This weekend Zabel did a good job of holding her own on the road. Whenever you have a live period weekend, you know the competition is going to be at their best and Zabel did great in controlling what she could while being productive on both ends of the floor. Offensively, she converted underneath at a steady pace when she had timing and space, she rebounded hard off missed shot attempts, and she kept most of the opposing team off the boards at the same time with her box-out ability. Defensively, she did what she was suppose to do. She communicated at a high rate, crashed hard, and clean up most of the messes in-between the blocks. We still aren’t sure where she will end up come college but she should have options at the end of the day.

If you are looking for a player with better than average size, with a hunger for the knowledge of the game then look no further than Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'1" | C East Buchanan | 2027 State IA . Zabel just finished off her season at East Buchanan averaging 12, 7, and 2 on the way to an overall 8-15 record. She was a constant force in the lane, standing at 6’2, that everyone had to deal with once they beat their initial defender. It might not seem like they did very well but these girls put together some respectable contests and they learned a lot along the way. Sometimes it’s good to take some bumps and bruises. It helps you figure out your flaws if you pay close enough attention so as long as Zabel builds off of the positions this Spring, she is going to be back and ready to roll at a high rate!

Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'1" | C East Buchanan | 2027 State IA will attempt to keep her Junior season going strong this weekend when they face Easton Valley High School. Zabel has been a staple for East Buchanan High school this Winter in the Post. She is currently averaging 8.1 PPG and 11.1 RPG while holding down the paint in the middle and she is making opposing teams scare to attack the lane off the dribble. Whenever that happens, Zabel usually is there to alter or deter an attempt near the bucket with her length. This group has a different leading scorer on the Winter so far but the major key to their success so far has been due to Zabel so make sure to keep an eye out for her this weekend.

Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'1" | C East Buchanan | 2027 State IA will be the system for East Buchanan High School moving forward. That’s easy to say when Zabel comes into this Winter as one of the tallest prospects in the state between 6’2-6’3. Other than just being tall, Zabel understands her role. She knows that she makes her money in- between the blocks for her team on both sides of the ball. Now it’s just about building on what this group put in place over the past two years. Zabel has been a Varsity producer ever since she took the floor as a Freshman and I don’t think that is going to change anytime soon.

Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'1" | C East Buchanan | 2027 State IA of East Buchanan came off of AAU season and received an offer almost right away to kick-off the Fall. Zabel, the 6’1 C/PF, recently took a visit to Grand View out of Des Moines. She eventually scooped an offer on this visit, adding another one to her pile. I do see this as someone that could thrive at the NAIA level with the correct guidance over the next few years. She has a solid base, literally and metaphorically, to build on. She plays off of two feet and good spacing, while being a prospect that can stuff a stat sheet in a short amount of time if you don’t account for her early on. Zabel is only a 2027 so she will have a few more years to prove her worth to college recruiters out there paying attention. If she continues to do well during the Winter and on the road during AAU season, she should continue to get looks until she commits.

Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'1" | C East Buchanan | 2027 State IA is a constant at the Varsity level for her high school program and I’m excited to see her doing the same this AAU season on the road. Zabel is a 6’1 Center with some soft touch, balanced coordination, respectable footwork, and discipline. She isn’t the type to jump at bad pump fakes or to miss her assignment. Instead, she stays down and contests with her feet on the ground. Something that will play to her advantage in the future if she decides to compete at the next level at the end of the day.

Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'1" | C East Buchanan | 2027 State IA of East Buchanan High School and Team Iowa AAU recently took her first college visit this past week to Briar Cliff. Zabel, a 6’0 Center, is a work in progression but also someone that has shown glimpses of possessing some really special skill out on the floor at times. This AAU season, Zabel has taken over as her team’s main producer in the middle. She is by far the tallest prospect on her team and she controls the middle with authority because of that. She possesses multiple counter moves with her back to the basket, if she is ever cut off but mainly – she is taller than her matchups so she can just go up and over. Defensively, as you could imagine, Zabel is a force that others have to recognize when they drive or else it will end in a block, tip, or deflection. All in all, a lot to like out of Zabel as her recruitment is just starting to heat up.

Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'1" | C East Buchanan | 2027 State IA came into this event and showed off what she could do. Zabel is a 6’0 Center, that I’m starting to consider more of a PF after what I saw this weekend. Mainly because she has the ability to step out and shoot from the outside, as she also has the ability to take it in and play near the painted area. On the Varsity floor for high school ball, Zabel is their mixture of a C/PF, that holds it down in the middle. With some bigger prospects in the building over these two days, Zabel wasn’t the tallest but she held her own. She played as physical as she could underneath against others that had 3-4 inches and 35+ LBs on her. This just shows the heart she competes with. She is never running from anyone and she is always willing to mix it up. As long as Zabel continues to keep working and she stays locked in, I’m sure she will be a player that produces over the next twelve months on whichever floor she is competing on.

This is going to be an important Spring/Summer for Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'1" | C East Buchanan | 2027 State IA of Team Iowa . Zabel is a Center/Power Forward, that has grown in her game over the years. Every time I see Zabel she is adding onto her play-style in some way, adding more confidence to her overall demeanor, and adding to what she brings to the floor as a leader. It’s also important to note, Zabel is a big that competes with a ton of energy. She brings a spark to every team she plays with and that’s been obvious for a few years now. When it comes to the skill-set of her play-style, she has height, a long wing span, she keeps it simple near the hoop with direct movements, and she gets a lot of stops because of her ability to defend anyone near the paint. This AAU season, Zabel is going to be receiving major minutes out of the post. If she plays her role and produces, I’m curious who would be reaching out with interest to see what she might what to do at the college level but she should have interest in some form moving into her Junior high school season at EB.

If we are solely talking about the Center position out of this Class, Emma Zabel Emma Zabel 6'1" | C East Buchanan | 2027 State IA is someone that comes across my mind. Zabel has height at 6’0, a higher future potential than most her age, and she has demonstrated that she is a quicker learner. When she is performing on the AAU scene, she has shown that she can really make some waves throughout a ball game with her mixture of height and motor. Jesup is going to need her in the middle to control things if they want to beat other sound programs this Winter. They have a few productive recruits but Zabel could definitely step up as their main piece before you know it.