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LBI Michigan Event Recap: April Showers Classic Part 2

By Steve Reynolds @LBI_Steve, 04/18/18, 11:15PM EDT

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'20 Kenzie Lewis came up big in an upset win over the Michigan Mystics Dream Team


Indiana Flight North 2021 took home the 15U Division April Showers Championship in dramatic fashion

Livonia, MI: The April Showers Classic was so jam-packed full of talent, and we have reported a few times on premier players.  We would certainly be remiss if we did not highlight the following stand out performances:

6'3" 2021 Post  Brynn Shoup-Hill Always 100 Wright
Brynn has improved since I saw her last year.  She has a good looking shot from the elbow.  She is playing stronger which led her to have an impact
in the Indiana Flight North game altering shots and rebounding.  She set good screens and moved well in pick and roll situations.  Brynn also ran the floor well that helped suck in the defense to help get sharpshooters, Kinsie Ryman and Ryin Ott open looks in transition.  Brynn is an incredibly intriguing Indiana prospect.  College coaches would do themselves a service to keep their eyes on Goshen, IN.

5'10" 2021 SG Hanna Kurncz Capitol City Express
There is a lot to like about this Coach’s kid!  She can slash and shoot the rock.  The fundamentals are there.  She has good pace and multiple fakes and jabs out of the triple threat position. She plays the team game, but she also understands that she is the one who can break a play to make a play.  Her lefty stroke is legit.  She can catch-and-shoot, and she can get her shot off the dribble as well.  Hanna moved very well off the ball tool.  She didn’t finish as well as she would have liked against a huge and long West Michigan Drive Copeland team, but the skill and motor are unquestionable.

5'10" 2021 SG Lilliann Frasure Indiana Flight North
Lilliann is coming off a historic freshman year at North Judson San Pierre HS averaging 21 points per game and a ten rebounds per game.  Did I mention that was her freshman year?  Well, she looked terrific and ready to go to the next level at the LBI April Showers Classic.  Lilly plays close to the ground, almost like a running back, weaving in between help defenders and bigs hedging on screens.  She merely has a knack for scoring, and she scored in big moments all tournament.  She is gritty and has a sneaky, good first step on the dribble drive.  She can finishes around the basket from multiple angles. Indiana Flight North pulled out close game after close game, and Lillian was in the thick of seemingly all of the big plays.  After securing a defensive rebound, she went coast to coast to score what would be the game-winning layup in The Flight’s 46-44 overtime 15U Championship win. 
Lilliann doesn’t pass the eye test when measuring up to all the other top athletic guards, but she does pass the baller test! Lilliann is a CERTIFIED baller.

6'4" 2019 Post Sydnee Roby Michigan Crossover EYBL
Sydnee Roby is a powerhouse!  I enjoyed watching her move in the paint on offense and defense.  Offensively, she is excellent on the boards and understands how important she is in that role.  What’s surprising about her game is her footwork and ability to drive off one or two dribbles from the high post.  It’s impressive to see her be so nimble through the lane, in traffic.  Defensively, she's a presence.  She alters and blocks shots.  I like that Sydnee keeps her blocks inbounds and she came up with a few herself.  It's hard to teach that.  Sydnee is single-handedly proving that the demise of the center position is greatly exaggerated.  If you need a big, then you need Sydnee Roby. 

5'9" 2019 PG Sophia Ward West Michigan Drive VanKempen
Sophia is a monster!  There were a lot of good individual moves this past weekend and Sophia made her share.  You have to watch Sophia for only a short time to know she’s a gym rat and that she works on the detail of her game.  She’s outstanding off the dribble and has a plethora of moves that includes a grade A crossover.  It isn’t one of those long crossovers; it’s one of those crossovers set up by footwork and change of pace.   It’s more Tim Hardaway (the old one lol) than Allen Iverson.  Sophia is crafty too.  She seemingly has a move for every situation whether out on the perimeter or even if she finds herself in the post.  There are girls that are incredibly skilled; then there's Sophia Ward! (Verbally Committed to Toledo)

6'2" 2022 PF Tadassa Brown Jackson Jets
When we talk about the Michigan class of 2022 players, many hear the names of Mya Petticord and Ruby Whitehorn, but I am here to tell you, Tadassa Brown is a name you need to remember. Brown already has a college build, solid and mobile. She did a great job running the floor and finishing in transition. Tadassa rebounded well on both ends, kept the ball high, made some good outlet passes that started the break. Brown is comfortable handling the ball on the perimeter, where she is agile enough to get to the rim off the bounce. She showed that she could knock down the mid-range jump shot and the three ball.

5'10" 2021 PG Abrie Cabana Michigan Premier
Cabana was very efficient the entire weekend at the April Showers Classic where she led her Michigan Premier squad in winning the 16U Division championship over a tough 1 Nation team in which Cabana drilled the game-winner. Abrie doesn't get rattled in pressure situations, rarely turns the ball over and is terrific in transition where she can pass it well to a moving target. She's an outstanding shooter as she made several big shots when her team needed a basket.

5'9" 2020 PG Kenzie Lewis Michigan Triple Threat
Lewis proved in her matchup against a very talented Michigan Mystics Dream Team that she belongs in the conversation as being one of the top playmakers in the class of 2020. Kenzie made huge plays whether it was setting up teammates or scoring for herself in a convincing double-digit win. She is not afraid to mix up inside as she rebounds well from the guard position, which makes it easier for her to lead the break when she secured the rebound that led to many easy transition points throughout the weekend.

14U Championship

Tri-County 37 vs. Common Bond 36
Common Bond seemed to try to establish themselves inside early with 6-foot forwards Alexis Clark,
Davai Matthews, and Mia Steele, but Common Bond struggled to figure out the 1-3-1 in the first half.  Kendall Zeiter was the most aggressive player on the court early as it showed in her first half stats with 8 points and a handful of rebounds. Kendall also did a great job of handling some facilitation duties on offense. Ashley Loon was everywhere. She forced turnovers, dove on the floor, got loose rebounds, and made a key 3 to open up the lead in the first half.  The 2nd half saw Common Bond’s Lauren DeWolf hit a big three early to close the Tri-County lead to 3. But we got more stellar play from Zeiter.  She owned the paint rebounding, blocking, and altering shots on the defensive end. Offensively, Loon carried the torch by creating offense off her defense.  One steal and deflection led to an “And 1.” At one point a DeWolf layup cut the lead Tri-County lead to two, but Tri-County never relinquished the lead in the 2nd half on their way to a 1 point victory.

15U Championship

IN Flight North 46 vs. Michigan Crossover 2022 44
The April Showers Classic 15U Championship was must-see TV. Indiana Fight North jumped out to an 8-0 lead, but a young Michigan Crossover team led by Ruby Whitehorn (15 points) competed and turned the game into a slugfest.  Back and forth, back and forth until the final sequence of regulation saw Katie Burton miss a floater to send the game into OT.  Ruby Whitehorn made a 3 to go up 1 in overtime, but moments later Nakiah Hunter made a layup off of a phenomenal pass from Lillian Frasure and then the following possession, Hunter made a strong move to the basket finishing over the top of 6’2” Mila Reynolds.  This is significant because Mila defended the paint exceptionally well to the tune of 8 blocked shots.  Frasure would seal the deal on a rebound and coast to coast layup as The Flight would go on to win a very entertaining game by 2 points in OT. Lillian Frasure finished with 9 points and Nakiah Hunter with 12.