P2W Headliners Invitational: MS Team Liberty

Ray Kimball and I joined forces to offer the first-ever Headliners Invitational back in November of 2023. After taking a sabbatical in 2024, our conviction became undeniably strong that the Headliners needed to come back and become a staple showcase in the community. The inspiration for the Headliners Invitational Showcase came after observing elite camps and prospect camps across the state. There were pieces of traditional showcase formats (games/scrimmaging), college elite camps, and prospect camps that I liked, but something was missing from the equation. The ideal format became apparent as I reflected upon my goal for joining Prep Girls Hoops in the first place: to identify and help girls basketball prospects be recruited by college coaches.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/10/Screenshot_20251027-140306-crop-1045x686-1761588322.png?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1351452" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Headliners Invitational, HS Session, Portland HS, Oct. 26th, 2025. </figcaption></figure>   An event where girls would have the opportunity to: 1) Work with college coaches who want to recruit them, 2) Be evaluated by college coaches who fit their level of ability, and 3) Receive comprehensive media coverage by Prep Girls Hoops scouts, was clearly needed for prospects in the community. Every prospect is unique, and the traditional showcase format may not be the best fit for everyone. Those girls need opportunities to demonstrate their skills through small-sided games and drills in front of college coaches--not just games. That's exactly why drills emphasizing different skill areas, 3v3, and 5v5 games were all included at the Headliners Invitational. The format was chosen to set prospects up for success in front of the college coaches. Every prospect had a reversible jersey with a number that corresponded to the information in the college coaches' event packets. Every D2, NAIA, D3, NCCAA, and D3 college program in the state received an invitation to this event. 20 colleges pre-registered to recruit at the showcase, and time was built into the event for prospects to speak with college coaches after their session. Every girl had their picture taken by a PGH scout and will be included in a post-event write-up that highlights their strengths.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/10/Screenshot_20251027-135918-crop-953x626-1761588529.png?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1351454" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Headliners Invitational, MS Session, Portland HS, Oct. 26th, 2025.</figcaption></figure>   Additionally, there were no middle school showcases offered in the state, so it became clear that we had a great opportunity to provide an exceptional first experience for middle schoolers. Since college coaches are recruiting/evaluating high schoolers and our PGH coverage prioritizes high school prospects during their AAU and high school seasons, having a middle school session became very important. Middle schoolers not only worked with college coaches, but had the opportunity to train with former WNBA player Jennifer Smith (GLCC Head Coach) and Northwood Women's Basketball sharpshooter Makenzie Todd (LCC Assistant). Every middle schooler is on the Prep Girls Hoops radar ahead of their high school career and will be promoted on our platform. By experiencing a showcase ahead of their freshman year, the middle schoolers will be better prepared for high-stakes environments in front of college coaches in the future.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/10/Screenshot_20251027-140015-crop-1080x710-1761588944.png?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1351456" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pre-Event talk with Ray Kimball, Headliners Invitational, Portland HS, Oct. 26th, 2025. </figcaption></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/10/Screenshot_20251027-140031-crop-1080x710-1761589141.png?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1351458" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pre-Event talk with Evan Bell, Headliners Invitational, Portland HS, Oct. 26th, 2025.</figcaption></figure>   My coverage focused primarily on teams Liberty and Fever during the showcase. Here are evaluations for middle schoolers representing Team Liberty during session two at the [program_tooltip program_id='923712' first='Prepare' last='2 Win Basketball'] Headliners Invitational!    Andie blew me away in May and I was very excited to see her again at the Headliners Invitational. Andie makes a comprehensive impact on the court, has polished skills, and leadership qualities that will make her an outstanding college prospect. She created space with a quick double-crossover move and finished with a layup. Andie used a shifty inside-out dribble, drove by her defender with a burst, and made a perfect skip pass to a teammate in the corner for an assist. She buried two step-back threes from the wing, kept her hands active on defense to create steals, and fired a laser pass up the court to an open teammate for an assist. Andie's loud and constant verbal encouragement from the bench greatly impressed me during the games. She was a Top Performer and one of Team Liberty's most impactful players at the Headliners Invitational.     Natalie used her length and versatility to make a difference for Team Liberty at the Headliners Invitational. One of her highlights was a hard drive to the basket, a quick spin move, with a smooth left-handed finish. Natalie worked hard inside to secure defensive rebounds for the team and fired a pass up the court to an open teammate for an assist. She anticipated a pass on defense, picked it off, pushed the ball in transition, and dished out another assist. Natalie denied entry passes into the post and played with a high basketball IQ. She made smart backdoor cuts and called out switches on the defensive end. Natalie showed her range during 3v3 by drilling a deep straightaway three, and is a prospect with a ton of potential.     Ellie is a high-energy guard, and her effort made a difference on the court for Team Liberty. She used a great shot-fake during the drills and finished the layup with speed off the dribble. Ellie played with fearless determination and determination on both ends of the court. She pursued rebounds and kept her hands active in the passing lanes to deflect passes on defense. Ellie has a bright future ahead of her in the Portland program.     Sammy is a quick guard with a smooth stroke from beyond the arc. Her perimeter game and fast-paced presence on both ends helped Team Liberty compete at the Headliners Invitational. She used an inside-out dribble to create space from a defender and fired a pure wing three that found nothing but nylon. She scored a layup with confident mechanics and chased down rebounds. Sammy buried another triple up top and another from the slot. She is going to be a serious perimeter threat for Portland in the future.     Allyson was a Top Performer at the Headliners Invitational, and she started strong during the drills. Allyson finished layups with solid mechanics, used good reverse pivots, and kept her feet balanced to drain a wing jumper. Allyson was a lockdown defender for Team Liberty. She swiped the ball away in the back court, moved her feet quickly to stop drives, and pressured guards on the perimeter. Allyson used textbook wall-up defense on a drive to avoid fouling and force a travel violation. She closed out quickly on shooters to force misses, secured many rebounds, and shot the ball confidently from beyond the arc. Allyson pushed the ball with pace in transition to score a full-speed layup with her left and made smart backdoor cuts. She's a determined two-way guard with a promising future ahead in the Big Rapids program.     Sophie is a sharpshooter from Clarkston who can't get enough basketball, and I was excited to watch her again at the Headliners Invitational. Her perimeter presence gave Team Liberty a spark during the games, and she sprinted up the court in transition to score layups. Sophie found her hot spot in the corner and drilled a pair of smooth threes off the catch. She handled the ball with poise and was a Top Performer at the showcase.     Scarlett showed no signs of nerves while competing against the older girls at the Headliners Invitational. She buried a confident pull-up jumper at the top of the key, escaped pressure using quick crossovers, and kept her eyes up in transition. Scarlett played hard on both ends, chased down rebounds, and created scoring opportunities for teammates. She had a solid day for Team Liberty and is a point guard full of potential.     Madison had a very impactful day at the Headliners Invitational for Team Liberty. She worked hard inside to secure multiple offensive rebounds, caused a foul, and buried her free throw with confidence at the line. She attacked downhill with a hard drive to the basket and finished a tough layup through contact. Madison gave the team an edge with her physicality in the paint on both ends. She's aggressive off the dribble and scored another determined layup during 3v3. Madison will be a forward to watch over the coming years.     Jolene competed against the older girls at the Headliners Invitational and fit right in with Team Liberty. She moved to open space and gave her teammates an open target on the offensive end. Jolene worked hard on defense and played with a ton of energy.     Molly looks like she's going to be a special player in the Portland basketball program. She swished a wing three off the hop during drills and buried a cold-blooded three-pointer in the face of a tall defender closing out on the perimeter. Molly posted up a defender in the paint and reached around to score a layup from a tough angle off the glass. She secured offensive rebounds, deflected passes, and set effective screens for teammates. Molly made one of the best hustle plays of the day when she chased down a breakaway layup to force a missed shot. She made a difference for Team Liberty and was an exciting guard to watch at the Headliners Invitational.

Ray Kimball and I joined forces to offer the first-ever Headliners Invitational back in November of 2023. After taking a sabbatical in 2024, our conviction became undeniably strong that the Headliners needed to come back and become a staple showcase in the community. The inspiration for the Headliners Invitational Showcase came after observing elite camps and prospect camps across the state. There were pieces of traditional showcase formats (games/scrimmaging), college elite camps, and prospect camps that I liked, but something was missing from the equation. The ideal format became apparent as I reflected upon my goal for joining Prep Girls Hoops in the first place: to identify and help girls basketball prospects be recruited by college coaches.