Final Thoughts: Select Summer Championships

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='751096' first='Lily' last='Burns'] (2027) from Fishers High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past weekend was the final "live" period of the 2026 grassroots season. Several Indiana teams traveled to Louisville once again, participating in one of three different events at the Kentucky Fairgrounds. Having already mentioned some daily top performers I saw from those events, I wanted to circle back one last time and mention a few more prospects. Those below were entered in the Select Summer Championships.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["751096"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a6c226d1d11c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lily had a really nice Spring culminating in several offers throughout April, May, and June. By the end of the latter month, she had made a decision and committed to Holy Cross College near Notre Dame. Lily is extremely long, tall, and skilled with the ball. She can act as a point forward type, see over traps, and facilitate. She's also an improving perimeter shooter than will continue to improve as she gets more reps. Really the biggest concern is whether she can handle the physicality of the next level, otherwise, she has a really nice skillet and should be able to help immediately.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1137311"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a6c226d1d1c2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">You could probably go as far as to argue that Aniya is Franklin Central's unsung hero in the 2028 class. She is a talented athlete who plays with great control. She utilizes that control to stop and pop in the mid-range game, plus it helps her to change gears while pushing the ball up the floor. While she has always been a nice all-around guard, in June and July she showed off a much-improved jump-shot. She was taking and making contested jumpers, plus she was shooting the 1-dribble pull-up well. Aniya is also a capable and effortful defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["932688"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a6c226d1d255"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I was able to see Jadyn during both "live" weekends in July, and she looked so much more aggressive this past weekend. She has a lot of good qualities in her game, and I think she is still somewhat under the radar as a recruit/prospect. She is strong, physical, and she plays with a nice motor. She has a quiet toughness to her, and she won't back down from anyone, but she also isn't an instigator. Skillfully, she can shoot the ball from the perimeter with accuracy, put it on the floor and drive it North/South, and she can use her strength to post inside. I think her best days are still to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1855894"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a6c226d1d2e3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Natty stands out on this 16U Prospects team because she has a lot of length at her height, she is a fast athlete with nice bounce, and she plays with a motor. She plays mostly off the ball for them, so she's looking to shoot or drive it on each catch. However, she also has some ball skill and can slide over to play more of a point guard role when necessary. With some massive graduation losses in 2026, there should be an opportunity for her to step up and not only start but also be an impact player each night. That would certainly put her in the category of breakout candidate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1891569"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a6c226d1d36c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Madeline is one of a few nice young prospects at Tipton trying to help resurrect the Blue Devil program. She has a solid to strong frame, some length, and she's a physical interior player who likes to rebound and defend. In fact, if you were to name the two things she's best at, it's probably them. The grassroots team has helped her play with more urgency at a fast and more physical pace. I would anticipate Madeline having a much bigger output as a Junior than she did as a Sophomore. I could even see her scoring numbers reaching double digits.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1891572"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a6c226d1d3ef"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I need to see more of Mariah for sure, because she didn't play a ton when I saw her team play. However, she is incredibly intriguing because she is tall, she is extremely long, and she looks like she still might grow another couple of inches. She seemed to play hard, she tried to be physical and play the "right way" inside, and she can get out and run in transition. For her, the biggest things first are to finish growing and add some strength. That in itself will allow the game to come to her more easily. In the meantime, if she stays physical and keeps working on her skillset, she'll be fine.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->