Not only are female athletes finally getting paid for their performance in March Madness, but this also marks the biggest year for several of the top athletes in the nation. Many students at State High are on their toes following the outcomes of games and the paths of their favorite players in the win-or-go-home atmosphere. Paige Bueckers and her UConn dynasty, MiLaysia Fulwiley and the South Carolina takeover, and USC’s Juju Watkins’ young talent are just some of the amazing players and programs we’ll dive into.
Paige Bueckers is sadly on the final page of her UConn journey. The stakes remain high for her as a fifth-year senior. Will she win her first (and much deserved) national title? You may still remember her as the first rookie to win AP Player of the Year, or when she was a sophomore and tragically tore her ACL. For the past few years, she has fought incredibly hard and came incredibly close to winning a title. She has a ‘dream team’ this year with teammates Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong – both of whom made it onto ESPN’s top 25 players in the Sweet 16. If you watched UConn’s second round game against South Dakota State, you were guaranteed to be in shock. Paige couldn’t miss a shot – midrange after midrange, transition three after getting a defensive stop, she finished the game with 34 points. She went 14-21 from the field and tied her career high in the postseason. Her consistency is beyond any other player in the league. There are so many talented, shifty guards who can get to their spot in the midrange. But her footwork and shot creation are what separate her from the rest.
Speaking of shifty guards, there is none other than MiLaysia Fulwiley and her flashy play style. Playing for the top school in the nation, the pressures also hold high for this sophomore coming off the bench. Her minutes are limited since South Carolina has several older guards who carry experience and defensive stamina. But when they hit a slump and need some explosive power, she is the perfect sub. Her social media presence increased after she played in the well-known league Overtime Elite. Her layup package, court awareness, and ability to get a guaranteed bucket in transition are what attracted the Gamecocks to recruit her.
Sophomore Sheree Wilson, a basketball player herself at State High, enlightened upon some of the best coaches in the nation.
“Geno [Auriemma] for UConn and Dawn [Staley] for South Carolina. The way they coach is really good…They have two great programs so I think with them coaching, it’s going to make this a good tournament. I have South Carolina winning it all,” Wilson said.
Senior Love McGriff, retired basketball player at State High, also holds the same ideology. “Dawn…she’s one of the best coaches ever,” McGriff said. McGriff also agreed that South Carolina was at the top of her bracket.
As you can see, it’s not only the five players on the court who make the game what it is. The coaches are what drive the players’ passion.
You probably caught wind of Southern California’s Juju Watkins and her ACL tear. This broke many fans’ hearts because this would’ve been such a big year for Watkins – her size, athleticism, and sharp shooting make her one of the most entertaining players to watch. Her ability to single handedly carry her team is what led her to win National Player of the Year. But sadly, the rest of the postseason for her will be watched from the sidelines.
Stella Cawley, a freshman at State High and volleyball player, voiced her standpoints on Watkins’ injury. “I think USC will win maybe two more games, but I feel whenever they play UConn [in the Elite Eight and without Watkins], UConn will beat them pretty easily. I have UConn winning it all on both my brackets – online and on paper,” Cawley said.
These features on this year’s March Madness are just a tiny portion of the talent showcased. There are so many other brilliant female hoopers who influence younger girls to be fierce and driven, and this gives so much hope for younger generations to come.
