Belleville, MI: The Best of Michigan Holiday Classic has been a must-see in years past, and this year's event wasn't different.  Belleville High School was the place to this past weekend, where many top teams and players competed throughout the day in front of many fans, media outlets, and over 30 college coaches who were in attendance. All the teams strive for a successful season, and a few standout players caught the eye during the event.

2026 PG Vanessa Rodriguez Father Gabriel Richard
Small in stature but plays with lots of energy and heart. Rodriguez is a tough point guard who does a great job getting her teammates involved while creating off the dribble. She is a versatile scorer who knocks down the three ball and finishes well in the paint amongst the trees.

2025 Post Cora Williams Father Gabriel Richard
Williams is a strong post player; once she establishes herself on the block, it's hard to stop her. She rebounds the ball well on both ends and has a soft touch in the paint while welcoming the contact.

2024 SF Stephanie Utomi Arbor Prep
Great size at the wing position and is an energy player who gives it up on every possession. Has a good handle and is very effective off the bounce in the half court set. Utomi is a strong, bouncy athlete who plays through contact and completes plays. She showed she could knock down the three balls. Will be very successful at the next level in the SoCon Conference. (Signed with Mercer)

2026 SG Secrette Carter Belleville
She is a combo guard who can shoot the ball when locked in. She came alive in the second half of her game, showing that she is not only a 3-point shooter but can get it done from mid-range and finishing at the rack off the dribble. Carter scores in bunches and quick. A very exciting player to watch.

2024 PF Jasmine Jones Bolingbrook (IL)
Jones is a tough, versatile forward who is hard to deal with in the paint. She rebounds both ends well, is a tough post defender, finishes well in traffic and showed she can step out and knock down the three ball.

2024 SF Jaidyn Elam Detroit Country Day 
Elam gets it done on both ends. I was impressed with how hard she works. As a defender she can guard 2-5, a very strong rebounder and scores the ball in multiple ways. A high energy player that keeps the pressure on whistle to whistle. (Signed with Oakland University)

2025 SG Isis Johnson-Musah Detroit Edison
Next level athlete that plays with a lot of bounce, excels in transition, and finishes well in traffic. She gets her hands on many balls playing the passing lanes on the defensive end. Has that “it” thing when it comes to athleticism and creating positive situations during the game.  

2026 PG Kendyl Smith Powers Catholic
Coaches dream as a point guard, very vocal and filled with good energy. Smith hit big shot after big shot, a few triples, and a couple old fashioned three-point plays. The hard nosed play on both ends really set her apart from some of the other point guards.

2025 SF Makyla McNeal South Bend Washington
High energy player who most will probably say is undersized, but the kid is the type of player that you would rather be on your team than playing against. High basketball IQ, fights on every play until the whistle, plays strong in the paint, and welcomes the contact. McNeal is a glue player who does whatever is needed for the team.

2025 SG Monique Mitchell South Bend Washington (IN)
She is a very active wing with good size on the perimeter showing she can score it from anywhere. She hit some really big shots for SBW down the stretch. Mitchell is a good wing defender and plays the passing lanes well.

2025 Post Gabby Geralds Wayne Memorial
Strong, punishing rebounder on both ends, defends the post well, has a soft touch in the paint and welcomes contact. The kid plays hard all of the time and is a huge asset to a Wayne Memorial team that is guard dominant.

2027 PG Jordynn Ratliff West Bloomfield 
A young guard is a ball of energy, a very tough on-ball defender that causes discomfort for opposing point guards. Showed a nice floater in the lane and the ability to finish in traffic. Looking forward to tracking her development.

2026 SG  Brooklyn Hall  Guard Western Reserve (OH)
Long, athletic guard with a good handle and play-making ability. Showed that she can play the post if needed but really excels in transition and finishing in traffic.

2026 Lilly Williams Post HEA Firebirds (OH)
Williams was dominant on Friday night in a matchup against a talented Western Reserve squad, which featured several college prospects. Williams had a game-high 21 points and 20 rebounds where she scored with either hand around the rim and altered many shots in the paint on the defensive end. Many coaches sitting courtside saw why Williams could be the most coveted post player in the Midwest. 

2025 SG Monique Mitchell South Bend Washington (IN)
Monique is a smooth wing with a silky jump shot a strong physical handle that lets her get to her spots and the athletic ability to rise up over a defender for an easy two. The sky is the limit for Mitchell, who brings so much to the table on both ends of the floor. 

2026 SG Aria Dottery Powers Catholic
Aria is an athletic quick guard that made play after play in the open floor. She scored in transition. She caused havoc on defense, forcing turnovers and finishing on the break. I love what she brings to this squad, showing an ability to change the game with her quickness and toughness.

2027 SG Tristen Williams Laurel (OH)
Tristen is a super athletic young guard who was all over the floor on Saturday. She thrives in transition using her quickness and athletic ability to soar over and around defenders scoring at the hoop. She also did a great job defensively, jumping the passing lanes and making plays. Look for Williams to be a great compliment to Hall all season.

2025 Post Emily Vantimmeren  Grand Rapids CC
Emily showed immediately why she is one of the top recruits in the 2025 class. At 6’3 she had no problem putting the ball on the floor breaking down her defender and finishing in the lane. She plays the game with an extremely high IQ, at her own pace never letting the defense rattle her and with a high level inside and out skill set.

2025 SG Lauren Meerman Grand Rapids CC
Lauren did a great job all day, making a number of hustle plays and competing at a high level. The most impressive thing though was definitely her jump shot. Doing a great job moving without the ball, she could find her shot and knock it down with a nice flick of the wrist. Lauren showed Saturday she is one of the top shooters in her class.

2024 PG Zamiya Walton Butler Prep (IL)
Not even up for discussion, one of the best shooters in the building Walton showed endless range knocking down shots from deep and making it look effortless. One of the most impressive things about her play Saturday was the way she managed the pressure with an exceptional handle and the vision she displayed dropping dimes. There was no question who the Big Ten guard on the floor was!! (Signed with Northwestern)

2024 Post Sereniti Adams  Butler Prep (IL)
Sereniti was a big factor in the paint all day. She blocked shots, rebounded the ball at a high clip, and showed a nice touch scoring in the lane. Not just a statue, Sereniti ran the floor very well catching the ball and showing good footwork. She is a great compliment to the outside shooting of the Butler's guards. (Signed with Oakland University)

2025 PG Rylan Buschell  Belleville 
Rylan had a big-time day running the show in her team’s big victory on Saturday. She was cat-quick with the handle, making the right read on the offense and getting to the basket, finishing through contact. Looking stronger and more physical, Rylan looks to be ready to take her Tigers a long way this year.

2027 Aaliyah Frost Ferndale
Frost started slow, but once she got into the flow, she was a major factor for the Eagles. Knocking down several perimeter shots, she also did a great job handling the rock and finishing with an assortment of floaters and pull-ups. 

2025 Autumn Pernell Arbor Prep
Autumn played extremely well Saturday for the Gators, she created off the bounce playing down-hill all day and was very effective making plays in the lane for her or a teammate. She is a tough, quick, physical guard who will be a big-time difference-maker for her team this season.

2024 SG Taylor Wallace Arbor Prep
Taylor was lights out shooting the rock on Saturday. She scored in the flow of the offense, she scored in transition, and she did a great job creating her shot off the bounce. One of the things that separates Taylor from other shooters is her attention to the defensive end. Relentlessly pressuring the ball and causing havoc on D, Taylor is one of the main pieces in Arbor Prep's tough attacking pressure system.

2025 PG Charlotte Miller Father Gabriel Richard 
Charlotte started out fast and never slowed down Saturday in her team’s big victory. Charlotte is an outstanding floor leader and when her mid-range and three ball are falling she is hard to handle. Weaving through the defense she dropped smooth passes to teammates pushed the ball in transition, knocked down the jumper and was an extension to the coaches on the floor. Look for Charlotte to play a big part in a LOT of victories for FGR this season.

2025 SF Saige Edmondson Father Gabriel Richard
Saige was a beast in the paint Saturday for FGR. Coming off the bench, she instantly established herself as a game-changer. She used good footwork and a smooth, soft touch to score in the lane. She dominated the boards and brought energy and toughness on both ends of the floor. With her and Cora Williams added to the super guard trio, this FGR team will be a problem.

2024 Daria Shelby SG Belleville 
Daria is an extremely versatile guard who did a little bit of everything in her team’s tough victory, including knocking some clutch free throws. She made a living slashing to the hoop and scoring in transition, feeding her teammates for easy buckets and rebounding the rock at a high level. She was one of the best players in the building on Saturday! (Signed with Nebraska-Omaha)

2025 Jordyn Stendyl SG  Western Reserve (OH)
Jordyn is a Tough guard with a high-level perimeter skill set, she ran the show shot it well from deep and had some tough finishes in traffic. She plays the game hard, the right way and with a nice handle and great vision she was a tough cover all day.

2024 PG Destiny Washington West Bloomfield
Destiny is a very tough athletic and physical floor general she led the way defensively while also running the show on offense making the right read, dropping dimes and scoring the rock when needed. Destiny is a coach’s dream on the floor and will play a big part in West Bloomfield's success this year.

Watching PROS!!!!

It’s not often you get to watch players in high school who look like they are on the path to being pros, but on Saturday in the same gym, on the same day, and even two in the same game, we watched 3 of the best to do it.

 2026 SG Saniyah Hall Wing 2026 Laurel (OH)
Saniyah has the whole package. She did things on the floor today that were unbelievable to watch. Her ability to handle and slash adjust in mid-air and the smooth way she approaches the game is a treat to watch. Her back to back games of 38 and 35 were breathtaking!

2027 SG Sydney Savoury Belleville
Sydney has a lot of hype surrounding her, and unfazed, she is living up to all of it. In Saturday’s big-time matchup with Hall, she shot it very well from deep, making a big three in the fourth to slow down the Laurel run. She physically dominated in the lane scoring through contact completing multiple and ones, she took the challenge defensively and was a blur in transition. Scoring 31 in her team's win over Laurel, this girl was only in middle school last year, but I can’t tell!!

2026 SF Trinity Jones Bolingbrook (IL)
Trinity is a super athletic, super smooth 6’2 wing who makes the game look easy while doing a little bit of everything on the floor. She glides in transition, soaring through over and around defenders. She handles the rock like a guard and never lets the defense dictate her tempo; she is always in control. Already a USA Gold Medalist, Jones is just getting started!!!