Wayne, MI: The Michigan Rising Stars Showcase (MRSS) was an excellent opportunity for LBI to get a glimpse of the future, and for young players to get ready for the race. What race? Glad you asked. It’s the race to be the best you can be. However, to be the best you can be, you must embrace the process. Sometimes a part of that process is getting back to basics. At MRSS, a little over 50 middle school prospects participated in drills that focused on the fundamentals: getting in triple threat, jab steps, passing, shooting, positive communication, and more. Then, as the afternoon moved on, the players participated in 1-on-1 and 5-on-5 competition that began to separate the cream from the crop.
These rising stars aligned to show that the sky is the limit for this year’s crop of Michigan’s middle school prospects.
2023 5’8” Kaylin Moorehead PG Hype Lady Hoopers
Kaylin’s blend of agility, strength, and power was overwhelming. She was nimble enough to split double teams but powerful enough to finish through contact in the paint. She had an uncanny ability to score in bunches. In one of the scrimmages I watched, over the course of three straight possessions, she was able to score from all three levels. This was one of several scoring binges she was able to pull off during the Rising Stars Showcase.
2023 5’11” Alexis Boyke PF St. Michael’s Lutheran MS
It’s a joy to watch fundamentally sound kids work. Alexis Boyke uses her skill and poise to make defenders pay. She was able to use her shot fake and footwork in the paint to get around more athletic players. She was also able to finish with both hands efficiently around the rim. Boyke’s ability to play out on the perimeter and in the post was a catalyst during the one on one Queen of the Court challenge, as she was able to outlast over 50 competitors to earn the win.
2024 5’3” Nakiya Bonner PG DEPSA MS
Over the course of a year, a lot can change. One of those things that can change is a players confidence level. With training and experience, a player can go from timid to a tiger. Enter Nakiya Bonner. She was exceptional in the open court finding her teammates for easy buckets. Bonner used no looks, lobs and bounce passes to pile up the assists. She was also able to get out in transition and finish a few layups herself. Defensively she got out in passing lanes and was a pest on the ball. Nakiya Bonner’s boost in aggression was noticeable and served her well.
2024 5’10” Yasmyn Palmer PF University MS
The first thing that stood out about Yasmyn Palmer is that she had the length of a player much taller. She used that length to guard on the perimeter and post at a high level. She altered and blocked shots in the paint, all the while staying in front of much smaller and quicker perimeter players. Palmer has the potential to be an elite defender at the next level as she adds strength.
2023 5’8” Macy Brown SG East Grand Rapids MS
This lefty is no stranger to the Michigan basketball scene, and at the Rising Stars Showcase, she showed why she should be considered one of the top 2023 players in the state. Macy did a little bit of everything: slashed, passed, shot, defended and rebounded. All the things you would appreciate about a versatile player. What’s more endearing to an evaluator is that she is ready and willing to turn up the competitive dial when challenged.
2023 5’5” Evgenija Tanaskoska SG Hillside MS
Evgenija has an unassuming presence about her, but it didn't take long to figure out that she's the big dog in the fight. She plays very hard on both ends of the court. Defensively, she got many deflections and steals. She always seemed to be around loose balls. Offensively, she showed off an array of moves off the dribble, including a two dribble step-back for a mid-range jumper drew a few oohs and ahhs from her teammates, and a few chuckles from me as well. This was my first time seeing Tanaskoska, but I hope it won’t be my last.
2023 5’7” Cadence Dykstra SG Kenowa Hills MS
Cadence Dykstra can flat out defend. She had deflections, strip steals, and even passing lane steals time and time again. I watched this girl give everything she had every second she was on the court. Her ability to not only stay in front of oppositions best ball handlers but then rattle them to pass was amazing to watch. Don’t think that just because she is an elite defender, that means she can’t put the ball in the basket; she was able to get to the rim with quickness and knock down shots from the perimeter as well. Dykstra was one of the top performers at the Rising Stars Showcase.
Cadence Dykstra can flat out defend. She had deflections, strip steals, and even passing lane steals time and time again. I watched this girl give everything she had every second she was on the court. Her ability to not only stay in front of oppositions best ball handlers but then rattle them to pass was amazing to watch. Don’t think that just because she is an elite defender, that means she can’t put the ball in the basket; she was able to get to the rim with quickness and knock down shots from the perimeter as well. Dykstra was one of the top performers at the Rising Stars Showcase.
2023 5’7” Rashunda Jones PG South Bend Washington MS
Although the platform was set in Wayne, Michigan for the 2018 Rising Stars Showcase, Indiana was well represented today as Rashunda Jones from South Bend put on quite the show. Jones showed sneaky quickness while slicing her way through the lane as she finished layup after layup from multiple angles. She has all the offensive tools in her tool belt to score at a very high level. Her energy was impressive to watch as well. She was able to maintain pressure on the defensive end while converting tough buckets on the other end as well. Look for Jones to come and stay on the scene for quite some time.
2024 5’5” Devin Hagemann PG DEPSA MS
Hagemann is a definite floor general with high leadership qualities. She is a point guard’s point guard with the ability to push the ball in transition, break down the defense and disperse the ball to open shooters. Hagemann put continuous pressure on the secondary defense with her ability to break down her man and draw multiple defenders. She showed variety in her decision making when nearing the rim; dumping it down to the big, kick outs to shooters or crafty finishes at the basket herself. This young point guard did not play young at this years Rising Stars Showcase!
2024 5’10” Adrena Gordon SF St. Mary MS
Adrena Gordon showed great toughness and grit throughout the day at the Rising Stars Showcase. She was a hard player to deal with on the offensive end. She managed to make baskets that most players would either find themselves at the free-throw line or on the floor somewhere. I watched Gordon pound and punish players in the paint after an offensive rebound for putbacks while showing the ability to handle on the perimeter and stretch the floor a bit with an excellent three-point shot as well.
2023 5’8” Syncere Williams SG
It seemed like every time I looked up Syncere Williams was at the rim making a play. She used her strength combined with her unassuming quickness to blow past defenders relatively easy seemingly. She made the defense pay for hanging back to attempt to stop her drives by hitting open threes too. Williams had various matchups on the defensive end that showed her versatility for using her strength and toughness on bigger players as well as her quickness and agility to stay in front of the smaller guards. Sincere has made good strides this past year, continue to look for more in years to come.
2023 5'8" Macey Fegan SG Standish Sterling Central MS
Macey is a camp returnee who had a pretty good showing and her output this year was more of the same but with a twist. Her play was definitely worthy of an MVP type of nod as she was one of the more dominant players in the event. A three level scorer and multi-positional prospect, her ability to impact the game with or without the ball in her hands makes her one to watch moving forward. She created opportunities for her teammates advancing the ball in stride, rebounding and keeping her head up and getting stops on defense all over the floor.
2024 5'4" Emma Arico PG Saline MS
A coaches kid, it’s easy to see the maturation in her game as you watch her more and more. Although she was one of few 7th graders in the event, you wouldn’t be able to tell with the poise she played with. A heady PG, she knows how to control the tempo to her liking, an attribute that every lead guard needs to have. Challenging on the defense end, she took pride in every matchup and stayed connected when the ball wasn’t in her opponent's hands.
