Top Performers From Monday & Tuesday
While I realize it’s a few days late, I’m finally off the road temporarily with a little time to put my thoughts onto “paper”. The USJN Premier Showcase at the Pacers Athletic Complex in Westfield, Indiana, along with the Nike…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWhile I realize it’s a few days late, I’m finally off the road temporarily with a little time to put my thoughts onto “paper”. The USJN Premier Showcase at the Pacers Athletic Complex in Westfield, Indiana, along with the Nike Tournament of Champions (Session #1) at the Indianapolis Convention Center, hosted some of the state’s, Midwest’s, and nation’s best teams and prospects July 5-8. While I typically stick to Indiana content, there were many players from other states who stood out to me throughout the week, so below are ten individuals from outside of Indiana who I felt played well in Monday’s and Tuesday’s action when I was able to see them.
Azzi Fudd, 2021, 5-11 CG, Saint John’s College H.S. (DC)
The nation’s top 2021 prospect was on full display at the USJN Premier Showcase earlier this week. She has an athletic frame with good length, she moves well in all directions, and she can dominate games whenever she wants. I was certainly impressed with her ability to use her body to shield off defenders, get inside the arc, and pull up for mid-range jumpers. But I was equally impressed with her steady pace and willingness to find open teammates consistently. Her versatility will also come in handy, being able to score at all three levels, but also being able to defend just about any type of perimeter player. She remains uncommitted, but she can obviously choose any school she wants.
Marie Kiefer
Marie
Kiefer
6'2" | C
Bishop Brossart | 2021
State
KY
, 2021, 6-3 PF/C, Bishop Brossart H.S. (KY)
I know Kaiya Wynn (2021-TN) and
Brooklynn Miles
Brooklynn
Miles
5'6" | PG
Franklin County | 2021
State
#48
Nation
KY
(2021-KY) have the biggest names on this Kentucky Premier roster, but I felt like Marie stood out to me in each game they played. She is a long, fluid athlete, and while she could definitely stand to get stronger, she doesn’t shy away from contact and plays the right way. Marie plays with a great motor, she rim-runs very well, and she can catch and finish in transition. She also has a solid all-around skillset in the half-court, plus she has some shooting touch in the mid-post. I would like to see her shoot it outside, and I think that’s a part of her game that can definitely be developed.
Emma Shumate
Emma
Shumate
6'1" | SG
Newark | 2021
State
#90
Nation
OH
, 2021, 6-1 SF/SG, Newark H.S. (OH)
I’ve seen Emma each year since she was an incoming Freshman, and she has really turned into a nice wing prospect for the next level. She is a tall, long, and fluidly athletic wing, she can really shoot it from the perimeter, and with range, plus she can glide to the basket and finish or create for others. She is a tough kid who absorbs contact well for her build, plus she can be very competitive, almost chippy at times, and she doesn’t mind mixing it up inside. She has already committed to West Virginia University, and I think she’ll make a tremendous wing at the next level, especially if she can continue gaining strength.
Lexus Bargesser
Lexus
Bargesser
5'8" | PG
Grass Lake | 2022
State
MI
, 2022, 5-8 PG, Grass Lake H.S. (MI)
When I first saw Lexus at the end of July last Summer, she was this thin, unassuming kid who didn’t look like much at all. Then she flat out took over each game in Cincinnati, controlling tempo, scoring at will, and making several incredible passes to open teammates. Now, she looks noticeably stronger, still somewhat thin, but she takes on contact much better. She is a really nice athlete, she has great ball skill, and while girls like
Ruby Whitehorn
Ruby
Whitehorn
6'0" | PG
Detroit Edison | 2022
State
#20
Nation
MI
(2022-MI),
Mya Petticord
Mya
Petticord
5'9" | PG
Arbor Prep | 2022
State
#33
Nation
MI
(2022-MI), and
Abbey Kimball
Abbey
Kimball
5'10" | PG
Grand Rapids West Catholic | 2022
State
#63
Nation
MI
(2022-MI) draw the attention in her class, and rightfully so, Lexus could be someone who flies under the radar and ends up having an outstanding college career.
Justine Pissott, 2022, 6-3 CF, Red Bank Catholic H.S. (NJ)
Justine had a good week, but it was her matchup against the Indiana Elite Thunder team that stood out to me. She was absolutely on fire in the first half, burying 3-pointer after 3-pointer, and with deep range. She showed as much versatility and aggression in that game as I saw in the three Philly Belles games I caught. Justine is a long, wiry strong, and tall forward who can fill it up from the perimeter, but she’s also tremendously skilled in the mid-post. She’s strong enough to battle some inside, but I’d want her facing the basket for sure. She also showed a capable handle, bringing it up on occasion in transition and attacking the basket from the arc.
Lauren Sollom
Lauren
Sollom
PF
Hartland | 2022
State
MI
, 2022, 6-1 SF, Hartland H.S. (MI)
I mentioned Lauren a little over a week ago, but I thought she was even better on Monday. She had a couple of finishes in transition where she was running full speed, “long-jumped”, and in full extension finished with her non-dominant hand at the basket. She showed off a half-hook, a nice floater in the lane, plus she had one stretch where she played as determined as ever and took over a portion of that game. She is just so athletically gifted, long, wiry strong, and bouncy. Add to that her ability to handle the ball some and knock down open rhythm jumpers, and I think she is a really nice Division-I prospect.
Breezie Williams
Breezie
Williams
5'6" | PG
Glen Oak | 2022
State
OH
, 2022, 5-3 PG, GlenOak H.S. (OH)
One of the most entertaining types of players is the little, water-bug style of point guard who plays with a nonstop motor. Breezie was certainly that and more in the game I saw. She is extremely quick/fast, she has great balance and change of direction, plus she’s long for her height and somewhat bouncy. She was an absolute pain for her opponent, causing havoc defensively, but also dissecting the defense offensively and finding open teammates. She will certainly be a “fit” kid because of her size, but make no mistake about it, this girl is a playmaker at both ends of the floor.
Emily Ytsen, 2022, 6-0 CF, James B. Conant H.S. (IL)
Tuesday was my second time seeing Emily this Summer, and I was even more impressed with her this time around. She is a long, wiry strong, and fairly fluid athlete. But what she showed me this week was her ability to bury shot after shot from 3-point range. My initial impression of her was that she could become a really nice face-up ’4’, but her performance Tuesday only solidified that for me. She did play in the mid-post a lot, on the black a little, but it was her touch outside that stood out the most. I like her motor and willingness to be physical, but again, I think she’s a nice face-up ’4’ at the next level.
Leena Patibandla
Leena
Patibandla
6'1" | CG
Massillon Jackson | 2023
State
OH
, 2023, 6-0 PF, Massillon Jackson H.S. (OH)
Leena’s team is very balanced, especially their starting five, but I was intrigued by her makeup and potential for college. She is an extremely long, wiry strong, and active front-liner. She is fluid in all directions and very bouncy, which allows her to make plays at both ends of the floor. She is more of a rebounder/defender type of role player right now, and she blocked several shots, but I think as she gets stronger and continues developing her skillset, she will become a mid-post forward. She is certainly a physical talent who just needs to continue improving her offensive skillset.
Sarah Rambus, 2023, 6-4 PF/C, Flushing H.S. (MI)
This kid continues to impress, and Monday offered me a great opportunity to watch her against a pair of tall peers, as the Indiana Elite Prime team she faced has a 6-4 2023 and a 6-3 2023, both built similarly to her. By the end of the game, Sarah was noticeably the best of those three on the floor, and it wasn’t close. Sarah is long, fluid, and bouncy, she has a wiry strong frame that should continue to get stronger, and she plays with nice motor for a girl her height. Additionally, she has enough skill with her back to the basket, plus some face-up skill in the mid-post. She’ll need to continue developing that skillset and make it more instinctual, but she is definitely a really nice talent who I’m sure many schools will be recruiting very soon.