Final Helpings From the IE Classic

In this article, we go back through the leftover notes, quick conversations, and film snippets from the Thanksgiving Classic. Sometimes the evaluations don't come in the heat of the moment—they show up later, on the notepad and on the replays. In honor of the last piece of turkey in the fridge and final slice of pie - here's the second serving of who stood out.      Dekara Merthie was in the building and did her normal "thing". Merthie is a walking bucket and averages 21.5 points per game. Merthie shot the ball with great efficiency and greater versatility: shooting the mid-range, getting to the rim, and ws an open court terror on opponents. What separates Merthie is the ability to dictate pace and apply constant pressure on the opponent. Defenders struggle to stay in front of her, and even when heavily contested, she finds ways to manufacture quality looks. Her scoring package is deep and dependable—traits that cement her as one of the premier offensive talents in the state of Florida.     [player_tooltip player_id='248673' first='Aubrey' last='Satterfield'] ran the point and her squad left the Thanksgiving tournament with 2 W's. Satterfield is an unselfish traditional point guard who plays like the floor general on the floor. She has weapons on her squad and does a good job of dishing the rock. Through four games, the seniour guard is averaging 4 assists per game. On the other end of the floor, Satterfield plays lock down defense and is known for putting the clamps on ball handlers. Her defense drew reviews at the IE Thanksgiving Classic. Over the summer at the FABC there were college coaches paying attention and her performance at the Thanksgiving Classic will keep the senior floor general on the radar.     [player_tooltip player_id='873458' first='Avery' last='Michels'] put together a strong showing and delivered several eye-catching moments in the game observed. Michels consistently found her way into the paint, using sharp footwork, change-of-pace, and savvy decision-making to create clean looks. She attacked downhill with purpose, mixed in timely head fakes and step-throughs, and showed confidence shooting from the perimeter. Michels moved the ball well and routinely put teammates in scoring positions. She often initiated action that lead to quality shots by teammates. Her competitiveness was evident on both ends, and she played with poise and impacted the game on both sides of the floor.       [player_tooltip player_id='805961' first='Jazlynn' last='Curtis'] left a positive mark at the Inside Exposure tournament. Curtis has the ability to get to the rim and score and she can play the physical game on the inside. Curtis handled the point guard duties well. She passed it well to her post players and also created scoring opportunities with her ability to draw additional defenders. On the defensive end, Curtis challenged the ball handler and physically mixed it up with guards and forwards. Curtis showed versatility with her ability to run the point as well as play at the shooting guard position.     [player_tooltip player_id='514521' first='Brie' last='McCoy'] was consistent and impactive on both ends of the court. McCoy's offensive game starts on the blocks and if she gets to her spot, she is usually scoring a bucket or drawing a foul and getting to the line. McCoy has shown versatility this season and has the ability to step out and shoot the occasional three pointer. She has demonstrated a play making ability with her passes out of the post to perimeter scorers. McCoy also rebounds on both ends of the floor, giving her team extra possessions and securing stops on defense. At the Inside Exposure tournament, McCoy had the skills on display and continued top solidify herself as one of the top power forwards in the 2026 class.     [player_tooltip player_id='1452324' first='TJ' last='Laing Ariche'](cover photo) delivered a nice and versatile performance and showed exactly why she's a name to circle this season. She opened with a smooth corner three that snapped cleanly through the net, then followed it up with a confident mid-range jumper off the dribble showing comfort as a player who can shoot it from multiple levels. On the inside, Ariche established excellent position in the post, proving she's equally capable of scoring inside. That inside-outside versatility forces defenders to make difficult choices and gives her team a flexible player who can be used in various ways - depending on the personnel on the court. Ariche also made her presence felt on defensive end of the court. She battled on the boards, fought for loose balls, and played with the type of effort that impacts winning.       [player_tooltip player_id='1264308' first='Jakyla' last='Jackson'] had a productive tournament and garnered some college attention as a result of her play. Jackson was a workhorse during the game I observed and early on kept her team in the game. Jackson crashed the boards, had offensive put-backs, created energy plays, and even threw in a coast to coast assist after a steal. Jackson played well and stood out as the engine for her team.     [player_tooltip player_id='926495' first='Lea'nah' last='Parrish'] is a player you absolutely circle on the Georgia prospects list. Parrish brings a blend of size, skill, and versatility—capable of scoring inside while also stepping out to knock down the perimeter three. In the game observed, she was the focal point of the defense. Parrish is a versatile young player who is only going to get more dangerous as her game continues to expand. Parrish flashed the abilities: a confident three-point shooter, a post-up option who creates mismatches, a transition threat with speed, and a player with enough ball-handling ability to initiate offense or get downhill.     [player_tooltip player_id='1036071' first='Carolyn' last='Caldwell'] established herself as a double-double threat every time she steps on the court. She was effective throughout the tournament, scoring with confidence, and finishing through contact. Caldwell rebounded well, extending possessions with her activity and positioning. Her presence inside provided balance and gave her team a much-needed second scoring option behind [player_tooltip player_id='933334' first='Shelby' last='Gaines'].

In this article, we go back through the leftover notes, quick conversations, and film snippets from the Thanksgiving Classic. Sometimes the evaluations don't come in the heat of the moment—they show up later, on the notepad and on the replays. In honor of the last piece of turkey in the fridge and final slice of pie - here's the second serving of who stood out.