Always 100 Showcase: 2027 Players of Note

This past Sunday, the [program_tooltip program_id='716173' first='Always' last='100'] grassroots program centered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, hosted their annual college showcase. This has been a staple of the program for about the last 7 years or so, where they invite players in from their 17U teams down to 14U teams to participate in drills and open runs/scrimmages in front of many of the Midwest's small colleges. There were no fewer than 30 schools who showed up throughout the day's two sessions, and there were somewhere between 90 and 100 prospects on hand participating. This is the second of several articles highlighting a few of the ladies who stood out this weekend.   .    I felt like Vivian had a nice all-around showing, and this was my first time seeing her since last June. She is a solid athlete, she has some length, a little strength, and a solid, balanced skillset. I thought she was most effective when she caught it and made an immediate decision to go to the basket, but she did show a little touch as well. She also rebounded her position, and she showed the ability to defend multiple positions. She should draw some small college looks throughout the Spring & Summer.     I've talked about Olivia a number of times over the past three years, so much of this is just a repeat. But I have always liked Olivia's love for the game, and you can see it in how much she has improved her skillset over the years. She is a strong guard, she has a really nice jump-shot, and she has improved her handle quite a bit each season. I think she has a solid mind for the game and can see some things in advance of others. The biggest thing for her moving forward is to continue learning how to understand angles defensively.     Cayleigh wasn't on many people's radars a year ago, but I think she will be one of the more sought-after small college post prospects this grassroots season. She has good size & strength, she plays with a relentless motor, and she is willing to do a lot of the "little things" other girls just aren't. She has some skill and solid post moves around the paint, she even possesses some touch in the mid-post, but she might be best at taking second chance opportunities (offensive rebounds) and finding ways to score them.     Brynlee has always flashed potential. She has good height, nice length, and she looks stronger this year than last. She will get out and run the floor hard North/South, she battles inside in the half-court, and she'll make "hustle" plays. She likes to play facing the basket in the mid-post, but she can pursue offensive rebounds and find ways to get the ball back up on the rim. Defensively, she uses her length well to block/alter shots in the lane, and she can affect passing lanes from a "help side" position.     Eden was a transfer from Norwell this season, and she showed a solid, balanced all-around game this Winter for Bluffton and again this past weekend. She has a strong, athletic frame, she plays with a really nice motor, and she can play comfortably around the perimeter or in the mid-post. She is one of those kids who will always find some way to contribute, whether that means she is rebounding, taking care of the ball and getting it to open teammates, or defending wings or interior forwards.     This was the first time I recall ever seeing Brooklyn play, and I came away very intrigued. She is a strong, athletic wing who I think could contribute at the small college level somewhere in the future. She likes to play in transition, run the floor, and/or attack at full speed. She's a nice North/South driver, she absorbs contact well, and she can finish inside or knock down the mid-range jumper consistently. I also enjoyed her ability to defend multiple positions, plus she seemed to be an aggressive rebounder as well.

This past Sunday, the Always 100 grassroots program centered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, hosted their annual college showcase. This has been a staple of the program for about the last 7 years or so, where they invite players in from their 17U teams down to 14U teams to participate in drills and open runs/scrimmages in front of many of the Midwest's small colleges. There were no fewer than 30 schools who showed up throughout the day's two sessions, and there were somewhere between 90 and 100 prospects on hand participating. This is the second of several articles highlighting a few of the ladies who stood out this weekend.