David Barnes Showcase: Kids that you love to have on your team

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today, I had the honor to watch 100 boys and girls play in a fundraiser showcase in honor of David Barnes. David was a fierce competitor on the basketball court for Goodrich High School and Grand Valley State, yet his greatest fight was sinus cancer. Unfortunately, David lost his battle with cancer at the age of 30; still, cancer did not get the final word as David's legacy carries on in this event and in an eponymous scholarship. While you read my humble thoughts on the day, I also hope that you will consider being part of this showcase in the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='424590' first='Merrick' last='Schwalbach'] | 2025 Stoney Creek | 5'6 CG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This kid is an energizer bunny. Her day can be summed up by a series early in her first game. She turned a steal into a layup, grabbed a defensive rebound and took it coast to coast, brought the ball up off a stop on the next possession and did a drive and dump for a layup, and finished with another steal into a fast break layup, where she was hammered on a no call but got her own rebound for a finish. Her non stop energy was contagious.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Keira Roehm | 2026 Saline | 5'6 SG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've written in the past what a deadly shooter Keira is; today was not her day from deep. Too many kids keep shooting hoping to catch fire; very few kids will change their attack to find a way to be productive- Keira is one of those few. She attacked off the dribble and made smart decisions on when to finish and when to kick. It's crazy that a kid so young shows so much maturity on the court. In addition to still providing an offensive punch, Keira defended well, even when posted up by bigger players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='336000' first='Damaya' last='Hartwick'] | 2025 Flushing | 5' PG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pick and Roll is a major part of the NBA game but a part of the high school game that isn't used effectively. Players rarely roll to the basket, and ball handlers rarely see the roll when it happens. Damaya showed a commendable patience today in the PNR. She directed traffic and got the ball to the rollers for easy buckets with near flawless accuracy on her passes. She even had the top play of the day when she buried a three at the buzzer to send her team into overtime (where they won in sudden death).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='281847' first='Ryann' last='Pawlaczyk'] | 2024 Lake Orion | 5'9 Post</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The day started off rough for Ryann, but she shook it off and ended up having a very productive day. Too many kids would have let the bad start derail them, but Ryann plays with a calmness that every team needs. She hit open three pointers, ran in transition for open buckets, and posted up smaller players. She is just one of those blue collar kids that takes what the defense gives without hijacking possessions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='375849' first='Isabel' last='Wotlinski'] | 2025 Lake Orion | 5'9 Wing</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I love kids that know how to cut to the basket. It's a lost art to too many players; Isabel just isn't one of those players. She moves with a purpose on both sides of the ball. She rebounds out of her area and makes the connecting pass. She seemed willing to sacrifice her stats for team success. She is a kid that you love to play alongside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->