Zero Star Showcase: Session One Top Performers

After a monumental first offering of the [program_tooltip program_id='928192' first='Zero' last='Star Basketball'] Showcase in 2025, I journeyed back to the U.P. for the second year of what has become a staple event on my annual Prep Girls Hoops Michigan coverage schedule.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/03/20240325_142416-crop-1536x1009-1711391481.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-879008" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jenna Maki, 2024, Ishpeming, Breslin Center, Mar. 22</figcaption></figure>   The seed was planted in March of 2024 during the State Semifinals when I watched prospects Ella Mason from Negaunee and Jenna Maki of Ishpeming blow the roof off the Breslin Center. Both were soon-to-be graduating seniors who, quite frankly, should have been on our radar sooner and more heavily recruited by colleges in the state. That day, I realized an entire peninsula of Michigan was being missed, and I vowed never to let another Yooper girls' basketball prospect graduate without being seen, known, and evaluated by Prep Girls Hoops. Many schools with great basketball players in the U.P. do not make it to the big dance at the Breslin Center, and those kids deserve an opportunity to be noticed. I met Advantedge Sports Training and [program_tooltip program_id='928192' first='Zero' last='Star Basketball'] owner/director Dustin Brancheau when he brought his [program_tooltip program_id='928192' first='Zero' last='Star Basketball'] teams to our Prep Girls Hoops Live tournament. There, I discovered many additional prospects with a college basketball pedigree. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/05/prep-live-17u-morning-session-notes/">Read More</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/06/PXL_20240624_002006959.MP_-crop-3657x2401-1750431982.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1261138" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Zero Star Practice, Republic Jr/Sr High School, Michigamme, June 23rd, 2024.</figcaption></figure>   After driving up with Cleary University Assistant Coach Jerry Wallace for a Zero Star Girls Basketball practice almost two years ago, it was clear that this showcase needed to become an annual event. I started the <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/12/yooper-hoopers-week-one/">“Yooper Hooper”</a> article series to give U.P. prospects Prep Girls Hoops coverage during their high school season, and I've been able to see many of the high school girls prior to this because of an intentional effort. Dustin and I have high hopes for the U.P., and this Zero Star Showcase will continue to be a marquee event for Yooper girls' basketball prospects for years to come.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/06/PXL_20250621_160130832.MP_-crop-3724x2445-1750607531.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1261643" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Zero Star 13U-17U teams, Zero Star Showcase, Vandament Arena, Marquette, June 21st, 2025. </figcaption></figure>   16 college programs were able to evaluate the prospects. Many D2, D3, and JUCO college coaches watched from the baseline, while several others livestreamed the event. The showcase's format and sequence provided an opportunity to conduct a thorough evaluation of the prospects. Individual skill drills in essential fundamentals, small-sided games, and 5v5 scrimmaging enabled the girls to show their best qualities while receiving maximum ball touches. Here are the prospects who stood out as top performers during the 13U, 14U, and 15U session:   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/06/PXL_20260610_232814827-crop-3264x2144-1781148343.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1868246" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Zero Star 13U-15U Teams, Zero Star Showcase, Session One, Negaunee HS, June 10th, 2026.</figcaption></figure>    Olivia has size, length, and fundamental skills as a forward that immediately grab your attention when she steps onto the court. She set strong screens in drills, maintained good positioning when defending drives, moved her feet to avoid fouling, and blocked shots with a high hand. Olivia caught passes with strong hands and used effective step-through pivots to score contested layups with her right and left at the rim. She showed confidence as a perimeter shooter and handled the ball comfortably with both hands under pressure. Olivia drove downhill, created separation with a strong shoulder into contact, then scored a tough, contested layup with her left off two feet. Olivia finished well off two feet and was a Top Performer at the Zero Star Showcase.     Mackenzie handled the ball confidently with strong dribbles, turned the corner quickly, and headed straight to the rim off of screens. She used her shoulder well to create space, changed hands comfortably, and kept defenders on their heels with her pocket dribbles. She used a quick rip move to score a drive-by left-handed stretch layup and worked hard for the inside position to secure offensive rebounds. Mackenzie penetrated off the dribble at will during games. She used a shot fake to free the defender, then shifted into high gear for a speedy layup. She attacked down the baseline, then crossed over to beat the final defender for a bucket, then went by using a strong rip move for another layup off the bounce. Mackenzie generated steals with her active defense, pushed the ball up the court in transition using both hands, called out teammates' names before throwing crisp passes, and demonstrated excellent vision as a facilitator. Mackenzie is a threat from the perimeter, contributes as a rebounder, and was a Top Performer at the Zero Star Showcase.     Milly caught my attention during the Zero Star Showcase with her all-out hustle, effort, and comprehensive impact on the court. She finished contested layups well with her right and left hands at full speed without skipping a beat. Milly's no-quit mindset and defensive impact made a difference for her team. She moved quickly to cut off drives, sprinted back to force a missed shot on a breakaway, and used her anticipation in help position to jump passes for steals. Milly showed her accuracy from beyond the arc by swishing a silky smooth step back three from the slot, was an aggressive downhill driver off handoffs, and dished out crisp kickouts to the perimeter off dribble penetration. She was a Top Performer at the Zero Star Showcase.     Karigan immediately separated herself during drills. She used excellent outside hand technique to deflect an entry pass to a roller. Karigan maintained a wide and athletic stance, using every inch of her length to keep ball-handlers bottled up on the perimeter. Karigan drove hard with her left hand and went up strong to score contested layups effectively with either hand. She left the floor to high-point rebounds and demonstrated a competitive disposition on the floor, wanting to win every play. Karigan has good instincts off the ball, cutting to the basket, catching a pass with soft hands, ripping by the defender, and finishing with a reverse. She defended well without fouling, took a steal 94 feet for a fast-break layup, and sprinted the floor in transition to score a catch-and-finish bucket with a smooth transfer. Karigan's a high motor guard who stood out at the Zero Star Showcase, receiving recognition as a Top Performer.     Diem has athleticism and skill as a guard that immediately grabs your attention. She used a strong shoulder to create separation on a hard drive to the rim, then finished with her left off two feet. Diem used a shot fake to get a defender up in the air, then went into her body to cause a foul. She used a quick crossover dribble to open up a driving lane, then accelerated by to score a sweet scoop layup with her left. Diem maintained good balance as she drove to the basket. She used a hip turn to move the defender and finished the drive-by bucket in traffic with a stretch finish. Diem picked off passes on the defensive end and shot the ball confidently from beyond the arc. She'll be a playmaker in the backcourt immediately as a freshman and was a Top Performer at the Zero Star Showcase.     Daena has a strong, muscular build, athleticism, instincts as a facilitator, and versatility that make her a very promising guard prospect in the U.P. She switched hands comfortably off the dribble and shielded the ball with her body from reaching defenders. Daena drove through a defender, absorbed the contact, protected the ball, and finished strong off two in the 1v1 segment. That translated directly to the games. Daena scored a sweet fake-pass layup after changing hands in traffic, pushed the ball up the court with both hands after securing rebounds, and scanned the floor for open teammates with her eyes up. Daena fired a long skip pass on a rope to a cutter for an assist and took a rebound coast-to-coast with pace, scoring with her left through contact at the rim. She hasn't hit her ceiling yet. Daena was a Top Performer and made a great first impression at the Zero Star Showcase.     Alivia really impressed me during the games, making a complete impact on the court for her team. She has shifty quickness off the dribble, sees the court well, and has a fantastic finishing touch around the basket. Alivia caught a pitch on the perimeter and turned the corner immediately, driving straight to the rim with a burst to score a left-handed layup with ease. She sprinted in to grab offensive rebounds and threw crisp passes to open teammates off of dribble penetration. Alivia slammed into top gear, accelerating down the baseline, crossed over to avoid a defender, then finished the layup. She's a skilled court general who competes with a high motor, receiving recognition as a Top Performer at the Zero Star Showcase.     Emmi is a crafty guard whose playmaking abilities really stood out during games at the Zero Star Showcase. She had the ball on a string, using shifty inside-outs to get to the second level, then buried a smooth pull-up jumper from the elbow before the help could arrive. Emmi has great balance and command of her dribble, transitioning to quick-trigger jumpers off the bounce with ease. She scored a smooth catch and finish reverse at the rim, finished layups with a soft touch, and received recognition as a Top Performer.     Hadley was a versatile prospect who consistently made plays in every phase throughout the Zero Star Showcase. She grabbed an offensive rebound, froze her defender with a shot-fake, then took one dribble to score a soft layup off the glass. Hadley started down the rim patiently, then dished a great bounce pass to a cutter in stride. She was persistent on the offensive glass, securing many rebounds on both ends during games. Hadley drove hard downhill from the top of the key to cause a foul and wasn't afraid to shoot the three. She's a strong and physical wing-forward with a non-stop motor. Hadley received recognition as a Top Performer.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Next U.P. Showcase</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/06/Final-Flyer-Yooper-Girls-1.png?w=792" alt="" class="wp-image-1868521" /></figure>   <a href="https://register.ryzer.com/camp.cfm?sport=4&id=335481">Registration Link</a>

After a monumental first offering of the Zero Star Basketball Showcase in 2025, I journeyed back to the U.P. for the second year of what has become a staple event on my annual Prep Girls Hoops Michigan coverage schedule.