The Finale, Day-2: PG Play Leads the Way

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='400915' first='Mikaia' last='Litza'] (2026) of Wauwatosa East H.S. (WI) 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.   .    Aaniyah is an intriguing guard prospect who is just starting to pick up some momentum this month because of her athletic and creative style of play on the ball. She has a strong, athletic frame, she moves well in most directions, and she is a playmaker off the dribble, whether she's creating opportunities for herself or teammates. She is a willing passer, but she can also get downhill, absorb contact, and finish at the basket. As she continues to make her perimeter jumper more consistent, she could become a real multilevel threat.     I haven't seen Carly since early in the Spring, but I have always been a big fan of hers. She's just so tough and aggressive, and she plays with a highly competitive motor. She is a traditional pass-first point guard who has learned how to score it to help her high school team. She plays with her head up, she scans the floor constantly, and she is a fantastic passer. At the same time, she can finish inside through contact, plus she has improved her 3-point shot to keep defenses honest. She also gets inside and rebounds her position well.     Mikaia was an opponent of a team I was watching, but she stood out to me because of her poise and patience at the point guard position. She has a quick and tight handle, she doesn't overdribble, and she handles pressure extremely well. She is always looking for open teammates, and she delivers passers on time/on target. However, she can also get by defenders and finish at the basket, plus she has a solid shot when set and in rhythm. Lastly, she uses her length and quickness well at the defensive end, whether she's on or off the ball.     Ailie has grown a great deal as a ballplayer since I first saw her back in 8th Grade. She has always been a solid to strong athlete, and she has always been able to get downhill. But her discipline as a point guard has improved greatly, and she is making much better decisions with the ball. In the past, I felt like she was trying to score it first on each catch, but now she's running the position to get teammates scores, though she can still make baskets when open. She is tough, hard-working, and scrappy defensively. I really like her play this year.     I've seen Izzy a few times this Spring/Summer, but this was by far the longest I had seen her, and she was completely engaged. First, she has really nice speed & quickness, plus she has some wiry strength at her size. Second, she was very aggressive, making plays off the dribble for teammates, getting to the rim and finishing at odd angles, and burying open rhythm jumpers. She made a strong case to be added to our 2027 list when we do our Fall update in September. I am anxious to see her again once or twice more later this weekend.     I had not seen or heard of Rian before today, but she is definitely someone to track moving forward. She is a solid all-around athlete, but she's probably best getting North/South and using her speed. She has broad shoulders, some length, and she has a wiry strength to her frame as well. She looks to get out and go in transition, and she's trying to turn the corner and get into the paint. I think she has the ball skill to become a full-time point guard, but she's still more of a scorer right now looking to be aggressive with the basketball.     Lorigrace has a fairly mature game for a youngster, and she could step in immediately and start for Guerin Catholic. She has a wiry-strong frame, she's a solid all-around athlete, but again I go back to the veteran savvy she plays with as such a younger talent. She handles pressure, she plays with her head up, and she is willing to battle with physicality. She will rebound & defend, and she seems to have a competitive spirit. I didn't get to see her shoot it much/often from the perimeter, so that's a part of her game I would like to evaluate more.

The featured image is of Mikaia Litza Mikaia Litza 5'8" | PG/CG Wauwatosa East | 2026 State WI (2026) of Wauwatosa East H.S. (WI) and Mac Irvin Fire P24 (IL).