MI College Tour III Grand Valley: Bigs Battling Inside

The PGH MI College Tour made its third stop at Grand Valley, where a full slate of games across both gyms kept the intensity high throughout the day. While action was taking place in multiple locations, I was stationed in the rec gym from start to finish on Saturday, getting an up-close look at the 15U, 16U, and 17U groups as they took the floor.   The theme of the day was the battle inside. From the opening tip through the afternoon, post players established their presence in the paint, competing with toughness, physicality, and relentless effort. Whether it was controlling the glass, finishing through contact, protecting the rim, or carving out position down low, these players consistently impacted the game around the basket. With college coaches in attendance, the interior play stood out, as these prospects showed the value of strength, positioning, and effort in the paint.    Elli turned in a strong performance at the MI College Tour III Grand Valley, showcasing her toughness and consistency in the paint. She finished through contact time and time again, proving difficult to contain once she got position. When she caught the ball around the free throw line area, she was extremely effective, consistently converting scoring opportunities. Elli also showed her ability to attack off the bounce, getting by defenders and finishing with either hand. In a close game, she stepped up at the line and knocked down key free throws to put her team ahead. On top of her scoring, she controlled the glass, pulling down double-digit rebounds in both games I watched, making her a major presence inside.     Mady, a post for Factory and a Kalamazoo College commit, showed why she's such a valuable inside-out presence at the MI College Tour III Grand Valley. She got things going early by knocking down multiple shots from beyond the arc in her first game on Saturday, stretching the defense right away. She was just as effective around the rim, finishing strong in the paint and capitalizing on scoring opportunities inside. Mady also controlled the glass, rebounding at a high level and giving her team extra chances. Her versatility and production stood out throughout the day.     Bailey, a post for [program_tooltip program_id='1849321' first='Kalamazoo' last='Basketball Academy'], made a strong impact at the MI College Tour III Grand Valley with her physical presence and skill set. She does an excellent job establishing position, sealing defenders effectively and finishing through contact. Bailey also showed her versatility by grabbing a defensive rebound and pushing the ball coast to coast, not hesitating to lead the break herself. From the high post, she displayed her passing ability, finding teammates with smart reads and creating scoring opportunities. Her combination of strength, skill, and feel for the game stood out throughout the day.     Alexis, a post for [program_tooltip program_id='716173' first='Always' last='100'] P32 Grind, showed a strong interior presence at the MI College Tour III Grand Valley. She displayed soft touch in the paint, finishing efficiently around the basket. Alexis was active on the glass, consistently securing rebounds and giving her team extra possessions. She also proved she can attack from the high post area, putting the ball on the floor from the free throw line and getting to the rim with purpose. Her effort and production inside made her a reliable contributor throughout the day.     Ella, a post for [program_tooltip program_id='1239258' first='HB' last='Elite'], had a strong showing at the MI College Tour III Grand Valley with her effectiveness around the basket. She showcased polished footwork in the paint, consistently creating scoring angles and finishing plays. Ella was tough to stop once she caught the ball, converting through contact and piling up multiple and-one opportunities. She also displayed soft hands and a smooth touch around the rim, making her a reliable interior scorer. On top of that, she was active on the glass, rebounding at a solid rate and helping her team control possessions.

The PGH MI College Tour made its third stop at Grand Valley, where a full slate of games across both gyms kept the intensity high throughout the day. While action was taking place in multiple locations, I was stationed in the rec gym from start to finish on Saturday, getting an up-close look at the 15U, 16U, and 17U groups as they took the floor.