LBI Summer Showcase: 2027 Primetime Performers

The PGH Carolinas Freshman Showcase is Aug. 30 and the Expo takes place on Sep. 6! Use the discount code Carolinas26PGH25OFF for 25% off registration!   Recently, former Charlotte Hornets great Kemba Walker was in the news when he opened his own sports academy in Concord. That facility is well-known to many basketball aficionados throughout the Carolinas as the former Carolina Courts.    One of the first events since the reimagining of Carolina Courts as the Kemba Walker Sports Academy was this year's LBI Summer Showcase. It was a one-day event that took place the Sunday during Fourth of July weekend and welcomed a number of teams and prospects from both Carolinas.    We at Prep Girls Hoops were on hand as well for the day's festivities. A number of the top performances from the day's play were turned in by names representing North Carolina's class of rising seniors.     With this year's LBI Summer Showcase in the books, Tsujii is set to spend her upcoming July weekend in Louisville at Run 4 The Roses. The most offer that Tsujii landed was one courtesy of Pfeiffer. Even though her CP3 Elite 17U assembling had a rough go of things against a very tough [program_tooltip program_id='1855543' first='Carolina' last='Hornets'] 17U assembling, Tsujii was a bright spot for her squad as evidenced by the 14 points she scored. Tsujii is a multi-sport athlete who also plays volleyball in addition to her basketball achievements. She played in 26 games last season with Forsyth Country Day and averaged seven points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and two steals per contest.      Joseph capped off a 2025-26 campaign with 7A North Mecklenburg that not only saw her claim a state championship with the Vikings but claimed Kay Yow Most Valuable Player honors in North Meck's state win over Southern SES. At this point, her scoring and rebounding capabilities are well-documented as one of the premier frontcourt forces in North Carolina. What also puts her among the state's elite players is what she can get accomplished on the defensive side of the floor. Getting out in transition and finishing strong at the rim is another one of Joseph's many strong points. She averaged 18.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 2.9 blocks per contest last season.      Mundy balled out on a Sunday at the Kemba Walker Sports Academy.  Few years ago, Mundy burst onto North Carolina's always competitive hoops scene with a breakout freshman season. Last year with 7A Cuthbertson, Mundy averaged 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.4 steals for the Cavaliers. A great deal of those buckets can occur from behind the 3-point line as Mundy can be very accurate from distance. Mundy also understands the importance of keeping one's hands outstretched on the defensive end of the floor. Her Cuthbertson team finished 17-9 in 2025-26.      Knox was another key element in North Meck's run to last season's 7A state championship. She was the West Region's Most Outstanding Player from last season's 7A tournament after a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double concluded her 2025-26 campaign. Knox is an efficient floor runner with plenty of height, plenty of talent and the ability to finish quickly at the basket. In the 28 games she played last season with North Meck, she averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.7 steals per matchup. Knox has secured offers from Winston Salem State, UNC-Pembroke and, most recently, from Lenoir-Rhyne.      Along with experiencing state championship euphoria last season with 5A North Lincoln, she also put together another stellar individual season during high school play. Black was also a key reason why [program_tooltip program_id='1855543' first='Carolina' last='Hornets'] was one of the more feared teams during Sunday's play in Concord. Black averaged 13.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, four assists and 2.4 steals per game last season. She can give a team worthwhile minutes either at the two or the three which means she will spend plenty of time at the wing. Getting out in transition and draining 3-point attempts are among the many positives to Black's game. Maine Maritime, Pikeville and St. Clair County Community College are among the schools that have offered her.      Reclassification was very kind to Gardner and her 7A Ashley team as the Screaming Eagle improved from 10 wins in 2024-25 back to 15 victories in 2025-26. It was also kind to Gardner as she would play in 26 games last season while averaging 16.1 points, 4.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. Defensively, she is a consistent threat to collect steals and create additional possessions for her team. Offensively, opposing teams especially have to guard against her when she has the ball from long range. Prior to arriving on the high school scene, Gardner played at Roland Grise MS.      One would be hard-pressed to find someone across North Carolina who put up more eye-popping numbers than Littlejohn. She averaged a double-double this past season with 5A North Gaston – including averaging 31.2 points per game. That is a testament to her status as one of the most dangerous scorers in the state. Add in the fact that she averaged 12.8 rebounds and four steals per contest and one has an all-around playmaker. This included a 50-point outburst against another 5A assembling in Crest. Littlejohn previously played for North Carolina Gems before sporting a Charlotte Monarchs uniform. Her return to the Wildcats sparked a major turnaround at North Gaston as her team earned its first season with a double-digit winning output since 2019-20 – and a berth in the 5A playoffs.      Prospects who stand at 5-foot-11 and possess the 3-point shooting capabilities of a Forester will always be in high demand. Forester recently secured offers from Lycoming College as well as Roanoke College. Her career has included a stint playing volleyball as well as playing at the varsity level while in middle school. Forester also possesses superb ball handling skills, the ability to find attacking lanes to the rim and will finish strong at the cup. During the first live period of July, Charlotte Monarchs will be at the P32 New Balance Session 2 in Cincinnati. Ball distribution, getting out in the open floor and fastbreak plays are other positives to Forester's game.     Barner is a multi-sport athlete who excels not only in basketball but also in flag football. Her play has earned her a plethora of offers – most recently from Western Carolina and UNC-Wilmington. She also previously secured one courtesy of North Carolina A&T. A 5-foot-10 rising senior that can operate either at the two or the three, she will find plenty of time at the wing. Someone of Barner's caliber understands how to throw defenders off balance with her 3-point shooting and ability to get past defenders in addition to what she can get accomplished as a rebounder. Barner played in 26 of 8A Myers Park's 29 contests last season while averaging 16.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.5 steals and three assists per matchup.

The PGH Carolinas Freshman Showcase is Aug. 30 and the Expo takes place on Sep. 6! Use the discount code Carolinas26PGH25OFF for 25% off registration!