Big Winners from the "Scholastic Live Period"

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='486476' first='Shaylyn' last='Hawk'] (2026) of Washington High School.   Not long ago, the NCAA instituted a "Scholastic Live Period" in June, allowing all NCAA schools (plus NAIA, NJCAA, etc.) the opportunity to see prospects one more time, however, in a much different setting than grassroots basketball. High school-aged prospects would be able to participate in events in their home state hosted by either the state's high school association or the state's coaches' association. In Indiana, the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) has differed to the Indiana Basketball Coaches' Association (IBCA), and the IBCA has used this as an opportunity to promote their Top 100 Individual Showcase, plus they've added the IBCA/IHSAA Team Showcase to the calendar each of those years. This year, the team showcase was bigger and better than ever, as 114 high school programs participated in at least one day (two games per day) of the event. Below is a look at a handful of "headlines" I noticed while observing the team showcase on Friday and Saturday.   .   [player_tooltip player_id='567131' first='Indiah' last='Hutchinson'] (2026)   I have been a big fan of Indiah since I first saw her in the Winter of her Freshman year. For whatever reason, this past weekend was the first time people around the state, as well as attending NCAA Division I schools, really locked in and took notice of her game. The 5-11 lefty from Hammond Central is strong, athletic, and aggressive. She can push the ball in transition, get to the rim and finish from the top of the key in one dribble, plus she has shown nice touch in the mid-range game that is starting to consistently extend to the 3-point line. I know a number of "D1s" from low-major all the way up to mid-major-plus who were very intrigued and interested in her game following a strong showing Thursday at the Top 100, then again Friday in a respectable 5-point loss to a good Plainfield team, followed by a 2-point win against Class 3A State Runner-Up Greensburg. Look for Indiah to have a lot of eyes following her throughout July.   .   The Brownstown Central Lady Braves   When 4-year point guard Jenna Klosterman graduated on May 24th, she took with her four Sectional titles, Regional titles each of the last two years, and a Class 2A State Runner-Up finish in 2024. She also took her twin, shooter Mallory Klosterman, plus Kinzee Dean, Addison Darlage, and a couple additional members of a strong 2025 class. In fairness, the Lady Braves have won 15 or more games in most seasons since 2009-2010, but I'm not so sure they expected to come out and go 4-0 over the weekend minus that 2025 group, defeating the likes of Lafayette Central Catholic, Triton Central, Hamilton Heights, and Guerin Catholic by a combined 45 points. Stepping to the forefront was 5-6 Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='486520' first='Harley' last='Toppe']. Toppe has been a key shooter/scorer for them in the past, but now she is taking on major ball-handling responsibilities as well. Not only that, but she was also incredibly feisty defensively, and she looks to step into a big leadership role during the 2025-2026 season. 5-9 Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='928931' first='Sophie' last='Wischmeier'] is another multiyear starter who brings athletic talent. She can slash to the basket for scores, she's a talented rebounder with a nose for the ball, plus she can defend any of three or four positions effectively. The biggest addition, literally and figuratively, was that of 6-1 Junior front-liner [player_tooltip player_id='750165' first='Claire' last='Brock']. The long, fluid, somewhat bouncy forward/post sat out the 2024-2025 season, but she has returned and given them quite the boost, scoring regularly inside and in the mid-range game, plus providing them with quite a defensive presence around the paint. Also keep an eye on 5-9 Senior wing Hailey Hobson. She is extremely long & wiry, very bouncy, and she did a really nice job in the "hustle play" categories, plus she added another lengthy presence defensively. I fully anticipate the Lady Braves to be a threat in Sectional #45 as well as a Top 10 team in Class 2A once again.   .   The City of Fort Wayne   While I think everyone can agree that we all fully expect Homestead to be a top team in the state in 2025-2026, there were questions to be answered about the remainder of the city...not all bad, just questions. Fort Wayne Snider, for example, has a plethora of young talent, including 5-10 wing [player_tooltip player_id='879936' first='Janaya' last='Cooper'] (2028) who is turning heads each weekend on the grassroots circuit. But the Lady Panthers graduated a solid 2025 class that including second leading scorer Kyra Parker, plus a savvy supporting cast who had been Varsity regulars for multiple years (and were their 3rd, 4th, and 5th leading scorers in 2024-2025). However, Snider added 6-0 transfer wing [player_tooltip player_id='743355' first='Isabelle' last='Eke'] (2027) from nearby Bishop Dwenger to pair with Cooper in the lineup, as well as 6-1 2029 post [player_tooltip player_id='1263971' first='McKenzie' last='White']. Eke is another nice athlete and a multilevel scorer who should add an immediate offensive boost. White brings a noticeable post presence that combines raw power with soft hands and a good understanding of the game. Throw in 2027 point guards [player_tooltip player_id='751112' first='Mylee' last='Hurse'] and Gracie Smith, and the Panthers should have solid ball security plus gritty defense out of that lead guard position. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='992257' first='Mackenzie' last='Carter'] also saw some quality minutes as a rookie and could get some easy buckets working off her teammates.   Fort Wayne Northrop posted a 16-8 record in 2024-2025, falling to Snider in the Sectional Championship game. However, the Bruins were encouraged by the return of a huge 2026 class, graduating no Seniors this Spring. How would they mesh together with another year under their belt? How would they look with a healthy [player_tooltip player_id='492326' first='Khala' last='Williams-Thomas'] (2026) and [player_tooltip player_id='624885' first='Miley' last='Wareing'] (2026) who each missed 5 games a season ago...the latter returning from an ACL injury much earlier than expected? Early results say they can be a Top 20 team from the get-go this coming year, as they posted a 3-1 record over the weekend, falling only to a top team in Lawrence Central Saturday morning. But the Bruins had a nail-biting win against a strong Northridge program, they then defeated an up-and-coming Lafayette Jefferson group, plus they finished the weekend with a narrow 1-point win over a Franklin Central team who found themselves ranked much of the 2024-2025 season and return nearly everyone. 5-10 wing [player_tooltip player_id='486518' first='Swynn' last='Jackson'] (2026) shot the ball extremely well throughout the weekend. The lefty Indiana University-Indianapolis recruit is smooth off the bounce as well, and she stepped up after missing much of the Spring. I've written about Wareing throughout the grassroots season, and she's starting to figure out how to finish through contact better in her leaner frame. She is so much more active and effective at both ends of the floor, though. But the highlight of their weekend had to have been Williams-Thomas. She has always been an uber-talented athlete and a double-double contributor, but she looked like she was on a mission, creating off the dribble, getting to the rim anytime she wanted, showing off an improved jump-shot, and sitting down and locking up when she was engaged defensively.   Fort Wayne adjacent Norwell, your 2025 Class 3A State Champions, will look to make their third consecutive trip to Gainbridge Fieldhouse next February. The Lady Knights only played Friday, posting a 2-0 record with impressive double-digit wins against 2025 Class 4A State Champion Lawrence North, as well as against Zionsville. The Knights have so many pieces with experience now, and they are great within their system. 5-10 wing [player_tooltip player_id='732354' first='Vanessa' last='Rosswurm'] (2026) is never better than when she's in her Norwell jersey, and she was making plays at both ends of the floor. She collected a number of steals and turned them into offense, she shot it well from the perimeter, plus, as usual, she was the hardest worker on the floor each game. I really enjoy what the combination of 5-7 guard Addie Norris (2026) and 5-8 shooter [player_tooltip player_id='1137282' first='Macie' last='Saalfrank'] (2026) bring to the court each time out. Norris adds toughness and grit, she plays bigger than she is, she defends, rebounds, and does a lot of the "little things" to help them win. Saalfrank is a long, wiry, smooth shooter who you cannot give any space to. She has made a habit out of burning opponents who 'help' off of her to her teammates. The biggest problem for Norwell in 2025-2026 could be them getting in their own way. But if they stay true to form, I don't expect to see many teams in Class 3A putting up a strong resistance.   Throw in the aforementioned Homestead Spartans (4-0) and Class 2A Bishop Luers (3-1), and those five Fort Wayne area teams combined for a 16-2 record over the weekend at the IBCA/IHSAA team event. Homestead began Friday with a 55-51 thriller over Class 4A State Runner-Up Warsaw, then posted 20+ point wins against Hamilton Southeastern, Silver Creek, and Washington. The Spartans have depth and talent in each graduating class and could very well begin the 2025-2026 season as the top team in Hoosierland. Bishop Luers was just 9-15 in a "rebuilding" year this past Winter, but they had a strong showing over the weekend, defeating Sullivan, Huntington North, and Jasper.   .   [player_tooltip player_id='486476' first='Shaylyn' last='Hawk'] (2026)   I first saw Shay during a Fall showcase as she prepared for her Freshman year of high school ball, and you could see she possessed a nice combination of skill, talent, basketball IQ, and work ethic. Fast forward to today, and Shay has been a 3-year Varsity contributor, scoring 11.1 points per game as a Junior on a deep Washington Hatchet squad this past Winter. She was also a blistering 51% (37-72) from 3-point range in 2024-2025, but I'm guessing you didn't know that. She hasn't been a big grassroots participant until this Spring, and being located in Southwestern Indiana, statewide publicity can sometimes be tough. But she had a great showing over the weekend, even pouring in roughly 40 of her team's 53 points Friday night against an often-strong Zionsville Eagles program. I would fully expect her recruiting to pick up, as the Midwest's elite small colleges can certainly use a strong, athletic, knockdown shooter who always outworks her matchup.

The featured image is of Shaylyn Hawk Shaylyn Hawk 5'7" | SG Washington | 2026 State IN (2026) of Washington High School.