Wayne, MI: This past weekend, the Inargual Michigan Winter Hoopfest was held at Wayne Memorial High School in Wayne, MI. Although only five games were played over the two days, they were exciting and showcased some incredibly talented players. The Michigan Hardwood Classic, previously known as the Michigan Roundball Classic, was held at Romulus High School over the course of four days. Several teams from Michigan and a few teams from Illinois participated in the event. LBI attended both events and identified a number of prospects that stood out.
2024 Karma Jones Guard (Romulus HS)
Jones is considered one of the most promising unsigned players in the state of Michigan's 2024 class. As a left-handed player, she has a remarkable ability to score from the 3-point range with great speed. Jones is also a confident player who is not afraid to drive to the basket and take difficult perimeter shots. In her last game, she scored 19 points and helped her team secure a win against Port Huron Northern. She came back on Saturday and had an even better performance, scoring 21 points against a talented Cass Tech squad.
2026 Samaira Searcy Foward (Romulus HS)
Searcy is a gifted forward who hasn't received much attention from college coaches yet. However, her recent performance against Port Huron Northern demonstrated her athleticism, her ability to finish around the rim, her versatile defense, and her strong rebounding skills. As she continues to perform at a high level, it's likely that college coaches will begin to take notice and show her some interest.
2025 Alli Zajac Forward (Tecumseh)
Zajac dominated the paint, scoring effectively around the rim with good footwork, strong moves, and a soft touch. She was capable of scoring from the mid-range as well.
2024 Kayla Mount Post (Cass Tech)
Mount is a powerful post that excels in scoring on the low block and finished everything inside in the two games that she played in over the holiday break. Mount scored 26 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead Cass Tech to victory over Romulus. If she continues to dominate, they will be tough to beat in March.
2024 Stacy Utomi (Arbor Prep) Signed w/Mercer
She is considered to be one of the most talented athletes in the state. In a game against a strong team in Wayne Memorial, Utomi managed to showcase her skills on both offense and defense. She was dominant in the post, scored points while transitioning, attacked the rim from the high post, and was also excellent in rebounding. Utomi ended the game with an impressive 24 points and double-digit rebounds.
2025 Collenna Bryant (Wayne Memorial)
On Friday night, Bryant put forth an outstanding effort in a match-up between two top teams against Arbor Prep. As the pure point guard, she skillfully set up her teammates with some easy scoring opportunities by delivering a few pinpoint passes. In addition, she also contributed to the scoring herself, almost leading her team to victory. Bryant finished the game with a team-high 17 points and 10 assists.
2025 Isis Johnson (Detroit Edison)
The top-ranked prospect in the state of Michigan’s Class of 2025 showed impressive skills in victories over Chicago Kenwood and Columbus Africentric. Johnson effectively pushed the ball in transition, scoring off the bounce or from mid-range with ease. Besides, she has picked up her defensive intensity, making it tough for her opponents to score. She finished the games with 22 and 24 points, respectively.
