Hot Shooting at the Classic

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='1122876' first='Bella' last='Thomas'] (2025) of Evansville's William Henry Harrison High School and [program_tooltip program_id='712550' first='IGB' last='']-Gesell 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 seven ladies who shot it well when I was able to see them. 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":["496043"],"_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":"Lauren is an extremely long, wiry, very active wing guard who has a knack for making tough shots and shots with deep range. She is one of those kids who you wouldn't want to play H-O-R-S-E against. She has great touch, a quick release, and she's a lefty, making her a little rarer to defend off the bounce. She is using the dribble more and attacking the basket, plus she uses her length well to cause issues defensively.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["295787"],"_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":"Gabby is a little different type of shooter on this list, as she uses the dribble quite a bit to get defenders off-balance and create space for her jumper. She is quick and shifty, strong, and she uses that strength to extend her range. She heated up Sunday morning in their game and hit a couple of big shots late for them. She is also a solid point guard prospect and willing passer, but it's her perimeter shooting that stands out.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1122876' first='Bella' last='Thomas']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'7u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Evansville Harrison","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='712550' first='IGB' last='']-Gesell","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Bella had a couple of nice games when I was able to see her, and in the portions I saw, it seemed like she  was consistently burying shots from the outside. She has a strong frame, broad shoulders, and she's a fairly physical wing guard. She will rebound her position, she defends her position with physicality, plus she absorbs contact well when she attacks the basket. She is a nice North/South driver who can score at the basket.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["692241"],"_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":"Addi was playing her first weekend with this [program_tooltip program_id='712574' first='Indy' last='Magic'] group and seemed to fit in pretty seamlessly. She is a nice all-around athlete, she has some speed and quickness, and she is versatile skillfully. She can handle it a little, run offense from time to time, but she is also a very good perimeter shooter. She has nice mechanics, and each time she shoots it you feel like it's going in. I was also impressed with her toughness and hustle.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["885381"],"_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":"Lydia came out Sunday morning on fire, knocking down her first four 3-pointers, most of which were from college distance. She has a nice stroke, she likes to u0022hideu0022 on the wing or in the deep corner, but she is also a solid all-around athlete who can put it on the floor and create offense for herself or others. She has really nice balance to her game and will look to build upon a 2023-2024 season in which she averaged 9.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["751062"],"_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":"Grace is going to be a really nice ballplayer for a long time. She will eventually need to get stronger, but she is an extremely long, fluid, and smooth wing with touch outside. I like that she's trying to be physical and put it on the floor, and if she keeps that up and makes her handle even more dynamic, she's going to be an outstanding scorer for Waldron once that strength comes...plus she might keep growing. She definitely has a high ceiling.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["751071"],"_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":"I haven't done any sort of research or anything, but based on FCHS stats, there must be more hoops in driveways in Franklin, Indiana, because of the way it seems like each of the Grizzly Cubs shoots the ball. Izzy is the next in line to step up for Franklin Community. She is quick, fast, and feisty, but she is also a heady ballplayer and a very good perimeter shooter when she's able to get her feet set. Look for her to take on a much bigger role next season.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-664e8d70efd64"} /-->