Midwest Summer Showcase Review

July 20-22, Westfield, Indiana, was once again the scene for a USJN event, however this time it was their 7th Annual Midwest Summer Showcase. With the tournament running throughout the week, it was a smaller field, but there were still several quality teams/programs from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and West Virginia. As the Senior Editor for PGH Indiana, I am seeking out Hoosierland teams at events, however when I come across anyone from the Midwest who stands out, I like to highlight them when possible. Below is a look at ten young ladies from Illinois who caught my attention during the opportunity I had to see them this week.   [player_tooltip player_id="123417" first="Stephanie" last="Dasbach"], 2021, 6-1 C, Willowbrook H.S. I was really impressed with Stephanie each time I was able to see her this week. She has a very long, wiry strong frame, she runs the floor North/South well, and she plays with a good motor. While she could probably still use some strength, she doesn't shy away from contact and does a nice job of being physical when the game demands it. She can score it with her back to the basket, she also showed a capable face-up game in the mid-post, but I also really liked her pursuit of rebounds at both ends, plus her ability to be a quality help-side defender who blocked or altered many shots. Kelsey Dwyer, 2021, 5-11 CF, Amos Alonzo Stagg H.S. Kelsey is a little on the thin side of things right now, but she seemed like a quietly tough-minded kid who tried to be physical at times. I'm still not sure what to think of her position-wise, as one game she was posting more often then not, but another game she was floating around the perimeter hunting and burying jump-shots. She has tremendous length, fluid athleticism, and a solid motor. Ultimately, I think she's probably more of a face-up '4' who can become a small forward with a little more explosiveness and work on making her handle more dynamic in tight spaces. I do like her upside a lot, though. Madyson Hill, 2021, 5-11 CF, Vandalia H.S. Madyson is another inside-out forward who continues to put together nice strings of games this Summer. She is a wiry strong, fluid, and somewhat smooth athlete with great length. She is incredibly active around the basket and comes up with a lot of loose balls, plus she rebounds outside of her area. I also like her ability to score it in the mid-post or drive it to the rim from there equally well. She is just a versatile, athletic, energy type of forward who can probably play a variety of roles for a high-level small college program or possibly a few Division-I programs. She is certainly intriguing, to say the least. [player_tooltip player_id="123595" first="Madison" last="Lovett"], 2021, 5-6 PG, North Clay H.S. I have seen Madison a number of times, but this week was the most I think I've liked her game. She is tough-nosed, much more physical than her wiry strong frame looks, plus she has some feistiness to her game as well. She can turn the corner and attack the basket with aggression, but she's also a capable perimeter shooter who needs very little space. She has good quickness, she's active defensively both on and off the ball, plus she rebounds her position reasonably well. I think she's a really nice, versatile, scoring point guard who should draw her share of interest. [player_tooltip player_id="123412" first="Talia" last="Pellegrini"], 2021, 5-7 SG, St. Charles North H.S. I first saw Talia last June at a showcase event, then again in July at a tournament. Now watching her once more this Summer, she looks stronger, much more assertive, and she is playing at a very high level. She takes care of the basketball, she can occasionally slide over and initiate the offense, but she's a very good shooter who needs very little space to get rhythm and bury shots from the perimeter. I really like her motor, her basketball IQ, and her teamwork, as she's always communicating with teammates during dead balls. I think she's the type of skilled "culture" kid all coaches hope to find. [player_tooltip player_id="123613" first="Haley" last="Stoklosa"], 2021, 6-0 CF, Lincoln-Way Central H.S. I think Haley is a really nice ballplayer right now, but I think she can continue to improve each year in college. She has a long, wiry strong, broad-shouldered frame. She looks like she plays somewhat physical already, but she can definitely use a little more strength. She is programmed as a scorer, and when she catches it she looks to drive and/or shoot immediately. She is a capable perimeter shooter, a really nice North/South driver, and she absorbs contact reasonably well and draws repeated trips to the free throw line. I think she's more of a face-up '4', especially defensively. Bralee Trice, 2021, 5-9 CG, Moline H.S. Bralee is a really nice athlete who I have commented on before. She has an athletically strong frame, she is a nice open-floor athlete in transition, plus she can break down defenders in the half-court and finish with a variety of lay-ups, floaters, and pull-ups. Bralee can knock down the occasional 3-pointer, and her mechanics seem solid, but I'd like to see her make that part of her game a bit more consistent. She could also tighten her handle just a bit, but you aren't going to just 'D' her up and take the ball from her. I think she is a really nice scorer who can also slide over and play point from time to time. Kenzie Weiler, 2022, 5-5 PG, Richland County H.S. Kenzie isn't very big, and she even has a fairly slender frame, but she is long for her height, she has good speed and quickness, plus she plays with the right amount of feistiness/toughness for a player her size. When she is on the ball, she is good at turning the corner and darting through gaps to get into the heart of the defense. She is a willing passer, but she can finish as well. When she plays off the ball, she has a solid jump-shot at 20-feet, but I'd like to see if she can eventually stretch her range as she gets stronger. She is a really nice little ballplayer who does a lot of things well. [player_tooltip player_id="160135" first="Trinity" last="Tingley"], 2023, 5-4 PG, Paris H.S. Trinity is certainly a fun-to-watch little guard. She is tough-nosed, gritty, and feisty, she plays with a great deal of energy, and she is very active at both ends of the floor. She has some strength for her size, she'll break down defenders/defenses off the dribble and get into the lane, plus she's a willing and capable passer. Trinity also shoots a good ball from deep, and she can really put pressure on defenses with that, combined with her quickness. I also think she does a really nice job of mixing it up defensively, whether she is on the ball or playing the passing lanes. Kloe Froebe, 2024, 5-8 CG, Lincoln Community H.S. Monday was my first time ever seeing Kloe, and she was really good at both ends of the floor. She has tremendous length, she's a smooth and fluid athlete, and she just knifes through defenses seemingly effortlessly. She is a nice ball-handler, a consistent shooter from the perimeter, but I think what will ultimately determine her positioning as a recruit will be how she develops as an on-ball defender long-term. I think she has the potential to grow another couple of inches as well. She definitely showed skill, ability, and great upside to continue developing her game these next four years.