
Alyssa Manitazas is one of the best defensive players in the entire state in her age group as she ranks 16th on our 2023 Prep Dig State Rankings and is the highest-ranked libero. The 5’1” defender is a defensive stud for Alamo 16 Premier as she has great command of the court and does a great job in leading the team’s serve-receiving and defensive efforts. Besides her fantastic technique and ball controls, another thing that makes of Manitazas a special defender is her body control as she’s always able to place her arms and upper body in the perfect spot to send the ball where she intends. She’s also very strong mentally, a trait seen in pretty much every great libero at the professional level.