Buckeye Breakdown – 15U Saturday Standouts: Part I

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Writer's Note for Parents: </strong>If you do not see your child or her team featured on this 2023 Buckeye Breakdown list, please contact your coach and ask why they did not submit a roster to prepgirlshoops.com for the Columbus event. Thank you. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='605505' first='Haley' last='Holcomb'], [program_tooltip program_id='713075' first='Artic' last='Rush Basketball Club'] 2026 Blue (Class of 2027), G, 5-7 </strong>- The aspect of this kid's game that caught my eye immediately was her feel for defense at such a young age. You usually don't see kids who already understand the defensive game this well, this young. Still, Holcomb shows a strong affinity towards getting down in her stance and going to work against her defender. Sure, Kentucky has some of the toughest players in the state and has its share of standup players up and down the rankings, but Holcomb looks like she's ready to keep up with some of the big names of the Blue Grass State. On Saturday, she showed off her length and the fact that she understands how to use it to her advantage. She drove her assignments into some pretty much inescapable spots on the court. Then, she used her quick hands to generate a steal or to poke the ball away as her teammate completed the theft. She's fast with her hands and feet. Sure, she's still developing her offensive game, but thanks to the fact she can play defense, she will be on the court enough to be able to do just over the next five five years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='376798' first='Emma' last='Clinger'], [program_tooltip program_id='713075' first='Artic' last='Rush Basketball Club'] Blue 2026, F, 6-1 </strong>- She understands the game of defense really well. She stays on her defender and does a good job of taking away what her opponent does best. Also, she has a good deal for blocking and rebounding. With a 4.0 GPA, she's only going to keep getting better on offense. Offensive game needs a little more development, but like the Holcomb, she'll be on the floor because of the way she plays defense, so she will be able to work on her defensive game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kayla Herron, Midwest Elite EYBL 2026 (Class of 2027) </strong>- She's a quick point guard who has a great burst of speed of the dribble with her first step. Once she's by her defender, she scores a multitude of different ways at the basket. She hits jump shots and when those aren't falling she uses her long and lanky frame to shoot hard-to-reach layups. Best of all with her, if her play isn't there, she pulls out and resets the offense in an effort to get her team a new look, whether it is for her or her teammates. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alina Overman, [program_tooltip program_id='712480' first='Dayton' last='Metro'] 2026 Williams, SG, 5-7 </strong>– What do you call a young lady who has great basketball instinct on the court? Alina Overman. Seriously. She really looks at home when she's out on the hardwood. Whether she's just comfortable trusting what her eyes see, or she's a true student of the game, coaches should feel good when she's out on the basketball court. The thing I like the most about her is she's not afraid to put her body on the line if the risk is worth the reward. I watched her go two-on-one against two [program_tooltip program_id='712782' first='Richmond' last='Heat'] players Saturday morning and not only did she get the shot up, but she nearly made it. Add her nice passing and solid moves down low, and coaches, especially at the NAIA and D-III, D-II levels should be excited to get this girl on campus.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lauren Belcher, [program_tooltip program_id='712478' first='Dayton' last='Lady Hoopstars'], SG, 5-7</strong> - Belcher makes a fearless basketball player - one capable of doing what needs to be done by taking some tough or great shots. For Real. There aren't a lot of shots inside the arc not within her arsenal. She can finish in a multitude of ways. She can drive down the lane for a bucket, hit the short hopper, or bounce outside for a quick midrange jumper. Also, this kid is full of energy and is always all over the court causing steals or deflecting passes. Also, she does a good job of keeping her deflections inbounds for steals for her teammates. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->