P2W Headliners Invitational: MS Team Liberty

The Headliners Invitational Showcase made its return this year after taking a break in 2024. Originally created by Evan Bell and Ray Kimball in November 2023, the event was designed to bring together some of the best elements of traditional showcases, college elite camps and prospect camps while keeping player development and recruiting exposure at the forefront. The goal behind the Headliners Invitational is to provide girls basketball players with an opportunity to showcase their skills, compete against talented players and gain valuable exposure to college coaches. With a format focused on helping players get noticed and take steps toward the next level, the return of the Headliners Invitational is an exciting addition to the Michigan girls basketball showcase scene.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/10/image_3efdfe.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1963769" /></figure>   The Headliners Invitational was designed to give players more than just another opportunity to compete in games. The event focused on helping prospects gain exposure to college coaches, work directly with coaches who could potentially recruit them and receive coverage from Prep Girls Hoops scouts. With every player bringing different strengths to the floor, the format provided several ways for them to showcase their abilities through skill-specific drills, 3v3 competition and 5v5 games. Each participant wore a numbered reversible jersey that matched the information provided to college coaches, making it easier for them to identify and evaluate players throughout the event. Programs from the Division II, Division III, NAIA, NCCAA and JUCO levels across Michigan, along with several from neighboring states, were invited to attend. Players also had time to connect with college coaches following their sessions. Another great addition this year was a shooting workout led by Make Shots trainer Mike Soukup, who worked with both the high school and middle school participants. The combination of instruction, competition and recruiting opportunities gave players multiple ways to display their skills throughout the day.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/10/image_55bc5b.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1963770" /></figure>   The middle school session at the Headliners Invitational provided younger prospects with a valuable opportunity to gain experience in a showcase setting before beginning their high school careers. With most recruiting events and scouting coverage focused on high school players, this session gave middle school athletes a chance to develop their skills, compete and become more comfortable in an environment similar to what they will experience in the coming years. Participants had the opportunity to work with college coaches and current Lansing Community College players, giving them a glimpse of what it takes to compete at the next level. Jocelyn Kotowicz, a 2025 graduate of St. Johns, also led a Q&A session where she shared insight into life as a college basketball player. Another important part of the event was the exposure these young prospects received through Prep Girls Hoops, putting them on the radar before they even step onto a high school court. Experiences like this can help build confidence and prepare players for future opportunities as they continue developing their games.   My coverage at the Headliners Invitational Showcase focused on Team Liberty and Team Fever during the middle school session.  I'll take a closer look at the players representing Team Liberty and highlight what I saw from each of them throughout the event.    Blake earned MVP honors during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational after putting together an impressive performance for Team Liberty. As a guard, she was extremely difficult to keep out of the paint, using her quickness, ball-handling skills and ability to change direction to consistently get past defenders. During 3v3 competition, Blake showed her ability to attack the basket with several strong takes and finishes. One of her more impressive plays came when she used a smooth hesitation dribble to get past her defender along the baseline before finishing with a beautiful reverse layup. She also displayed excellent footwork with a step-through move and showed her athleticism by catching a pass out of the pick-and-roll and converting an impressive finish. Those skills carried over into 5v5 action, where she continued using her hesitation dribble and quick crossover to blow by defenders. Her spin move in the lane was another move that made her difficult to guard. What really caught my attention was how often she turned defense into offense. Blake came away with more steals than I could count, taking the basketball coast to coast for scoring opportunities time and time again. Despite playing on the perimeter, she was also active on the offensive glass, collecting rebounds and converting putbacks. Her ability to attack the rim, create turnovers and contribute on the boards made her one of my MVP selections from the event.     Caya showed a nice combination of shooting ability, ball-handling skills and defensive effort while competing with Team Liberty during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational. During the Make Shots workout, her pull-up jumpers caught my attention, as she displayed a good-looking shot and a smooth shooting motion. She carried that shooting ability into 5v5 competition, knocking down an impressive deep three-pointer at the buzzer. Caya also demonstrated her ability to create off the dribble, using a nice crossover to get past her defender. Defensively, she showed quick hands and a willingness to work hard to make plays. One of my favorite moments came when she hustled back in transition, chased down an opposing player and stole the basketball from behind. She also came away with another steal that she took coast to coast, showing her ability to turn a defensive play into an offensive opportunity. Her shooting touch, defensive instincts and effort were all encouraging parts of her performance.     Alyssa brought a nice combination of effort, awareness and versatility to Team Liberty during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational. Offensively, she showed the ability to attack the basket, making a strong rip-through move along the baseline to get past her defender and convert a bucket. She also demonstrated good decision-making while driving, delivering a nice pass to a teammate rather than forcing a shot. Alyssa was active on the offensive glass, working to secure rebounds and create additional opportunities for her team. I also liked how she contributed on the defensive end. She came away with a defensive rebound and immediately looked up the floor, delivering a well-placed pass ahead in transition. Alyssa also showed good timing with a block and wasn't afraid to put in the extra effort, hitting the floor to fight for a loose ball. Her willingness to make hustle plays, compete for rebounds and create opportunities for her teammates made her a valuable contributor throughout the event.     Alexis showed a nice combination of perimeter shooting and offensive awareness while competing with Team Liberty during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational. She got things going during the Make Shots workout, where she knocked down several three-pointers and displayed her ability to shoot from the outside. That shooting touch carried over into 5v5 competition, as she connected on multiple shots from behind the arc. What I also liked about Alexis was that she didn't rely solely on her perimeter game to create scoring opportunities. She showed the ability to put the basketball on the floor, making a strong rip-through move to get past her defender and finish at the basket. Alexis also demonstrated good movement without the ball, recognizing an opening in the defense and making a perfectly timed cut to the hoop for another bucket. Her ability to find scoring opportunities both with and without the basketball, along with her outside shooting, made her an effective offensive contributor for Team Liberty.     Eve contributed on the glass while competing with Team Liberty during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational. She showed a willingness to work for rebounds, coming away with multiple offensive boards that helped create additional possessions and scoring opportunities for her team. One play that caught my attention came on the defensive end, when Eve secured a rebound and immediately looked up the floor to deliver a nice pass ahead in transition. I liked her awareness on that possession, as she recognized the opportunity to move the basketball quickly rather than allowing the defense to get set. Her effort on the offensive glass and ability to help initiate transition offense following a defensive rebound were positive parts of her performance.     Jovi showed a nice presence around the basket while competing with Team Liberty during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational. She was active on the glass throughout the event, coming away with multiple rebounds on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. I liked her willingness to work for position and stay involved in possessions, giving her team opportunities to secure the basketball. Jovi also demonstrated good movement without the ball, finding ways to get herself into position to receive a pass. One play that caught my attention came when she did a nice job sealing her defender and making a strong catch in traffic. That ability to establish position and secure the basketball with defenders around her is an important skill for a young player. Her rebounding effort, awareness away from the ball and ability to work inside were encouraging parts of her performance for Team Liberty.     Nelleigh showed a nice understanding of how to make plays on both ends of the floor while competing with Team Liberty during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational. During 3v3 competition, she executed a good give-and-go, showing her ability to move the basketball and work with her teammates to create an offensive opportunity. She also made her presence felt defensively, coming away with a block and jumping a passing lane to get a deflection. In 5v5 action, Nelleigh continued to contribute on the defensive end, collecting a couple of steals while also working hard on the offensive glass to secure rebounds. What really caught my attention was her movement without the basketball. She did an excellent job finding open space and making herself available for scoring opportunities, resulting in two consecutive buckets. Her ability to recognize openings in the defense, along with her activity on the boards and defensive effort, gave Team Liberty contributions in several areas throughout the event.     Josie brought great defensive energy to Team Liberty during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational, consistently finding ways to disrupt opposing players and create opportunities for her team. During 3v3 competition, she showed quick hands by picking an opponent's pocket for a steal and also contributed on the offensive glass with multiple rebounds. Her defensive activity continued into 5v5 action, where she came away with several steals, including one that she turned into a coast-to-coast opportunity. On another possession, she secured a steal and immediately delivered a nice pass ahead in transition. Josie also forced multiple tie-ups, showing her determination to battle for possession of the basketball. One of her more impressive defensive plays came when she anticipated a shot attempt and timed her jump perfectly to block a taller opponent. Offensively, she showed the ability to attack the basket with a nice slash and finish. Her defensive instincts, hustle and ability to turn turnovers into offensive opportunities were some of the things I liked most about her performance.     Alayna showed an impressive ability to attack the basket and create scoring opportunities while competing with Team Liberty during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational. She was particularly effective getting downhill, making multiple strong slashes to the hoop and converting some nice finishes around the rim. I liked how well she ran the floor, consistently getting up the court and putting herself in position to make plays in transition. On one possession, Alayna secured a defensive rebound and took the basketball coast to coast, showing her ability to push the pace and create her own scoring opportunity. She also demonstrated good defensive anticipation, jumping a passing lane for a steal before taking it the length of the floor. What really caught my attention on that play was her ball handling, as she showed excellent push-outs with her crossover dribble to get past defenders while maintaining her speed. Her combination of quickness, transition play and ability to finish at the basket made her an exciting player to watch throughout the event.

The Headliners Invitational Showcase made its return this year after taking a break in 2024. Originally created by Evan Bell and Ray Kimball in November 2023, the event was designed to bring together some of the best elements of traditional showcases, college elite camps and prospect camps while keeping player development and recruiting exposure at the forefront. The goal behind the Headliners Invitational is to provide girls basketball players with an opportunity to showcase their skills, compete against talented players and gain valuable exposure to college coaches. With a format focused on helping players get noticed and take steps toward the next level, the return of the Headliners Invitational is an exciting addition to the Michigan girls basketball showcase scene.

The Headliners Invitational was designed to give players more than just another opportunity to compete in games. The event focused on helping prospects gain exposure to college coaches, work directly with coaches who could potentially recruit them and receive coverage from Prep Girls Hoops scouts. With every player bringing different strengths to the floor, the format provided several ways for them to showcase their abilities through skill-specific drills, 3v3 competition and 5v5 games. Each participant wore a numbered reversible jersey that matched the information provided to college coaches, making it easier for them to identify and evaluate players throughout the event. Programs from the Division II, Division III, NAIA, NCCAA and JUCO levels across Michigan, along with several from neighboring states, were invited to attend. Players also had time to connect with college coaches following their sessions. Another great addition this year was a shooting workout led by Make Shots trainer Mike Soukup, who worked with both the high school and middle school participants. The combination of instruction, competition and recruiting opportunities gave players multiple ways to display their skills throughout the day.

The middle school session at the Headliners Invitational provided younger prospects with a valuable opportunity to gain experience in a showcase setting before beginning their high school careers. With most recruiting events and scouting coverage focused on high school players, this session gave middle school athletes a chance to develop their skills, compete and become more comfortable in an environment similar to what they will experience in the coming years. Participants had the opportunity to work with college coaches and current Lansing Community College players, giving them a glimpse of what it takes to compete at the next level. Jocelyn Kotowicz, a 2025 graduate of St. Johns, also led a Q&A session where she shared insight into life as a college basketball player. Another important part of the event was the exposure these young prospects received through Prep Girls Hoops, putting them on the radar before they even step onto a high school court. Experiences like this can help build confidence and prepare players for future opportunities as they continue developing their games.

My coverage at the Headliners Invitational Showcase focused on Team Liberty and Team Fever during the middle school session. I'll take a closer look at the players representing Team Liberty and highlight what I saw from each of them throughout the event.

Blake Taipalus

HEIGHT 5'7"

POS PG/SG

CLASS 2031

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Blake Taipalus

State: Michigan

Club: Sports City Angels

Blake earned MVP honors during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational after putting together an impressive performance for Team Liberty. As a guard, she was extremely difficult to keep out of the paint, using her quickness, ball-handling skills and ability to change direction to consistently get past defenders. During 3v3 competition, Blake showed her ability to attack the basket with several strong takes and finishes. One of her more impressive plays came when she used a smooth hesitation dribble to get past her defender along the baseline before finishing with a beautiful reverse layup. She also displayed excellent footwork with a step-through move and showed her athleticism by catching a pass out of the pick-and-roll and converting an impressive finish. Those skills carried over into 5v5 action, where she continued using her hesitation dribble and quick crossover to blow by defenders. Her spin move in the lane was another move that made her difficult to guard. What really caught my attention was how often she turned defense into offense. Blake came away with more steals than I could count, taking the basketball coast to coast for scoring opportunities time and time again. Despite playing on the perimeter, she was also active on the offensive glass, collecting rebounds and converting putbacks. Her ability to attack the rim, create turnovers and contribute on the boards made her one of my MVP selections from the event.

Highlights

Caya Chavez

HEIGHT 5'3"

POS SG

CLASS 2032

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Caya Chavez

State: Michigan

Club: Michigan Premier

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Highlights

Alyssa Reau

HEIGHT 5'4"

POS SG

CLASS 2032

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Alyssa Reau

State: Michigan

School: Chelsea

Club: Michigan Premier

Alyssa brought a nice combination of effort, awareness and versatility to Team Liberty during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational. Offensively, she showed the ability to attack the basket, making a strong rip-through move along the baseline to get past her defender and convert a bucket. She also demonstrated good decision-making while driving, delivering a nice pass to a teammate rather than forcing a shot. Alyssa was active on the offensive glass, working to secure rebounds and create additional opportunities for her team. I also liked how she contributed on the defensive end. She came away with a defensive rebound and immediately looked up the floor, delivering a well-placed pass ahead in transition. Alyssa also showed good timing with a block and wasn't afraid to put in the extra effort, hitting the floor to fight for a loose ball. Her willingness to make hustle plays, compete for rebounds and create opportunities for her teammates made her a valuable contributor throughout the event.

Highlights

Alexis Slack

HEIGHT 5'2"

POS SG/SF

CLASS 2032

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Alexis Slack

State: Michigan

School: Michigan Center

Club: Michigan Premier

Alexis showed a nice combination of perimeter shooting and offensive awareness while competing with Team Liberty during the middle school session at the Headliners Invitational. She got things going during the Make Shots workout, where she knocked down several three-pointers and displayed her ability to shoot from the outside. That shooting touch carried over into 5v5 competition, as she connected on multiple shots from behind the arc. What I also liked about Alexis was that she didn't rely solely on her perimeter game to create scoring opportunities. She showed the ability to put the basketball on the floor, making a strong rip-through move to get past her defender and finish at the basket. Alexis also demonstrated good movement without the ball, recognizing an opening in the defense and making a perfectly timed cut to the hoop for another bucket. Her ability to find scoring opportunities both with and without the basketball, along with her outside shooting, made her an effective offensive contributor for Team Liberty.