Top Players from the David Barnes Showcase

<!-- 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 {"style":{"typography":{"fontStyle":"normal","fontWeight":"700"}},"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:700">Top Players</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='189306' first='Liv' last='Linden'] | 2023 Hartland | 5'7 PG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Liv played like she wanted to win the MVP award and was not disappointed. She terrorized defenders as she bullied, euro-stepped, and spun her way to acrobatic layups. Her layups and passing showed flair and creativity, which included a no look, cross body transition pass for a layup followed by a behind the back bounce pass for a layup. It is obvious that she has put the work in on her outside shooting as she showed consistency and range, including two near volleyball line makes, on her three ball. The few times the defense kept her from splitting double teams ended in pull up jumpers with a soft touch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='244229' first='Sarah' last='Laprairie'] | 2024 Stoney Creek | 5'7 CG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another dominating guard that showcased a vast array of skills. Sarah combined strong drives to the basket for a variety of layups and three point makes. She has a nice head fake and a fake pass into euro-step. Despite being at a showcase with amazing players, I only saw a couple of kids that consistently boxed out- Sarah was one of those players. She defended the ball well, especially denying shooters, and spent a lot of the day turning mistakes into transition looks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='424155' first='Alison' last='Farr'] | 2025 Howell | 5'5 PG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Relentless is the best descriptor for Alison. She is an intense, in your face defender that terrorizes ball handlers. She is a scrappy guard that fights for rebounds and drives without hesitation. She has a scorer's mentality and has legitimate three point range. She even posted smaller girls. One of the highest energy kids at the showcase.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='230802' first='Sela' last='Lefler'] | 2023 North Farmington | 5'6 PG</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Teamed up with [player_tooltip player_id='244229' first='Sarah' last='Laprairie'] to create a terrorizing duo. Sela has a knack for finding open spots for drives and for cuts. She makes the most of her opportunities and is a consistent three point threat, especially in catch and shoot situations. She is a high energy defender and did not take plays off. She's definitely a kid to watch this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->