Team Spotlight: S.W. Illinois Jets/Lou-E-Ville Elite Girls 14U

Kim Jackson, the head coach of the S.W. Illinois Jets/Lou-E-Ville Elite Girls 14U team has a good idea of what a powerhouse summer basketball squad looks like.

 A former standout player at Edwardsville High in the early 1990's, Jackson was a member of a powerful summer basketball team which included the likes of former area stars Kristin Folkl, Mollie Pierick and Charmin Smith, who all went on play in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament during their collegiate careers.

 Jackson sees a few similarites from that team she played on nearly two decades ago and the current team of local standouts that he has today. Her Jets feature many of the area's top sophomores-to-be. They have plenty of size, athleticism and depth and they are only going to get better as their careers progress.

 "This team reminds me of the team that I played on back then," Jackson said. "I haven't seen a team like that one until this one came along."

 The bulk of the Jets' team comes from the powerhouse Edwardsville High program as well as players from Althoff, Incarnate Word Academy and Champaign Centennial. The team has played well throughout the summer, but they broke through in the big way last week when they brought home a championship trophy from the Music City Madness Tournament in Nashville. The Jets won the Red Bracket of the American Division.

 "It was a big victory for us and a great experience for the girls," Jackson said. "They really jelled at the right time in Nashville. The girls really stepped it up in Nashville more than any other tournament we've played in."

 Taylor Robinson, a 6'4" center from Edwardsville, was voted the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Robinson was joined on the All-Tournament team by Edwardsville High classmates Emmonie Henderson, Lauren White and Sarah Parker.

 The Jets have a tall and talented front line that features Robinson, the 6'1" Henderson and the 6'0" Parker. Henderson emerged as one of the area's top low-post threats as a freshman in helping Edwardsville to the IHSA Class 4 Supersectionals last season. Robinson and Henderson control the action in the low post while Parker has emerged as one of the top perimeter threats on the team. It was her timely shooting in Nashville that really sparked the Jets to the tournament championship.

 "Sarah really shot the ball well from the outside and that was a big key to us winning," Jackson said. "Taylor and Emmonie really control the boards and we get the ball inside to them. With Sarah shooting well, other teams could not collapse inside on us."

 The Jets' starting backcourt usually consists of the 5'6" White, a lefty, and 5'6" Sydney Bloch (Edwardsville). They keep the Jets moving at the fast tempo that Jackson loves to employ. They are joined in the backcourt by 5'2" Rachel Wiesehan (Edwardsville), 5'5" Stacia Simmons (Champaign Centennial), 5'7" Whitney Ivy (Edwardsville) and 5'6" Morgan Sharpe (Edwardsville).

 In addition to Robinson, Henderson and Parker, there is even more size up front with 5'11" Taylor Miller (Incarnate Word), Whitney Harris (Althoff) and 6'2" Kymber Hill (Althoff).

 The Jets are headed up to Chicago this weekend to compete in the United States Junior National Summer Wrap-Up Tournament.

 For more information on the team, you can check out their website at www.louevilleelite.org.