Best Talent From The Great Lakes Region Finals 16U

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">This past weekend brought together some of the top talent from across the Midwest, and with every game carrying a little more weight, plenty of players found ways to stand out. Whether it was production, consistency, effort, or simply taking over when their team needed it most, these prospects continued to separate themselves from the pack. Below are some of the top talents that caught my attention throughout the weekend.</h3>    Hughes plays this game with a ton of maturity that outweighs her size, and what she does with the ball always stands out. She's a player who doesn't appear to overthink the game and simply reacts, which can occasionally lead to a bad decision, but it also shows the level of trust she has in her instincts. That's something a lot of players don't develop until much later. At this stage, she's made far more right plays than wrong ones, and it starts with the confidence she has regardless of who's in front of her. The handles allow her to get where she wants, the ability to shoot forces defenses to respect the space, and the speed and pace she plays with opens up opportunities as a playmaker. One of my favorite players to watch in this class. Just a true hooper and a major stock riser.     Smooth, decisisve, and confident. Alaina had a strong weeknd in my opinoon, and a ton of that impact came from the outside. She shoots the ball with ease, and knows when to be aggressive as far as attacking the rim to finish, or attacking to create opptorunties. PLaying next to other high tier guards sometimes can force players to shadow thesmelves, but not with this kid. She knows how to be a part of the plan, as well as stand out in her own individual way. Big fan.     As a guard, there aren't many other prospects in the 2028 class that put pressure on defenders the way Williams does. The speed, quick twitch ability, and fearlessness allow her to take control of a game from the inside out. She can truly get to the rim when she wants, and when she does, it's usually a bucket. Even when the contact is there, she knows how to adjust and finish around or over the top. The playmaking has started to take form as well, and there were multiple moments throughout the weekend where you could see that part of her game beginning to click. A strong upside.     A lot of talk has surrounded Eshoo over the past year, and rightfully so. She is one of the best players in her class, and that's with the skill set she has right now. Watching her play up this weekend, there were signs that more work still needs to be done, but most of it has less to do with skill and more to do with aggression and overall decision making. Knowing when to take things into your own hands, deciding between the right play and the best play, and finding ways to stay active without the ball are all areas that will continue to develop as the competition gets tougher and the talent around her grows. Time is on her side, and the potential and upside she presents will keep her in these conversations as one of the top prospects in the class.     James continues to be an interesting prospect, and with her playing up, you're aware that mistakes are going to happen. What stands out is that she never seems to show any doubt in herself once the ball is tipped or after making a mistake. Whether that's the strong coaching around her or something internal, James has the attitude and mindset to become a force in this state. All of the physical attributes are there, and so is the continued growth of her overall skill set as a stretch four and wing. Give it time, and she'll continue to rack up Division I offers.