Day 2: Underclassmen Playing Well at Roses Classic

Through two days, the underclassmen from Indiana have been playing very well, hoping for any and all attention from college coaches at this point. I've seen it from rising Juniors all the way down to rising Freshmen. Below is a look at seven 2027s, 2028s, and 2029s from Day 2's action who stepped up when I had the chance to see them in action.   .    I saw Alanna in the Spring, and she was solid. But after watching her with her Fishers team in June, then again these last couple of days in Louisville, she has taken another step and is becoming a problem for opponents. She is so strong and overpowering now, plus she's still athletic in transition. She is an aggressive rebounder, and she keeps opportunities alive for her team. She has a nice mid-post offensive game, and she is extremely tough & physical inside.     Courtney is always one of the hardest workers in the gym, so it is to no one's surprise that she produces at the level she does. In addition, she has length, wiry strength, and some bounce in her step. She plays with great balance and does a little of everything well. She can handle, run offense, or create and find teammates. She has improved her perimeter shot, but she can also attack downhill and finish through contact. Finally, Courtney is a plus-defender.     Gracie has been a key piece for this [program_tooltip program_id='716173' first='Always' last='100'] 15U squad. She is a strong-for-her-age point guard who plays with a veteran's savvy. She doesn't get panicked by pressure, she can distribute the ball and get it to the open teammate, plus she is a capable shooter/scorer herself and can keep defenses honest. I feel like she's one of those players who will always be steady and help her teams win because of it. She specifically helps keep this group calm.     Ava recently switched to this 16U team and has made an instant impact based on what I saw yesterday. She has nice length, she looks like she has gotten stronger, plus she is steady, heady, and smooth with the ball. More importantly, she is shooting it much better from the perimeter and hit both a wing 3-pointer and stepped into a 3-pointer while pushing in transition. Based on genetics, she might also have another couple of inches to grow.     Friday was my first time seeing Leyla play, and she is a very intriguing prospect who has some real upside. She is extremely long, athletically built, and she looks like a nice athlete out in transition. She doesn't necessarily have a niche yet; she is just a ballplayer who does a little of everything to contribute. She will defend & rebound, she is probably more of an attacker right now offensively, but she does play hard and make athletic plays for her team.     I first saw Emersyn about a week and a half ago at a workout, and while she was solid there, some kids are just more comfortable when they are with their own teams. Yesterday she looked dialed in, aggressive, and strong with the ball. She ran offense most often, but she also showed the quickness and ability to get to the basket and finish, plus she knocked down a couple of rhythm jumpers. She'll be one to watch in this still very young 2029 class.     Cora is definitely a prospect to keep an eye on in the 2029 class, but she still has a lot of room to grow & continue building her game, so her best days could be well in front of her. She is extremely long & wiry, fluidly athletic for her age/height, and she is already nicely skilled. She can grab a rebound, push it in transition, and finish or find open teammates. She has a solid perimeter shot that will gain consistency in time. Cora also plays with defensive versatility.

Through two days, the underclassmen from Indiana have been playing very well, hoping for any and all attention from college coaches at this point. I've seen it from rising Juniors all the way down to rising Freshmen. Below is a look at seven 2027s, 2028s, and 2029s from Day 2's action who stepped up when I had the chance to see them in action.