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LBI Event Recap: PA Future Stars Fall Showcase Day 1 (Pittsburgh, PA)

By R.Simone @R_SimoneP, 09/22/19, 1:15AM EDT

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Pittsburgh, PA – Players from multiple places in the Midwest and East Coast traveled to Pittsburgh to show off their talents to college coaches and media outlets one last time before high school basketball begins. Talent from grades 6th – 11th was present in the gym as players went through a variety of skills stations and game play.

Watching all of the different levels of play and types of players confirmed and reiterated a few things…

·         Basketball is a year-round sport. There are no months off. Staying in game-ready shape is important in order to compete at a high level.

·         Fancy footwork and dribbling serve no purpose if the end result is a missed layup.

·         Defense wins game! A team can score 100 points, but if they allow their opponent to score 101, they will lose.

·         Consistency is crucial. Players cannot afford to take any possessions or games off when being recruited.

·         Ballers are going to ball! Even when their teammates are total strangers, their game will shine through.

Here are just a few of the awesome players that stood out during today’s showcase.

 

STANDOUT PLAYERS

Dirrianna Alexander  2025  6’0”  SF  (Middle School)
By far one of if not the most athletic player at the showcase. She can handle the ball in transition and at the half-court set. She is a pass-first player that can easily take over a game. She uses both hands equally and can score with contact. She made great moves off the dribble to finish with an easy bucker and defensively was a blocking and rebounding monster. Her future is a strong and bright one.

Hannah McDanel  2021  5’7”  SG  Mohawk H.S.
Hannah is a high energy player on both offense and defense. She worked hard while on every skill station and during the games. She can knock down the 12-foot jumper consistently and was a defensive threat.

Dani Vuletich  2021  6’3”   SF/PF  Western Reserve (Berlin Center)
Long, athletic, and an all-around go-to kid, Dani showed her versatility and ability to adjust on defense. She had great footwork with her back to the basket and was also able to score during face to face match-ups. She did a good job of altering shots and rebounding also.

Peyton Pinkney  2021  5’11”  SF  Woodland Hills H.S.
A versatile player that is skilled and tough enough to play the wing and PF positions, Peyton knocked down several long distant threes and showed some great moves in the post, scoring against multiple defenders. She was vocal on the court and was a key contributor on defense.

Megan Marston  2024  5’7”  SG  Plum Boro H.S.
Megan is a sharpshooter with a quick release. She was able to knock down shots off the bounce and with her feet set. She played hard on defense and was able to do so without it affecting her legs or her shot.

Kassie Potts  2023  5’2”  PG  Blackhawk H.S. 
A smart player with great ball and court awareness, Kassie was fun to watch. She is able to make good decisions in transition and did not have many turnovers. She has strong handles and was a solid defender. She is capable of getting to the rim and scoring or making a great pass.

Macie Justice  2024  5’6”  CG  Trinity H.S.
Macie earned herself a “Shooter Alert” during the showcase. Whether it was a short jumper or a deep three-pointer, her shot was accurate, and her release was quick. She is small but packs a lot of punch, knocking down shots while standing just inches from the sideline on more than one occasion.

Layke Fields  2025  6’0”  C  Kennedy Catholic M.S.
When Layke stepped on the court, the game changed. A true six-footer with a solid frame, matchups were just unfair. She was able to establish position on the block early and was unmovable when she did. She has great footwork for her age and battles for every rebound that comes off the rim. She finished numerous times with contact and did so with ease.

Nya Nicholson  2021  5’11”  PF  Winchester Thurston H.S.
From start to finish, Nya’s on the court work ethic made her stand out. She defined “hustle” and set the tone for those around her. She is a rebounding machine, boxing out bigger and taller players and winning the positioning battle. She has a nice IQ and is able to move without the ball to make herself available on offense.

Emily Starn  2022  5’5”  PG  Fairmont Senior H.S.
The first time Emily touched the ball once the games began, she did a sweep through, passed her opponent and made a layup with a defender at the rim. That was the beginning of her consistent play for the remainder of the day. She has quick hands and quick feet. She can score when she wants and is a top-notch on the ball defender.

Andrea Kinger  2025  5’4”  PG  (Middle School)
Andrea was one of the smartest I watched all day. Her game IQ is beyond her years. She has superb court vision and was able to get crisp passes to her teammates quickly. She can shoot from behind the arc and works extremely hard on the defensive end. She knows the game, and it shows.

Anna Hunt  2021  5’10”  SF  Ravenswood H.S.
Anna has a long wingspan that she uses to defend smaller player and rebound. She can shoot the ball from deep and also finish strong in transition. She is a verbal leader on the court and played great help defense. Anna also did a good job of working hard without the ball to make herself available to score.