The first day of the Back to School Fall league was everything it was hyped up to be: Six full courts of great competition, up and down action, and top talent from the Midwest. Many players stood out and showed up. Here are a few that caught my eye!
Maya Layton 2026 Guard Lafayette Jefferson HS
Maya is a special player who only knows one way to play, which is harder than most. She is always on the full go, scoring in transition, knocking down the 3, attacking off the bounce, and playing tough defense. Today was no different than usual; she was all over the floor making plays from the 1-4 positions.
Gracie Smith 2027 Guard FW Snider HS
Gracie is a super quick strong guard with a tight handle and an aggressive mindset attacking the lane. Today, she did a great job pushing the rock in transition, dropping dimes, and getting to the basket for two. Gracie is a tough lead guard who will be a problem all season on both hands of the floor.
Kallie Thames 2026 Guard Toledo Notre Dame HS
Kallie had a lovely day playing downhill, finishing physically through and around contact. She plays the game with excellent speed and control, getting to the basket or shooting the pull-up. Kallie was also a physical defender, pressuring the ball and getting some tough rebounds from the guard spot.
Addison Baxter 2025 Guard Columbia City HS
Addison is a tough, high IQ guard with a great vision and an excellent feel for the game. Her passing ability is next level, even in a showcase setting where most people look to score first and second. Addison is the ideal playmaker, running the show and dropping dimes. On a few occasions, she did get in the lane off the bounce and finish herself, but most of the time, it led to sweet passes to teammates. Any player playing with Addison should be smiling and running the floor because she will deliver!
Eva Herbert 2026 Wing Fairfield HS
Evan had a good afternoon making plays from the wing position. She has good size and length and showed a nice ability to put the ball on the floor and beat her defender off the dribble to finish in the lane. She shot it well from the outside and aggressively attacked the boards. I was impressed with her overall skill set.
Brookelynn Buzzard 2025 Guard Manchester HS
Brookelynn was all over the floor in the game I watched today. She was in attack mode all game, attacking the lane, scoring from the midrange and at the hoop. She plays the game with a high motor and a lot of energy, playing tough on defense and getting out in transition physically, scoring through contact.
Mackenzie Carter 2028 Wing FW Snider HS
Mackenzie is nice. She has a smooth game off the bounce, showing a sweet skill set. She puts the ball on the floor and beats her defender for two. She can shoot it well from the outside, and she played today with an aggressive mindset, playing downhill and being the aggressor on both ends of the floor. The sky is the limit for this 2028 youngster!
Khala Williams -Thomas 2026 Guard Fort Wayne Northrop HS
Khala was unstoppable today in transition. She used her super athleticism and quickness to fly up and down the floor, scoring the ball any way she wanted. She shot it well from the outside which opened up her drive and she made a living in the lane making uncontested layups. Using great size, length and speed she was a menace on defense recording steal after steal leading to easy points. Big time day for Khala.
Suzy Perego 2028 Wing Homestead HS
Suzy impacted the game I watched in multiple ways. She dominated the game using her size, length, and ability to score in the lane, score on the perimeter, beat her girl off the bounce, and block shots defensively. Suzy was one of the players I was excited to watch in a different setting, and she did not disappoint. The 2028 wing is special, and the future is crazy bright!
Grace Scharlach 2027 Guard Freemont HS
Grace is one of my favorite guards to watch. She mixes a wide range of skills with an ultra-competitive mindset and the ability to play with big-time intensity and energy. She shoots it very well from deep and has a confident handle getting to her spots on the floor to score or make a play for a teammate. Only a 2027, I am excited to follow her continual development!
