Classic Playmakers

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='486487' first='Kennedy' last='Holman'] (2026) of Hamilton Southeastern High School and [program_tooltip program_id='712550' first='IGB' last=''] GUAA 17U.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past weekend marked the second "live" period of the Spring for women's basketball prospects, as teams traveled all across the country to be evaluated by college coaches of all levels. I spent my weekend in Louisville, Kentucky, at The Classic, an annual event put on by Ohio Basketball. I will have a few follow-up articles, with this one focusing on nine playmakers I saw who I felt needed mentioned. With 41 courts and roughly 500 teams at the event, I wasn't able to see everyone or everyone's entire slate of games, but I tried to see teams I was less familiar with, though there was some overlap.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["692232"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Maddy had a nice overall weekend, capped off by an outstanding game Sunday morning. She has done a tremendous job of developing from a wing, to a true guard, to now a playmaking combo guard who can make point guard plays. She was tremendous in transition, scoring it in a variety of ways, but also doing a really nice job of drawing defenders and finding open teammates through small windows. And she is probably even better as a defender.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["468535"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"When you think about playmaking, usually you think offensively. However, Mariah is one of those kids who if you watch her enough, your mind moves to the defensive end of the floor. She can take over games as a ball hawk, and she did such a thing Sunday morning. Down 16 points, her and her teammates rallied due to their defense, and she was at the center of it all. She caused turnovers, created transition opportunities, and she even knocked down a couple of needed jumpers.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["324078"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Joslyn is one of those kids who has really stood out on a consistent basis all Spring. You can tell there is a level of urgency for her, as she has been dialed in each time I've seen her. She has been an absolute playmaker, whether that be in the halfcourt or in transition, and whether she is looking to score it herself or find open teammates. She has knocked down shots, finished through contact, and found her friends through the smallest of windows.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["511387"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Whether fair or not, Brooklyn has some qualities similar to another McConnell...Indiana Pacer T.J. She is a bit undersized, scrappy, feisty, and whatever other adjective you can come up with in that realm, and she is always around the ball making plays. She has touch outside but can also get into the paint, and she is great at slamming on the brakes, changing speeds, and changing directions with the ball in her hands.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["874332"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Elayni is another smaller guard who I think could make a small college really happy, if they can get past her size and focus on her play. She is long at her height, quick, shifty, and she does a lot of really nice things. She is selfless and is almost looking to give it up first, however, she also has the ability to make open shots when in rhythm. Defensively, she can be a pest, and she uses her quickness and length well together.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["496065"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Mya had a couple of solid outings when I was able to see her, and she is playing with a nice confidence to her game. She is noticeably stronger from a year ago, and she's absorbing contact much better. She is quick, fast, and feisty as well. She does enjoy the highlight play from time to time, but they also aren't necessarily unwarranted. She gets out and goes in transition, tries to make something happen off the bounce, but her touch outside has improved as well.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["486487"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"u0022K.K.u0022 almost seems like a giant on this list, but for good measure, as she has a giant game. She is one of the top 2026 traditional point guards in the country, and she uses her combination of speed, quickness, and length to make plays. She is a creator off the bounce, she enjoys finding open teammates, and she does a nice job of collapsing defenses with her penetration. Defensively, she is quick and feisty on the ball, and she get her hands on a lot of passes.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["567132"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Denell is a really nice talent who I hope college coaches get out to see. She has great length, an athletic frame, and she plays with a lot of athleticism in all directions. She can really score the ball at all three levels, she has touch outside as well, but she can run/create offense for others and really cause problems if defenses pay too much attention to her. She has risen quickly up our rankings, but I think she's still a little under-recruited.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["751103"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"Marley is an incredibly fun-to-watch young guard. She is quick, fast, and constantly on the move, but she also possesses a nice all-around skillset and the ability to make plays for herself or others. She has a good handle, touch from the perimeter, she can get by defenders and attack gaps in the defense, and she can finish with a variety of runners/floaters or find open teammates in positions to score.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":9,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-664d3538d4782"} /-->