Thoughts for Players Attending Individual Showcases

By Michael Wholey 8/21/23 7:00 PM EST   With the travel season over, many players are attending individual showcases hosted by Prep Hoops, Blue Star, SUTS Report, Insider Exposure, Jr. All Stars, [program_tooltip program_id='713654' first='Tampa' last='Thunder'], Roundball Academy, and others. Observing last weekend from the sidelines as the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman Showcase, I had some thoughts to share for players when attending individual showcases.     Tip # 1 - Develop an offhand to handle the ball and finish at the rim   Watching players in the class of 2026 and younger, players with the ability to finish with their left and right hand excel where as players that can only handle the ball and finish with their dominant hand struggle. As players move up levels as they get older, you can not drive left and then try and finish with the right hand and you have to be able to attack off the bounce with both hands and cross over left to right and right to left. If you are a player that struggles in these areas, when working on your ballhandling, always do 2x more reps with your weak hand. When driving and finishing in the paint, make it mandatory to finish with the left hand on the left side and the right hand on the right side. Even for players in 3rd and 4th grade, by forcing yourself to use both hands, it will force you to develop the ability to handle and finish and you will continue to grow more confidence in both areas over time.     Tip # 2 - Find ways to contribute without the ball in your hands   In a showcase, the ball gets stuck in players hands and a lot of players try and go 1v1 often. A player that runs the floor in transition, sets screens and cuts to the rim with purpose really stands out. By doing these things, it shows that you are an unselfish player, you have a high basketball IQ, and it really helps your team with spacing and scoring in transition.     Tip # 3 - Stand out with hustle, energy, competitiveness and activity level   Going a little deeper with tip # 2, a player does not have to score every basket to stand out in a showcase. Players can stand out with hustle, energy, competitiveness, and activity level. This involves diving for loose balls, chasing down rebounds when they are out of area, and showing a strong desire that the score matters, and you want to win and are willing to do little things to help your team win.     Tip # 4 – It's ok to defend   Showcases often consist of players attacking off the bounce and playing a lot of 1v1. There is often not a lot of passing, ball movement or team ball. If you are a willing defender, who gets down in a defensive stance and can keep her player in front of her, out of the paint, off the boards and prevent her from scoring, you will stand out! Being a good defender takes work and college coaches and evaluators are evaluating all aspects of players games, not just offense!     Tip # 5 - Rebound on both ends   Going a little deeper on tip # 5, there are a lot of ways to help your team win besides scoring the basketball. Teams need rebounders, players that will box out, play physical in the paint, and go and get balls for easy put backs off missed shots. Being a good rebounder is often a consistency thing and an effort thing. If a player consistently goes to the boards every possession and plays aggressive, hard, and active, then they will be a good rebounder.     Tip # 6 - Be vocal   Players at showcases often are not familiar with each other and don't often know one another's names. Therefore, showcases are often very quiet. A vocal player will stand out for talking on defense, calling out screens, stopping the ball, and directing traffic. A vocal player that knows her teammates names shows leadership and is very important to college coaches. There is a saying “a quiet gym, is a losing gym” – stand out for being vocal as often it takes on player on a team to get players talking and then it becomes contagious.     Tip # 7 - Be a good teammate   When watching players in a showcase format, you get to evaluate all aspects of their game.  Watching what type of teammate a player is, is much easier in a showcase.  Being an evaluator, I like to watch how players interact with teammates.  Simple things like when a teammate is on the floor, do you help them up? When a player makes a good pass, shot or runs the floor hard, do you slap them five or vocally acknowledge them? When on the bench, do you stay engaged and cheer on your teammates.  These are all things that can help you stand out from other players in a showcase.      Looking ahead, there are a number of showcases set for the fall:   Coming for That Number One Spot   September 9-10, 2023   Estero Recreation Center (9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd,., Estero, FL 33928)   <a href="http://cominforthat1spotbasketballshowcase.blogspot.com/2012/08/comin-for-that-1-spot-basketball.html">http://cominforthat1spotbasketballshowcase.blogspot.com/2012/08/comin-for-that-1-spot-basketball.html</a>     PGH Florida Top 250 Expo   September 23, 2023   Seminole Sports Academy Complex (805 Waterway Place Longwood, FL 32750)   <a href="https://events.prepgirlshoops.com/e/865/register/florida-top-250-expo">https://events.prepgirlshoops.com/e/865/register/florida-top-250-expo</a>     The Show-n-Prove   September 23-24, 2023   The Big House (1544 Lane Park Cutoff Rd., Tavares, FL 32778)   <a href="https://www.roundballacademy.com/page/show/2754255-show-n-prove-showcase-2021">https://www.roundballacademy.com/page/show/2754255-show-n-prove-showcase-2021</a>     ENG Power 80 Showcase   October 8, 2023   Embry Riddle University (1 Aerospace Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114)     If you plan on attending any of these showcases, use these tips to help stand out from others at the event.     Michael Wholey is the lead scout for Florida Prep Girls Hoop Florida and a former division one Assistant Coach at American University, University of Memphis, and Georgia Tech. Wholey and the rest of the Prep Girls Hoop staff, seek to cover the entire state of player, keeping subscribers up to date with player evaluations, recruiting info, and statewide news. Our audience often supplies us with some of our best information. If you have any information on players, teams, or statewide news in the state of Florida, emailing Michael Wholey at WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com or DM him through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.

By Michael Wholey 8/21/23 7:00 PM EST