The Clash, Day-1: Afternoon Standouts

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='999504' first='Jayda' last='Kempf'] (2027) from Our Lady of Providence High School.   Friday began the first "live" period for women's college basketball recruits, as a number of tournaments began nationwide. What this means is, for the first time during the 2026 grassroots season, NCAA Division-I schools were allowed to be out evaluating prospects at certified events. With many of the top shoe company teams participating in contractually obligated events all over the country, I found myself in Hamilton, Ohio, at The Clash...an annual tournament that typically finds around 100 of Indiana's grassroots teams participating. Below is a look at five ladies who I felt stood out for their teams during the afternoon portion of the day.   .    Friday was my first time seeing Kalia in action, and she showed a lot of upside for the next level. She is extremely long, she has an athletic frame, and she seemingly glides around the floor effortlessly. She showed the ability to put the ball on the floor a little, especially to attack the basket, she showed a little touch from the perimeter as well, when set and in rhythm, and I felt like she has all the physical tools to become a talented defender, on or off the ball. With a little more "seasoning" this Spring & Summer, as she gains consistency, I could see her drawing some good small college interest.     Jayda had a nice game when I saw her with her Kentucky Premier team, and she has done a solid job of transforming her game over the years. She has greatly improved her handle, and she showed the ability to act as a game manager and more of a combo guard. She did a nice job of drawing contact and using the free throw line as a weapon, but as she learns how to create space more efficiently, that can become a more consistent tool for her. She does still have a nice, high-arcing 3-point shot, and she gives good effort at the defensive end. She has become a really nice recruit.     The Eva I saw today, and the Eva I remember from the Spring a year ago are two completely different prospects. She is now stronger, much more physical, and she seems to be loving defense. At times she was a problem defensively, and she used her length against her opponent's smaller guards to be a 1-person press, it felt like. She is constantly moving, always giving effort, and she shot the ball very well from the perimeter. If all she did was play extremely hard and consistent, she would be a nice prospect. Add in her skill and IQ, and she'll have her share of elite small colleges chasing her.     I saw Kenleigh briefly last June with her school team but lost track of her after that. Seeing her today in the grassroots setting was good, because she has a lot of upside for the next level and looks like the exact type of post a lot of elite Midwestern small colleges recruit. She has good size, length, and an athletic frame, plus she plays hard. She's a nice all-around athlete with some bounce as well, and she possesses some skill. She is a lefty and had a couple of nice left-handed finishes over defenders. I would like to see what her shooting range is, though. But she did defend and rebound effectively.     Kei'Maija is someone it's difficult for me to get out and see in the Winter, so it was definitely good to see her in this environment. Just like when I saw her in the Spring last year, she was really good. She is extremely long, fast, and bouncy. She also plays with a nice motor and effects the game at both ends of the floor. She can get it and go in transition or fill the outside lane. She is an athletic slasher who can get to the basket, but she also has nice touch from the perimeter and showcased that Yesterday. I also think she has the athletic potential to be an outstanding defender.

The featured image is of Jayda Kempf Jayda Kempf 5'8" | SG Our Lady Of Providence | 2027 State IN (2027) from Our Lady of Providence High School.