I-35 Showcase-OKC: First Team All-Middle School

Let me start by saying I am not naming this first team in any official capacity with the I-35 Showcase. The organization was nice enough to have me and I am using this format as a way of telling you about some of the best players that I saw there. In the coming days I will be talking more about some other good players I saw there, but first we'll start out with the Middle School and High School first and second teams. In no particular order, here they are. <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/DSC_0046-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1632268660.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-329127 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/DSC_0046-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1632268660-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197"></a>[player_tooltip player_id='443065' first='Ti'heiress' last='Davis'] | 5-7 G/F | McAlester, OK | 2026 | </span><a href="https://x.com/HeiressTi"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">@HeiressTi</span></a></strong> I made one big note in my notebook while watching Ti'Heiress play: "STAR!" Literally from the opening tip-off, she was doing work. A drive to the basket - score. Get back and defend, opponent turns it over, mid-range jumper - score. The poise and confidence she possesses is rarely seen in such a young player. It is clear that she is going to be one of the top freshmen in the state next season. Davis is a star and now she is a first-team all showcase player. If you want to see the aforementioned buckets, here is the visual proof. Davis was one of the top scorers on her squad in each of the four games. The future is very bright for Ti'Heiress! <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I-35 showcase <a href="https://t.co/x1WJGjcPcl">pic.x.com/x1WJGjcPcl</a></p> — [player_tooltip player_id='443065' first='Ti'heiress' last='Davis'] (@HeiressTi) <a href="https://x.com/HeiressTi/status/1439340240922202117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/DSC_0206-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1632268911.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-329129 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/DSC_0206-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1632268911-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197"></a>Jaciah McCalister | 5-2 G | Del City, OK | 2028 | <a href="https://x.com/JaciahMcCalist1">@JaciahMcCalist1</a> </span></strong> Add this first team honor to the incredibly long list of accolades that Jaciah has racked up already in her young basketball career. She consistently plays up and this weekend was no different. One of the youngest players in the house, McCalister had no problems holding her own, after all, she's pretty used to it by now. She has tremendous handles, some of the best in the middle school group. She is extremely fast with the ball in her hands and finishes consistently at the rim despite her shorter height. She is a tough defender who moves laterally quickly and does a very good job of staying in front of her opponent. Can't wait to see what the future holds for this young 2028 athlete! <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/DSC_0041-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1632269070.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-329131 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/DSC_0041-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1632269070-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197"></a>Makenzie Raasch | 5-3 G | Cyril, OK | 2026 | <a href="https://x.com/MakenzieRaasch">@MakenzieRaasch</a></strong></span> Makenzie is another player who jumped out immediately on Saturday. She goes incredibly hard and just one look at her can tell you that she really, really wants it. She is a great passer with vision that truly belies her years. She is silky with her movements on the court, not getting hurried but still playing with an urgency. She gets up and down the court and was one of the best defenders in the middle school group. She goes all out, all game long. She is clearly the boss on offense. She isn't limited to just dishing out dimes to her teammates, though. She increased her point output from game to game ending up with two double-digit games. I can imagine that Cement High School is very, very ready for her to get there! <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">[player_tooltip player_id='486424' first='Avery' last='Ragland'] | 5-3 G | Yukon, OK | 2026 | <a href="https://x.com/lilChef30">@lilChef30</a></span></strong> This wasn't my first time seeing young Avery in person and I was still as impressed as I was the first time. She is one of those players that when you watch her games, you can be guaranteed that she is going to flash into every single play on the offensive and defensive end. She is a nuisance - in a good way, obviously. She has great handles, great speed and it seems like a great all-around attitude when it comes to basketball. I always like to keep an eye out for the players who look like they are genuinely having fun while they play. To me, it seems like those players could go further in the game because they may not get burned out with all of the grassroots ball, school ball, showcases, etc. I might be reading too much into it, of course, but to me it makes sense. Ragland is a great player and exactly what coaches are looking for at the next level. A teammate, a leader and an all-around great player. <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-329141 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/09/DSC_0437-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1632270072-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197">[player_tooltip player_id='523902' first='Marissa' last='Sandlin'] | 5-8 G/F | Tuttle, OK | 2026 | <a href="https://x.com/SandlinMarissa">@SandlinMarissa</a></span></strong> State champion Tuttle High has a really good one on the way. A team with a recent history of really good "bigs" may have another one coming. However, if she were to stay at 5'8" - which I don't think is the case - she is still an incredible guard and/or small forward. Basically, wherever you put her... she is gonna get buckets. Marissa is a strong and tough player who runs the floor very well. She finishes through contact and draws a lot of fouls with great body control in the lane. She is a good rebounder who showed a plethora of moves inside including the ability to finish with either hand. She can score from behind the arc, too. Look for Tuttle to stay perennially in the state championship conversation with a baller like Sandlin stepping in to fill holes being left by the D-I players who are moving on.