The Clash, Day-2: Afternoon Standouts

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 seven ladies who I felt stood out for their teams during the afternoon portion of Saturday.   .    Taylor started to play really well toward the end of her Sophomore season, throughout the Spring & Summer of 2025, then again during her Junior season. This consistency, coupled with her talent and skill, have drawn a great deal of onlookers at the elite small college level. She has nice length, an athletic frame, she possesses speed and some quickness, bounce, plus her skillset continues to develop. She has an accurate perimeter jumper, and she can attack the basket North/South. As her handle becomes more dynamic, she could be a real problem for opponents to defend.     Grace has been a fun watch throughout her career, and to some degree, it's bittersweet she has just one more year left of high school ball. She plays with so much energy and determination, she has learned how to communicate much better, both on and off the floor, plus she continues to improve her skill. She has always been a talented multilevel scorer, but her shot selection continues to improve, as do her shooting percentages. She's also defending with more urgency and not just attempting for steals. She had one standout game Saturday and has been solid all weekend.     At some point in the last year or so I had logged Carly's name as one to watch, and I'm glad I did Saturday, because she looks like she can really help Roncalli next season. With a couple of key Seniors graduating, she has the skill and ability to potentially become their full-time point guard. She is a nice athlete, she has length, speed and quickness, plus she plays with a nice motor. I didn't see her shoot it much in the game I was watching, but she has good vision, a nice handle, and she gets the ball where it needs to go. She's also a capable defender who plays with balance.     I had heard a lot about Kierstyn the last two years, and I've seen her on film, but this was my first time watching her in-person. She is incredibly intriguing, and she has a very high ceiling that can potentially draw some Division I offers. She is extremely long, fluidly athletic, and still growing. She's every bit of 6-foot and probably 6-1 now. Once she settles in at her permanent height and starts to get stronger, I think you'll see her turn another corner and be able to take her skill and ability and become a much more aggressive force at all three levels. She could be a really good one in this 2028 class.     Over the last two years of watching Luci play, one thing has been clear...she can really shoot the basketball. Saturday, she looked stronger, more explosive, and she has quickened her shot process, making her more difficult to defend. She has also extended her range. Overall, I was mostly impressed with her aggressiveness and willingness to shoot when open, even from distance. At the same time, she is absorbing contact better off the dribble, plus she is defending with more physicality and urgency. If she can figure out how to use the free throw line as a weapon, watch out!     The Ty Harris program always seems to find a couple of kids who few people know much about, and help them get "on the map". Layah is one of those kids this season, and she is incredibly intriguing. She is extremely long, fast and athletic, plus she plays with some bounce. Right now, she wants to catch it and attack the basket immediately without fear. As she continues to tighten her handle, learn how to pick her spots, and change speeds better, she could be an impactful wing scorer for the Greyhounds. I also think she could become a talented defender considering her physical talent.     Jordyn is one of the more talented Freshmen in Indiana's 2029 class. She has a strong, athletic frame, she moves well in most directions, plus she has a nice balance of skill and talent. Against her peers, she is strong enough to play physical inside the arc, whether that's attacking the basket for scores, boxing out or pursuing rebounds, or defending forwards and undersized posts. Additionally, she can handle the ball, create off the dribble around the perimeter, or knock down rhythm jumpers from outside. Despite being a Freshman, she looked like a veteran for the Wildcats this Winter.

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 seven ladies who I felt stood out for their teams during the afternoon portion of Saturday.