I-35 Showcase OKC: Standouts
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I was lucky enough to be invited to the I-35 Showcase this past weekend at The Hive in Edmond and I had a great time watching some tremendous athletes show off their skills. Though I’m going to start with this…
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Continue ReadingI was lucky enough to be invited to the I-35 Showcase this past weekend at The Hive in Edmond and I had a great time watching some tremendous athletes show off their skills. Though I’m going to start with this piece about the five athletes who really just jumped out at me, there will be pieces coming all week long about some of the top seniors, some of the top scorers, and so much more. Thank you to everyone at the I-35 Showcase for putting on a great event for the female athletes of Oklahoma and congrats to all of the athletes who came out and caught the eye of the college coaches in attendance.
At a showcase like this where there are a lot of kids who have come out to try to impress scouts and coaches, it can be very hard to standout. Somehow, Essence always makes sure that she stands out. I mark it down in my notes as the fact that she has that “wants it” factor. It doesn’t matter if she’s playing for her school, her club, or this team that was thrown together the night before the event, she wants to win and she is going to do what’s best for her team. She has a plethora of ways to finish inside and is virtually unstoppable when she decides it’s time to get a bucket. I’ve seen her work within her school/coach’s system too, and she can definitely be a traditional point guard when called upon. But, there’s no need to limit her slashing ability. When you need a bucket (and who doesn’t?), Essence will get you one, guaranteed.
Because the 2025 class in Oklahoma is one of the most loaded classes of talent that we have ever seen, it can be hard to stand out at times. I’ve heard recently that there are some D-I players who have been lost in the shuffle because there is just too much talent. I first saw Emerie at the Super16 where she even managed to stand out there amongst her peers. Nowadays, she can shoot the lights out, still. She has unbelievable handles, outstanding confidence with the ball in her hands, and she just makes the right basketball play at the right time. If she isn’t loaded up with (at least) D-II offers, then I don’t know what I’m missing here. Somebody call me or DM me and tell me I don’t know what I’m doing, I guess.
The theme of the day with a lot of the point guards was probably them trying to do too much. What makes Sarahi stand out is her ability to read the defense and take what’s given. Yes, she can drive to the basket and score it. She can do that to the point where it leaves the photographer (me) lost when she fakes the pass and then leaves even other parents with their mouths agape when she scores it. But, she can also slow it down when she needs to. She can read things. The ability to play at multiple speeds was hard to find in a lot of point guards on Saturday and Beltran had it down! If you need a point guard that can do it all, she is the one. Trust me!
Highlights
One of the things I really enjoy about the I-35 Showcase is the opportunity to watch the athletes perform in individual drills prior to scrimmaging with their temporary teams. Kylie really stood out in the individual drills with not only her ability to score it in the one-on-one portion, but her ability to defend the same. She is a really hard-nosed player and it greatly benefits her in those individual battles. Come game time, it was great to see how much it benefits her team, as well. She has the ability to shut down her opponent while filling up the scoreboard. She had one 20 point game and definitely was a scoring standout in the others. She is unafraid to drive hard to the basket and once that gets the defenders on their heels, she showed a sweet jumpshot from behind the arc.
Highlights
Grace showed off an incredible range of skills in both the individual drills and in game action. She is a strong guard who knows how to use her body well when it comes to the one-on-one battles for position. She is deceptively quick and does a really good job of creating space for her shot which is, fluid, smooth, nice, pretty… I don’t know, I’m out of adjectives. She has a great three-point shot and she is just a tremendous all-around player. She is on a great high school team and is only going to get better and better as she is only a 2026. I’m telling you to get your Grace Jackson Grace Jackson 5’7″ | CG Edmond North | 2026 State OK stock right now because this player has fully transitioned into prospect status!