The Finale, Day-2: Forwards Show Off Versatility

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='514895' first='Xyanna' last='Walton'] (2026) of Butler College Prep (IL) and Mac Irvin Fire P24 (IL).   As the Summer winds down, many of the grassroots teams from Indiana are away at any number of locations for the final "live" period of the season where they can be evaluated once again by schools of all levels, including NCAA Division I. I am in Hamilton, Ohio, at the annual "The Finale" tourney held by Select Events at Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill. Below is a look at some of the top performers I was able to see during Saturday's action.   .    I was there to see Emily's opponent, and as the game wore on, she really grew on me as a prospect. She is long, wiry-strong, fast, bouncy, and just all-around explosive. She played with a tremendous motor and did a lot of the "little things" to help her team, though she played more of a '4' role than on the wing. She was great on the glass, she looked to score it from the mid-post and in, and she was excellent defensively, whether she was defending the wing or protecting the paint from "help" side. She can bring a lot of value to the next level.     If Ruby has been consistent at one thing over the past couple of years, it's that she plays hard and competes every possession. She is a strong, physical wing forward who can play inside-out as well. She has the strength & toughness to defend & rebound inside the arc, plus she can put it on the floor North/South and get to the basket, often finishing through contact. Additionally, she has nice touch from the perimeter and can bury shots from behind the 3-point line or in the mid-range. What position she'll defend at the next level will be key.     Emma was one of the more impressive prospects I saw Saturday afternoon, and not because of anything flashy that she did. She has an athletic frame, nice length, and she's a smooth, fluid athlete in all directions. She played a point forward type of role for her team, and she did so with patience & poise. She rarely got rattled, she was able to initiate the offense and find open teammates, but she also showed the ability to score the ball by making open rhythm jumpers and slicing to the basket. Additionally, she was steady at the defensive end.     Xyanna kind of played in stages Saturday morning when I saw her. She began the game using her athleticism, strength, and physicality by driving the ball and scoring it at the rim. In the middle portion, she was effective as a defender and hit the boards hard. Then down the stretch, she showed the perimeter touch and created more off the bounce for teammates like a true wing facilitator. She has a long, strong, and athletic frame, she is a nice athlete in all directions, and she plays with a nonstop, competitive motor. She is committed to Northwestern University.     Shania is back in action this month, after missing significant time in May & June due to an injury setback. She seems to have picked back up where she left off, as she is flying around the floor. On both her high school and grassroots teams, they have lacked for size this year, and she seems to have embraced this role of being the biggest player on the team, if not always size-wise, at least mentally. She is a strong athlete, she can run & jump, and she plays with a nonstop motor. She will defend, rebound, and look to score it from the mid-post and in.     Rylie is a highly intriguing youngster in Indiana's 2028 class, and she looks like she could still grow a little. She has nice length, a wiry frame, and she is a fairly smooth all-around athlete. She can handle it a little and act as a point forward, both initiating and creating offense. She also has the ability to get to the rim herself and finish in a variety of ways, plus she has some touch around the perimeter. She does a nice job of using her length defensively, and she creates quite a few deflections/steals because of it. She'll be fun to watch moving forward.

The featured image is of Xyanna Walton Xyanna Walton 6'0" | SF Butler College Prep | 2026 State IL (2026) of Butler College Prep (IL) and Mac Irvin Fire P24 (IL).