There's an aspect of Allie McCarthy's game that has been there but is being really put under the spotlight as her role has grown, and that's Allie as a distributor. What's really stood out to me watching the Gee-Gees start to the season is the ways they get Allie involved in the offence and how she is able to use the attention she gets, and find teammates around the floor.
Along with her leadership on the defensive end, I think one of the most important parts of the Gee-Gees success so far has been their ability to put Allie in give-and-go situations or send cutting players to the rim when Allie gets the ball in the corner. Let's break down how she has stepped into a bigger role for Ottawa this season using different aspects of her game.
Allie is a unique player in her ability to play from all spots on the floor, and you see her used that way on the floor. Running into the paint to set pin down screens for the post to come up to the top of the key for the ball, playing at the top of the key as a facilitator, playing in the corner as a three-point shooter or at the top of the three-point arc attacking the rim going downhill. She is utilized in the offence in many different ways and through that you've seen her abilities as a passer shine along with her great scoring that she's showcased the last two years.
When she gets the ball you see a lot of attention paid to her defensively, and off of that an opportunity opens up for someone else on the court. Ottawa will send someone cutting to the rim when Allie gets the ball in the corner and Allie has done a great job being able to find the cutter and hitting them in stride keeping the offence flowing and creating a potential basket around the rim.
When Allie is coming from the opposite side of the floor you'll see her set a screen for the player inside the paint and then pop out to receive the ball on the baseline, or come up to the top of the key to get a feed inside from the guard at the top. In those situations where she pops to receive the ball or raises to get a feed from the point guard, you've seen her quickly connect on those passes to the player on the opposite shoulder, or if she's in the corner, back up to the top to have the ball cycled around the perimeter.
It's those quick decisions and her ability to pass out of pressure that keeps her always involved in the Gee-Gees offence and creates so many opportunities for her teammates. That combined with the communication on the defensive end and the different ways she could beat her defender with the ball in her hands as a scorer that has made her even more valuable to the Gee-Gees this year and someone who the play can really run through at any point in the game no matter the situation.