4 standouts from the Sophie Cunningham Classic, and how the event can grow next year
The inaugural Sophie Cunningham Classic gathered stars and talented teams in Columbia for a weekend. It was an example of a showcase that can elevate individuals and girls' basketball.
Here are four standout performances that shaped the three-day classic, and how it can grow in the next year.
Four standouts from the Sophie Cunningham Classic
Bishop Miege's Mary Grant
Whitfield finished second in Class 5 in Missouri. Bishop Miege was the Class 4A state champ in Kansas. Miege strolled to an easy win.
Mary Grant was the catalyst. She scored 24 points but was an incredible 6 of 7 from 3-point range and spurred on the rout.
Bishop Miege is 2-0 and is a contender in Kansas, again. It was just one of the kinds of teams the classic wanted to attract, and players like Grant comprise those teams.
Rock Bridge's Jayda Porter
The freshman center's emergence onto the girls' basketball scene could not have come at a better time.
Porter had two games that showcased how she's a post player that's ahead of her time at the high school level. She displayed elite shot-blocking skills and effective low-post offense.
She'll already cause problems for mid-Missouri teams that struggle to defend in the post. This weekend served as a reminder of how good she can be with time.
Porter was named MVP of Rock Bridge's win over Quincy Notre Dame with a 14-point performance.
Helias' Adalyn Koelling
Helias got its chance at a little vindication. The Crusaders, Class 5 third-place finishers, took on John Burroughs, the Class 5 state champion.
Thanks to Koelling, Helias took down John Burroughs 60-57. She was game MVP after a 27-point, 10-rebound effort. She hit five 3-pointers in the win.
Helias should contend for a state title again this season, and the Crusaders seem on their way at 4-0 already. Performances from Koelling are a reminder of how talented Helias is.
Quincy Notre Dame's Abbey Schreacke
The Missouri signee scored 32 points in an offensive showcase. The Raiders fell to Rock Bridge, but Schreacke was effective in all spots on the court.
Schreacke was hitting step-back 3-pointers and pull-up jumpers against a rotation of Rock Bridge defenders. It was clear the gameplan was directly designed to limit her, and she scored her points anyway.
On Sunday, Schreacke broke the Quincy Notre Dame career scoring record. She's following in the footsteps of former Raiders' star Jordan Frericks, who went to MU.
The classic's future
The Classic holds a special significance for Columbia. Not only is it held in the city, but its namesake is the best women's basketball player in the city's history.
"I was just telling Sophie and Lindsey today, thank you for putting this on and showcasing girls basketball," Rock Bridge head coach Jill Nagel said. "It's kind of come full circle to coach them; to play in one of their events is obviously very special for us."
Last weekend signaled that a girls' basketball showcase can thrive and would do well to expand.
Whether that classic plays at Stephens and Columbia Colleges, or at Mizzou Arena, it brought audiences from all over the state of Missouri and from multiple states. There were also college coaches from different levels present, too. NAIA coaches and Division I scouts were watching.
It wasn't just a showcase, it was a way for some of the best players to get their chance to earn notoriety. That's why once the classic gains more notoriety, it will have the chance to grow further.
"Once they get a sniff of what's actually going on here at this event," Battle head coach Dustyn Yung said. "I think a lot teams are going to ask to come play in it and showcase what they have."
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: 4 standouts from the Sophie Cunningham Classic, and how it can grow
