July UA Rise (and Shine?)

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='1229374' first='Brooke' last='Dawson'] (2027) from Lowell High School.   Another year, and the early July "live" period where NCAA Division-I coaches are allowed to evaluate prospects has begun. As usual, a large number of Indiana teams/programs have traveled to Louisville, Kentucky. The annual Run 4 The Roses tournaments are also playing host to Under Armour and their Association. Below is a quick look at a handful of ladies who stood out when I was able to see them during Friday's action on the UA Rise circuit in Louisville.   .    This was my first time seeing Moriah in-person, and she is an interesting small college prospect as a wing. She has a solid to strong frame, she's a balanced athlete in most directions, and she plays with a nice motor. She showed some touch from around the perimeter, but she also wasn't afraid to get inside, box out, rebound, and defend. She plays with the simple versatility a lot of small colleges are looking for in their forwards, so they are able to adjust and play bigger or smaller at times. Moriah was originally at Covenant Christian but transferred to Plainfield as a Junior.     Taylor is another versatile forward type who could benefit some of the Midwest's small colleges. She is a nice all-around athlete, she has an athletically strong frame, and she plays with a nice motor. She earns her clock more at the defensive end, where she can defend bigger guards, wings, and undersized power players. She's an effortful rebounder, and she often collects caroms outside of her area. Offensively, she prefers the mid-post right now, but she can knock down the 15-footer or put it on the floor and attack the basket. She also has a knack for cleaning up offensive rebounds.     Aaliyah has been a fun watch all Spring & Summer, and she is playing at a high level. She is so strong, physical, and aggressive for her position. She does a nice job of playing compact, then she explodes vertically when she gets to the basket or needs to pull up for the mid-range jumper. She is more of a scorer, but she doesn't typically force action, and I think she can be more of a facilitator if needed at the next level. I also enjoy her tenacity at the defensive end of the floor. She can get into ball-handlers, but she's also able to get deflections/steals when in "help" position.     Brooke is still flying somewhat under the radar, which is a shame because she will likely make a really nice small college point guard. She has good length, quickness, and she's a quietly tough-nosed kid who just plays hard, takes hits, and keeps going. She is a more than willing facilitator, but she can also get downhill and finish or knock down an open jumper around the perimeter. She defends with intensity and does a nice job of being disciplined and not gambling too much. Again, I think she will make some small college very happy they recruited her.     Chloe is another prospect who is under the radar, and truth be told, I only saw her for the first time in mid-June. She doesn't have a starring role, nor does she try, but she is skilled, disciplined, and hard-working. She has nice length, she's a fluid athlete in most directions, and she does a lot of the "little things" that aren't quantifiable and that we tend to forget. She comes up with key loose balls, a big offensive rebound here or there, and she is a versatile, effortful defender. I think she's a "culture" type of kid who could come into a small college environment and be solid.     I've been watching Jazlyn for three years now, but the thing I noticed out of her yesterday most was her nose for the ball. Whether it was her own misses or someone else's, she seemed to be the first one to the rebound more often than not. She plays with great energy, effort, and toughness for someone with such a long frame. She has always been an accurate shooter from the perimeter as well, but now she's starting to handle it more. She seems to be a kid who just loves to play, and I think she could be an asset as a shooter and a worker who could help elevate a small college program.     I saw Lauren last July as well, and she also stood out then. She is a unique combination of hard-working, quietly tough-nosed, plays-bigger-than-she-is interior defender, mixed with an accurate but somewhat unassuming perimeter shooter. Lauren is a solid all-around athlete, she has nice length, and she has gotten noticeably stronger in the last year. She plays physical inside and skillfully around the perimeter. I think she could be a really nice small college prospect. Lauren was originally a Lake Central kid, but she transferred to Illiana Christian as a Sophomore and had a nice 2025-2026 season.

The featured image is of Brooke Dawson Brooke Dawson 5'7" | PG/SG Lowell | 2027 IN (2027) from Lowell High School.