CAGERS INVITE: A Mighty Young Forward

The 2025 Cagers Invitational was a great experience again this year. 26 different travel clubs attended with college coaches from D2, NAIA, D3, and JUCO programs recruiting both days. There was comprehensive live media coverage both days by LBI and PGH at the tournament, with 20 hours of in-court coverage by PGH this weekend! The attending teams truly received the best possible tournament coverage at the event–every 2029-2026 team was evaluated and watched this weekend. Nearly 60 prospects will be included in my post-tournament write-ups this week, with nearly half being written about for the very first time. That's what Prep Girls Hoops Michigan is all about–discovering new prospects from every club in the state who have the potential to play college basketball at any level. The Cagers Invitational is the perfect exposure tournament for most teams in the state. The organization, staff, format, and competition are terrific. I will continue to support it annually, and I hope to see independent travel clubs take advantage of this great event in 2026! Coming to this tournament gives your players a great chance to put their best abilities on display in front of college scouts, coaches, and trusted media sources. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2025/05/cagers-invitational-2025-preview/">Why Should My Club Attend?</a>   Here are several forwards who caught my eye during their games at the Cagers Invitational.    Vanessa had a solid showing for Macon 6 Basketball 2028 National at the Cagers Invitational. She converted layups and drained a confident wing three with balance off the catch. Vanessa swished back-to-back free throws with a wrist-snapping follow-through, and is a player I'm looking forward to seeing more in the future.     Colbie put her next-level potential on full display with [program_tooltip program_id='714458' first='Michigan' last='Cobras'] at the Cagers Invitational. Her length, mobility, toughness, strength, ability to handle the ball with both hands, finishing touch, aggressive rebounding, and defensive instincts resulted in a dominant 14-point performance in her final game. She blocked shots, scored offensive rebound put-backs off two feet, and drove the length of the court to score a breakaway layup. Colbie beat her defender with a swift baseline drive and caused the defense to foul. Earlier in the tourney, Colbie swiped the ball away and motored down the court to score a strong and-one layup late in the game, then knocked down her free throw. Colbie looks on track to be a heavily targeted prospect in this class.     Kaela was a strong interior presence for [program_tooltip program_id='1239167' first='MWA' last='Queens'] at the Cagers Invitational. Her face-up game was an area of strength as Kaela drove hard downhill to score layups and get to the free-throw line. She scored transition buckets off two feet, converted free throws, and added a powerful offensive rebound put-back in traffic. Kaela's mobility, length, and finishing ability make her a solid two-way prospect.     Karis used her height and strength to leave a good impression at the Cagers Invitational with the [program_tooltip program_id='1239167' first='MWA' last='Queens']. She battled to secure offensive rebounds, scored put-backs, and finished layups off two around the basket. Karis walls up on defense to disrupt shots and will be a forward I look forward to seeing more of in the future.     Riley is a competitive forward with potential, and she gave [program_tooltip program_id='1244063' first='Great' last='Lakes Grind'] 2027 a spark at the Cagers Invitational. She closed out quickly to block a shot and was a reliable rebounding presence. Riley chipped in multiple layups in the paint and worked hard to keep the ball in front of her on defense.     Nadia had an impressive weekend for [program_tooltip program_id='1244063' first='Great' last='Lakes Grind'] 2027 at the Cagers Invitational. She scored several shots in the paint off two feet and was confident finishing with both hands. Nadia pinned her defender twice with a strong seal to catch and score a high-handed layup off two feet. She maximized her height by keeping the ball high and out of reach around the rim. Nadia secured rebounds with a determined effort and was a hidden gem that emerged during the tournament.     Qimara played with a competitive fire with [program_tooltip program_id='713067' first='Michigan' last='Lady Playmakers'] that caught my attention at the Cagers Invitational. She communicated on defense, worked tirelessly to pursue rebounds on both ends, deflected passes, blocked shots, and drove fearlessly towards the basket. Qimara used a crossover to create separation from her defender and pushed the ball in top gear to force a foul on her path to the rim. She knocked down multiple free throws and showed her toughness by coming back after an injury. Qimara has the edge and passion you look for in a next-level prospect.     Evah backed up her high ranking with a strong showing for [program_tooltip program_id='712670' first='Michigan' last='Storm Elite GUAA'] 2028 at the Cagers Invitational. Her aggressive instincts, relentless hustle, and athleticism combined to create an obvious advantage on both ends. She outmuscled opponents and wrestled the ball away to secure offensive rebounds. Evah scored put-backs, forced steals with her on-ball pressure, and jumped passing lanes. She pushed the ball with pace in transition to score a layup with her left hand and emphatically blocked a shot with both hands in the paint.     Lucy is Michigan's top forward prospect in the 2028 class, and she provided plenty of material to support that ranking at the Cagers Invitational. She averaged 16.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.1 steals, two blocks, and shot 62% from the field as the team finished 5-0. Lucy faced athletic 6-foot defenders in her final game and elevated her play to meet the challenge. Lucy used a jab to freeze her defender on the perimeter, accelerated with her dribble, then scored an acrobatic high-pick-up eurostep layup through contact. She showed her perimeter shooting range, stepping out to drain a straightaway triple. Lucy swiped the ball away on defense, raced up the left sideline, and crossed in front of her defender to score with her right hand, preventing the possibility of a block. She scored another nifty eurostep layup off the glass using long strides and was a menace on the defensive end. Lucy walled up to contest shots, blocked many, and used her long arms to disrupt passing lanes. Lucy used effective pivots to score inside and was an offensive rebound put-back machine. The PGH Freshman Showcase, high school, and travel games have provided enough evidence to support that Lucy has the measurables and fundamental development to be evaluated for a potential offer by every LM to MM D1 and D2 in Michigan.

The 2025 Cagers Invitational was a great experience again this year. 26 different travel clubs attended with college coaches from D2, NAIA, D3, and JUCO programs recruiting both days. There was comprehensive live media coverage both days by LBI and PGH at the tournament, with 20 hours of in-court coverage by PGH this weekend! The attending teams truly received the best possible tournament coverage at the event–every 2029-2026 team was evaluated and watched this weekend. Nearly 60 prospects will be included in my post-tournament write-ups this week, with nearly half being written about for the very first time. That's what Prep Girls Hoops Michigan is all about–discovering new prospects from every club in the state who have the potential to play college basketball at any level. The Cagers Invitational is the perfect exposure tournament for most teams in the state. The organization, staff, format, and competition are terrific. I will continue to support it annually, and I hope to see independent travel clubs take advantage of this great event in 2026! Coming to this tournament gives your players a great chance to put their best abilities on display in front of college scouts, coaches, and trusted media sources. Why Should My Club Attend?