Tour of Texas Finals – 17s – The Dominant Middles
One of the most anticipated and competitive tournaments annually held in the Lone Star State, the Tour of Texas brought its Finals for the 15s, 16s and 17s divisions to the city of Houston this past weekend. It was exciting…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOne of the most anticipated and competitive tournaments annually held in the Lone Star State, the Tour of Texas brought its Finals for the 15s, 16s and 17s divisions to the city of Houston this past weekend.
It was exciting to see some of the most talented volleyball prospects from several different regions of the state competing across four different venues in H-Town under the watchful view of several college coaches.
We paid close attention to the 17s, who played at the FAST Complex, and will feature the ones that stood out the most in a series of positional articles during the week. In today’s article, we’ll feature some of the top middle blockers that hit the court.
Reese Robins Reese Robins 6'5" | MB Timberview | 2023 State #15 Nation TX – Drive Nation 17 Red – HS: Timberview – 2023
It’s impossible not to be impressed by what Reese Robins Reese Robins 6'5" | MB Timberview | 2023 State #15 Nation TX does on the court. An extremely physical middle blocker that stands at 6’5”, she dominates the net on both sides of the game. Robins’ offense has the power one would expect from a middle with her side and physical tools and she does a great job in hitting the slide too. Her blocking is really big and aggressive, the type that pushes opponents to make mistakes just by trying to hit around it, and she has no issues with her mobility at all. Robins will start her collegiate career at Louisville in the summer of 2023.
Hannah Whittingstall Hannah Whittingstall 6'2" | MB Alamo Heights | 2023 State #75 Nation TX – Alamo 17 Premier – HS: Alamo Heights – 2023
Hannah Whittingstall Hannah Whittingstall 6'2" | MB Alamo Heights | 2023 State #75 Nation TX ‘s tremendous reach and wingspan are hard to match in players of her age. The Alamo middle blocker stands at 6’2” but has very long arms, which she uses to her benefit on the court. Whittingstall is an excellent blocker and she scores a lot of points in stuffs because of her ability to close up space quickly at the net. She’s also a good server and an excellent offensive player, which 1,015 kills in three high school seasons for Alamo Heights (part of those registered as an outside hitter) can confirm. Whittingstall is another brilliant middle blocker from the state of Texas with a brilliant future guaranteed at the college level as she committed to Southern Methodist.
from on Vimeo.
Hannah Pfiffner Hannah Pfiffner 6'2" | RS Wakeland | 2023 State #78 Nation TX – TAV 17 Black – HS: Wakeland – 2023
Another young middle blocker from the state of Texas with a bright future ahead of her, Hannah Pfiffner Hannah Pfiffner 6'2" | RS Wakeland | 2023 State #78 Nation TX is another player who impresses when in action at the net. A phenomenal blocker, the 6’2” Pfiffner benefits from her long body and thrives by her ability to move well at the net, with big and coordinated steps. A high jump state champion, she uses the body control developed in years competing in track and field in an excellent way, especially when she needs to speed up to close down a hitter at the pin. Her offense is also really solid, especially when she hits the slide set. A University of Oklahoma commit, Pfiffner has tallied 409 kills and 84 blocks in the last high school season for Wakeland.
Avery Wilks Avery Wilks 6'0" | MB Barbers Hill | 2023 State TX – Houston Stellar 17 Elite – HS: Barbers Hill – 2023
Avery Wilks Avery Wilks 6'0" | MB Barbers Hill | 2023 State TX has an impressive game overall but if there’s one thing that immediately stands out when she’s on the court, it’s the intensity she plays volleyball. The six-footer seems to be in constant motion on the court and infects her teammates with her energy level. Wilks has excellent footwork and because of that is always available on offense. She has the ability to hit a handful of different sets and does a great job in changing rhythms, efficiently going from hard hits to tips in a heartbeat.
that connection!🤝🤝🤝 @houstonstellar @StellarHouston pic.twitter.com/uo6pC6MYAM
— Avery Wilks (@aaverywilks) January 3, 2022
Madison Milligan – SA Juniors 17 Adidas – HS: Southwest – 2023
Madison Milligan was one of the most important pieces of her SA Juniors 17 Adidas in the tournament. Very active at the net, the 6’2” prospect has a remarkable presence in the middle and strongly contributes to her team’s success. Milligan has a powerful and highly-efficient offensive game and is really difficult to stop when in rhythm. Her blocking is always well-developed as she combines a good reading of the game with great movement and great technique to place her arms across the net and take up space from opposing hitters.
Kamiera Watkins – Drive Nation 17 Black – HS: Trinity – 2023
Kamiera Watkins stands at six feet but she plays even taller than that because of her impressive athleticism. Her body is a well-oiled machine as it offers Watkins everything she needs to thrive on a volleyball court, from quick feet to move at the net to a jaw-dropping leaping ability. She also has excellent ball control and is a very good blocker. Her offensive game is also predicated on her excellent speed and she can score in bunches when in system.